If you had to pick livestock to raise, very small scale

[Haven]

For a family of 2 people

I have a lush pasture sitting unused, just keeping it mowed down for hay, 2-3 acres.

It will need to be fenced.

It will need a shelter.

We both work and do not have time to keep more high maintenance animals on top of what we already raise. We just want some good pasture raised meat for the freezer.

I researched meat goats extensively for a few years and they seem like a good idea other than worm and hoof issues. This is one meat we cannot find anywhere to taste. Not sure if the flavor would be too strong to eat all the time.

DH mentions raising a cow or two and butchering them off before winter. We have not researched cattle at all yet. Unsure of feed costs since they are large. Not sure of the grow out time on raising young cows.

Pigs were also discussed, but I am kind weary about potential damage to fencing and the ground. We both love pigs and pork.

A friend down the road raises some nice sheep and would give me some, but we dont really care for them since they are pretty aloof and seem dumb. We love lamb, but the meat flavor is too strong to be using it all the time to fill the freezer.

We want something that can be raised as naturally as possible. I have always used natural rearing, preventitive methods for all of my animals, unless a medical emergency requires drugs.

We are open to getting a few quality registered animals for breeding on a small scale (like a trio), but this would eliminate cows because we don't want to keep more than 1 or 2 and do not want a bull.

Any imput or advice?

(PS. We already raise meat rabbits and chickens)

[Pony]

I love goats. The dairy goats are more personable, but you will be milking. We both work off-farm, though, and enjoy working with the animals.

Lambs are nice, but if you don't like the meat, it's not worth the time.

Proper fencing will keep pigs, and it really doesn't have to be bomb-proof.

If you live near me, I'll be happy to share goat meat with you. We're butchering in the next week.

[Cliff]

How about a small breed of cow like Dexters? If you have a person who does AI locally they could order the semen for you when needed.

Dexters are very hardy and do very well on forage and hay alone, no need for bagged feed. One cow and her calf would be good. Get the cow bred back and the older calf would be growing meat for you.

[Alice In TX/MO]

As you have chickens already, my next vote is dairy goats. You get milk most of the year and kids to butcher in the fall. Win Win.

[BobbyB]

In my mind, milking equals high maintenance. It has to be done every day if not twice a day.

Meat goats or maybe one of the hair sheep would be my choice. We are planning on some sheep if the rains come back like they say.

[highlands]

Chickens #1.
Pigs #2.
Ducks, geese are good.
Sheep are pretty easy.

With good managed rotational grazing pigs improve the soil and graze rather than rooting it all up. It may take time though as they are likely on a rough pasture to first work on cleaning out the under things like grubs and tubers. This is good for the pasture. Run chickens with them to smooth the soil. Our pigs primarily graze. They're lazy. Why bother digging when the good stuff is up on top. See:

Rootless in Vermont | Sugar Mountain Farm

site:sugarmtnfarm.com managed rotational grazing - Google Search

[tinknal]

Unless you are thinking of buying spring yearlings I would rule out cattle. One season is just too short to grow out beef. As for your concerns about parasites and hooves on meat goats bear in mind that no matter what kind of animal you choose that parasites will be a problem and each species will also have other needs specific to them. There is no free lunch. Parasite control and hoof trimming do not consume much time at all and you can easily learn how to do it.
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World-wide goat is probably the most important domestic animal. They can produce meat, milk, fiber, and leather in extremely inhospitable environments. The trouble with cattle is that on your small acreage you could only keep one or two. You get only one harvest a year and if an animal dies you get nothing. With goats you could probably slaughter 2 a month year round and an individual death would have much lower impact.

Any species other than the ruminants and rabbits would require year round purchase of grain, which is going up in price.

You might want to look into starting a rabbit colony.

[Bearfootfarm]

Sheep do better than goats on grass pastures, but keeping a Ram with the Ewes all the time makes it hard to control breeding, and Rams can be dangerous

[ChristieAcres]

You did mention time and pigs would net the most for the least amount of time. We raised ours naturally and I posted a thread about our experiences. That said, I'd recommend you do plenty of research and decide yourself how you would like to feed pigs. There are plenty of posts on that thread by pig farmers, too.

We had planned to only have our three pigs in our 5,000 sq ft orchard (little bigger than that probably). Since it was the only area we had fenced, DH ran a single electric wire

[Callieslamb]

This is a tough one. I think we need more information. You have 2 acres of grass that you currently put into hay. Do you have other land to pasture also? Do you have other acreage in hay? Do you mind overwintering animals? How much is too much for feed?

