Cattle questions

[Rockbadchild]

Yup, and that's with rotating pastures regularly.

yeah that's the thing once they start defecating close to half is wasted until that has been broken down.

 

[paulsharvey]

I still haven't completely ruled out hair sheep, but I need to make a decision pretty soon. I can quickly do 4 strand barb on the 1.2 and 1.6, for cattle, but if i do that, that eliminates sheep as an option,

 

[paulsharvey]

Yup, and that's with rotating pastures regularly.

100% plan on rotating, that's part of the reason for multiple small pastures; BUT, i don't mean daily moves like some of the guys on YouTube, doing 200ftx10ft strips, and temp fencing moves every 12-24 hours. I mean, maybe every 4 days, or maybe 7, or as the field allows.

 

[jyoutz]

I still haven't completely ruled out hair sheep, but I need to make a decision pretty soon. I can quickly do 4 strand barb on the 1.2 and 1.6, for cattle, but if i do that, that eliminates sheep as an option,

Sheep are far easier to raise. IDK about the current market situation and profitability.

 

[LHF2019]

That was my first thought, one vet trip can wipe out a lot. Ours is $100 for a farm call, 300 for after hours.

That is not good to know vet costs. Have yet to call a vet and would NEVER call one after hours these days. Even as a dairy had 2 after hour calls both were true emergencies.

 

[paulsharvey]

The 1.0 with water and shelter is currently 48" sheep and goat wire. Doing everything with that would be a large investment. I have considered doing 39" woven, with a barb (or hot wire) at 48" on the perimeter and along road, but even that gets expensive with a total perimeter of 0.7 miles.

 

[paulsharvey]

Sheep are far easier to raise. IDK about the current market situation and profitability.

We had a pretty good sized (well, not good sized, but not "homestead" sized) sheep Flock as a kid. I think we ran around 60, on mostly fenced timber hills, low grade stuff, in WVa. The market was complete trash through the 90s and early 2000s; but I've been told the ethnic market has pushed more demand on lamb/mutton at market.

 

[jyoutz]

We had a pretty good sized (well, not good sized, but not "homestead" sized) sheep Flock as a kid. I think we ran around 60, on mostly fenced timber hills, low grade stuff, in WVa. The market was complete trash through the 90s and early 2000s; but I've been told the ethnic market has pushed more demand on lamb/mutton at market.

My sons raised 4H lambs for over 10 years. We would sell some at the auction at inflated prices (like all 4H auctions) and put the remainder in our freezer, so I never had a realistic understanding of market value.

 

[Rockbadchild]

The 1.0 with water and shelter is currently 48" sheep and goat wire. Doing everything with that would be a large investment. I have considered doing 39" woven, with a barb (or hot wire) at 48" on the perimeter and along road, but even that gets expensive with a total perimeter of 0.7 miles.

Electric high tensile is probably the most cost effective and simpler... but that wont work if you put goats or sheep in there... Barb wire is outdated in my opinion espicially if you are planning on having calf in there, they get cut up then you have to deal with that... Just my 5 cent

I have like 5 roll of that thing and its going in for scrap metal.

 

[paulsharvey]

My sons raised 4H lambs for over 10 years. We would sell some at the auction at inflated prices (like all 4H auctions) and put the remainder in our freezer, so I never had a realistic understanding of market value.

If I'm reading the USDA reports right (and i probably am not), it looks like about $2.88/lbs live weight on hair breeds