Am I being a bit overly paranoid or prudent?

[TamInAz]

As those of you who frequent the goat & cattle boards know I've been asking questions and am in many respects a Newbie to the down & gritty aspects of raising livestock though I thankfully was raised on a farm my first 18 yrs.

I've been spending A Lot of time reading here and gaining an enormous amount of knowlege...Thank You!!!! But I'm also getting concerned. We've Just begun to live our dream (ok, My dream but the family is happy to participate LOL). But now I'm feeling a tad bit of urgency I didn't have before...the chipping, the possibility of needing inspections, the whole "bird flu" thing that could affect chicken production.

I'm not looking to make a Profit off our land and animals, I just want to have enough animals and breed them to be self-sufficiant as far as meat, milk, eggs & cheese (oh, plan an nice veggie garden too). I Don't want the gov. involved in Anything I do.

This is boiling down to kinda what the poster who put up the thread of "what livestock do I get first" thing. I have the benefit of my growing up years knowledge...milked a cow 2xdaily for years, cared for chickens and the horses we have..no problem. But I also want pork in the freezer along w/other stuff.

Am I being paranoid to go ahead now and make sure we're self-sufficient as far as breeding animals w/out relying on outside sources...meaning staying under the radar? I can't imagine any "Official Gov. person" wanting to visit or inspect us if we are self-contained and use no outside resources or try to sell anything.

Right now, as far as food producing/milk producing animals we have:
*14 laying hens & 1 rooster...would like to work up to where we have 1 chicken/wkly for the table.
*1 soon to give birth Boer goat...the Mama for milk and babies for fun & another milk goat.
*1 Nubian doe...not quite sure why we have her, except that she's cute & sweet
*1 Jersey due in Jan. she's to be our milk cow and we'll keep 1 heifer from her and any other calf will eventually end up on the dinner table
*1 8/9 mth. old Angus heifer...plans are to breed her when age apropriate for future freezer meat.

What else I want is a pig/hog per year for the freezer.

Plan was to go AI w/goats, cows and pig...now I'm wondering if it wouldn't be more prudent to have a male of the 3 types so we don't have to deal w/any potentially upcoming restrictions.

Sorry so long, but what do you all think and Why?

TIA
Tam

[Gayle in KY]

Even if you leave the government out of the equation, it's a good idea to have your own breeding stock so you can control which traits you want to pass on and which you would like to get rid of by selective culling. You'll have more control over how the male is raised, as well, and other aspects of his health. These are issues you can never be sure of, with AI. Also, if 'things happen' you will be able to produce your own meat, from your own stock, and not depend on anyone else. It's like money in the bank.

[dlangland]

I see/hear you speak about meat. Are you thinking veggies and grains? And do you have a plan? I have lived and prospered without meat or meat products for my now 47 yrs. Just a thought for you. Deb

[Caelma]

I too have concerns and such about such things, chipping and all.
So you're not alone in your concerns and fears.

One thing to consider, you want one pig a year for meat and talking about breeding, yet not selling to outside folks, well a pig usually has 6 to 15, so less your one what are you going to do with the others?

I wish tatoo'ing was enough. Goats and rabbits can be easily tatoo'ed.
This chipping has got me very unhappy and think of all the money and costs involved. The man power they would need to enforce such an endeavor.

Anyway, it is nice to have your own males, cause I know many who lots of times can't find a boar, buck or bull to bred their females to.

[Abouttime]

Isn't there a general guideline for how many females make it worthwhile and prudent to have a male of whatever species you have? I can't remember for certain, but years ago when I lived in Tn, I seem to recall the farmers saying if you didn't have a minimum of 10 cows, you shouldn't have a bull.

[Don Armstrong]

Originally Posted by Gayle in KY

it's a good idea to have your own breeding stock so you can control which traits you want to pass on and which you would like to get rid of by selective culling. You'll have more control over how the male is raised, as well, and other aspects of his health.

Most particularly, the male is half your breeding. You may have neighbours you can watch and trust, but even then things can change. They may die or get ill, their heirs may have other ideas. In particular, I think it's ALWAYS a good idea to cull on bad temperament, but many commercial breeders don't give that much or even any priority. I'm NOT sayiing you have to keep a Jersey bull - quite thhe opposite. ALL Jersey bulls should be culled on temperament. If you're suicidal it's easier and just about as certain to use firearms or drugs. However, do appreciate the trade-offs.