If grain is the issue, it's hard to raise cattle without having to over winter them. Without the grain they grow slower. Having to buy the hay for overwintering can cost a lot more than the grain. 2 acres might not be enough grass depending on where you are. Any animal needs a buddy- so you need enough pasture for 2. A plus on cattle is that they will stay in a pasture with just electric fencing.

I think sheep are worth looking further into - depending on your predator situation. You could buy them at weaning in late spring and butcher in late fall. No over-wintering involved. Raise several and trade the extras for the beef and pork you like. Predators might be a problem with sheep. My sheep stay in bounds with electric but I see to it that they are never out of grass. They rarely go more than 300 ft from the barn. Rotating their pasture allows me to only have to worm a couple times a year.

I think meat sheep have the appearance of being dumb - kind of like a cornish cross chicken. I'm not sure that I agree that they are dumb...but they do look like that. You could buy a different breed than your neighbor has. If you want frisky- go with goats. The fencing will cost you 2x as much.

[CesumPec]

geese are great and easy keepers if they have access to a pond. I've never butchered one but I hear they are more difficult than chooks but perhaps no more difficult if you skin them, skipping the defeathering.

[lemonthyme7]

Pigs would be my choice. You can buy piglets in the Spring and butcher in the Fall and not worry about overwintering. Pork is a mild meat and can be used in a lot of recipes and you already said you enjoyed pork.

[Cliff]

I suggested the Dexters because generally that will be the animal that's the very least amount of work. Sheep and goats are more work. Which is fine if sheep or goats are what you want, just saying they're more work. Pigs are also more work.

Cows may grow slower without grain but they grow as nature intended. Once you change your mindset you don't constantly compare the two methods.

With Dexters you'd start with a cow and her calf. Rebreed cow. The most you'd ever have is three animals as you'd continue to let the older calf grow after next calf is born. By the time the third calf is born the oldest calf is ready for slaughter. And so on.

ETA you wouldn't absolutely have to have a shelter with Dexters. Usually if you do they'll stand outside in the weather anyway. I don't know where you live but even in bitterly cold areas a decent windbreak should be sufficient for them. They are very hardy animals. Goats and pigs have to have shelter. Sheep don't have to but do a little better with shelter.

[OH Boy]

I'm inclined toward the Dexter cattle especially if you can train that Momma cow to let you milk her occasionally and have the calf do it the others times when you dont want to.

[ChristieAcres]

I reread the OP. Just running the one strand of electric wire 4" from the ground, worked, zero damage to fencing. When we couldn't afford to fence in another area, we left them in the orchard. We did have to protect our fruit trees the last two months. Most folks butcher their pigs between just 6 and 8 months here. Our orchard? The fruit trees produced beautifully!!!

If I wanted to invest a lot more time, I'd go with Dexters!

[fantasymaker]

Id think along the lines of Finn sheep. Sell the fattened lambs.
On My 2 acres I would use 1 for pasture and the other for hay. Or 8 on pasture and buy winter hay. I would Raise cross breed lambs from purebred Ewes. Perhaps your neighbor would loan or rent his ram?
Id try to plan it to have young lambs before my pasture came on and let the lambs Grass fatten.
With Finns its likley you wont need any supplements at all. Just a good fence to protect from Dogs.
With the eight ewes you should be able to sell 24 to 32 lambs a year.

[fatrat]

Maybe raise rabbits or plant some clover and apple trees and harvest the deer that come to feed on it.

[Cliff]

I'm all for just harvesting the deer also Easiest of all possible options imo.

We've had Dexters for over 10 years but are phasing them out as we don't eat much meat anymore and deer do fine for the small amount we do eat. To be in the Dexter selling business you really need to market them and deal with individuals and I am just not into that at all. I'd rather raise all large cattle and just drop them off at the sale barn when it's time to sell them. Dexters bring next to nothing at the sale barn as people have no idea what they are and they don't fit into the feedlot scenario.

But as far as small homestead usefulness there's no easier or better animal to raise imo.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Milking twice a day = food.

Milk
Yogurt
Soft cheese
Hard cheese
Ice cream

Most folks cook three times a day. Are THEY high maintenance?

[Grandmotherbear]

Small livestock. GFB suggested quail, I was thinking cuy, ut there's probabbly no market...I myslef would like to raise Midget Beltsville White Turkeys, They range about 6 to 7 ibs and I think they would fill a nice for the small household.