Looking for advice re grazing cattle

[LouNY]

I have not been around animals that were utilized as grazers for fire mitigation.
I am assuming that you are trying almost bare ground grazing.
The beefers that I'm familiar with will live and survive under such conditions,
but to gain weight and retain desirableness beef charateristics requires good digestible
protein, otherwise they will be 3 or 4 year olds before attaining butcher weight.
At that age and being used to keep ground cleared they are going to be tough and chewy.

 

[Hay Dude]

Keep rotating in new stock and selling off the older. Artificially inseminate the ones you want for new calves.

 

[oosik]

I have the neighbors cows on about 50 of my acres. He installed a barbed wire fence to restrict their access. There is no contract - no payment. It's simply to reduce the amount of grass.

He rotates his cows on various grazing lands all year. They are on my land two or three times a year. It presents no restrictions to any of my activities on my land.

 

[jyoutz]

I have not been around animals that were utilized as grazers for fire mitigation.
I am assuming that you are trying almost bare ground grazing.
The beefers that I'm familiar with will live and survive under such conditions,
but to gain weight and retain desirableness beef charateristics requires good digestible
protein, otherwise they will be 3 or 4 year olds before attaining butcher weight.
At that age and being used to keep ground cleared they are going to be tough and chewy.

He would have to grain them later in the fall to make weight within 18 months.

 

[newbury]

OP - Since your prime objective seems to be to keep grass short with minimal expense and effort have you looked into "Miniature cattle" like the Dexter?

My memories of dairy farming in Vermont include many hours of having to move almost 1 ton Holsteins where they didn't want to go. It wasn't too bad when I was a strapping 20 yr old, but at 72 I'd be pushing it.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have no personal experience owning cattle. I went with goats, which are a pain to keep in, but just like you mentioned, they do a great job of eating everything. My favorite thing is how they keep the lower part of my trees cleaned up!!!! Fencing is the biggest issue with goats.

I have several clients that raise cattle, and all of them have a list of injuries they have had dealing with them. I just know that if I had cattle, I'd end up getting hurt eventually.

Having said that, my wife really wants us to raise a few steers for the freezer. My current thinking is to go with a smaller breed like Belted Galloway's. From what I've read, their meat is exceptional. They have a very mild temperament, and they are only 400 pounds, give or take.

 

[newbury]

Belted Galloway's. From what I've read, their meat is exceptional. They have a very mild temperament, and they are only 400 pounds, give or take.

Are you sure? I just looked them up

Mass: 1,700 – 2,300 lbs (Male, Adult), 990 – 1,500 lbs (Female, Adult)

from the wicki
Maybe they were 400kg give or take.
/edit
Belted Galloway - Wikipedia

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks, I have only glanced at their information and read some comments from people on here. I have never seen one in person. I have a friend in CA that has about a dozen of them, but I haven't spoken to her about them. I also watched some Youtube videos about them, but mostly those are all in Great Britain. They have some around here in my area of Texas for sale, but it's too early for me to put any time into that yet.

Those weights are a lot bigger then I was thinking!!!

 

[Eagle1]

400 kg is about right for Belties, unless you are talking minis. Still about half the size of full sized cattle.
I have Dexters and they eat most anything except mint and pawpaw. Mine are in 500 to 600 lbs range for cows and most steers. The bull is right at 1K. He carries the mini gene so get some minis, those I can carry in the bucket of a BX full grown when it's time for freezer camp. Less than 450 lbs.

 

[EddieWalker]

Dexter's are also on our radar. My wife has had a Dexter steak years ago and remembers it as being the best steak she's ever eaten. Something about being double muscled, I think. How is their temperament? Any danger working with them?