[Terri]

When was the last time you saw the government move quickly? I think you will have enough notice so that you could buy a male critter #IF# you had to.

In other words, I would do this year exactly what you had intended to do any ways, watch the news, and if you need to trade for a male critter with neighbors you will know it in time to do so.

Righ now, for instance, cattle are not chipped. If you had a bull calf born, you could trade him for an unchipped bull calf that was not related to your girls. That is, *IF* you had to. Chipping MIGHT NEVER be required for your cattle.

I think that you chose to AI this year for a reason, and I think that reason is still good. And, in one years time you will have your OWN male critter to raise for your cows or trade, *IF* chipping becomes the law.

We talk a lot about "what ifs". Us homesteaders are just good at looking ahead, that's all.

You have to be, when you prepare the garden in the fall for the spring planting, and you breed your cow now for next years calf, and so forth.

[mtman]

Originally Posted by TamInAz

As those of you who frequent the goat & cattle boards know I've been asking questions and am in many respects a Newbie to the down & gritty aspects of raising livestock though I thankfully was raised on a farm my first 18 yrs.

I've been spending A Lot of time reading here and gaining an enormous amount of knowlege...Thank You!!!! But I'm also getting concerned. We've Just begun to live our dream (ok, My dream but the family is happy to participate LOL). But now I'm feeling a tad bit of urgency I didn't have before...the chipping, the possibility of needing inspections, the whole "bird flu" thing that could affect chicken production.

I'm not looking to make a Profit off our land and animals, I just want to have enough animals and breed them to be self-sufficiant as far as meat, milk, eggs & cheese (oh, plan an nice veggie garden too). I Don't want the gov. involved in Anything I do.

This is boiling down to kinda what the poster who put up the thread of "what livestock do I get first" thing. I have the benefit of my growing up years knowledge...milked a cow 2xdaily for years, cared for chickens and the horses we have..no problem. But I also want pork in the freezer along w/other stuff.

Am I being paranoid to go ahead now and make sure we're self-sufficient as far as breeding animals w/out relying on outside sources...meaning staying under the radar? I can't imagine any "Official Gov. person" wanting to visit or inspect us if we are self-contained and use no outside resources or try to sell anything.

Right now, as far as food producing/milk producing animals we have:
*14 laying hens & 1 rooster...would like to work up to where we have 1 chicken/wkly for the table.
*1 soon to give birth Boer goat...the Mama for milk and babies for fun & another milk goat.
*1 Nubian doe...not quite sure why we have her, except that she's cute & sweet
*1 Jersey due in Jan. she's to be our milk cow and we'll keep 1 heifer from her and any other calf will eventually end up on the dinner table
*1 8/9 mth. old Angus heifer...plans are to breed her when age apropriate for future freezer meat.

What else I want is a pig/hog per year for the freezer.

Plan was to go AI w/goats, cows and pig...now I'm wondering if it wouldn't be more prudent to have a male of the 3 types so we don't have to deal w/any potentially upcoming restrictions.

Sorry so long, but what do you all think and Why?

TIA
Tam

have fun living on your farm stop reading so much

[MELOC]

i agree with mtman but i will add if you are paranoid and wish to keep a low profile, posting on an internet chatroom with archives is probably not the "safest" thing to do, lol. if such a situaltion arises, i am sure big brother will check here too.

[okgoatgal2]

the nubian will be a better producer, if she's a decent goat, of milk than the boer. boers are meat animals, nubians are dairy animals. keep a boer buck, and you'll get meat animals, every couple of years, breed the nubian to a dairy buck, keep a doe kid as replacement for her. why a cow? goats are smaller, easier to transport, and give plenty of milk for a family. i had 5 milkers a couple yrs ago, and 3 hogs, and let me tell you, the hogs ate all the milk we didn't and grew sooooo well......and, most people would be willing to sell an unchipped barrow, regardless of gov't regs. why chip something that can't breed? so, for pigs, your best bet is to find a breeder and make a deal for the runts or some such thing. a weaned pig can be bought for 15-50$ depending on your location. i got some from the birthing center at the fair for $5 a piece this year. growing well, too, they are.

[3girls]

We don't have to just sit back and think of ways to outwit "Them". We can and should take action. I am pushing for a New American Revolution. Search on my moniker and see the post on contacting your gov't. people.

This chip thing is extremely threatening.