realistic animal plan at the current feed/hay prices

[cindy-e]

Hay is deeply, deeply expensive here. So as I get my fences and pastures repaired this spring and get ready for animals, I am thinking about an animal plan that won't break the bank. We do have grass. probably 4 or 5 acres of accessible grass. So we are not without a natural food source. But I am thinking small would be better... like rabbits. Pastured poultry. We could do ducks and turkeys too. ...and perhaps goats for dairy and meat. I'd love to have cows, but I * think* I would have considerably hay/feed costs in the winter time for bigger animals.

Would this plan help me not take on too much in terms of a feed bill?

Thanks,
Cindyc.

[rambler]

Sure.

Everyone is aware that the govt, a couple weeks ago in their farm report, found an extra 400,000,000 bu of corn just sitting around, and so corn prices tumbled over 90 cents a bushel in 2 days? Locally corn went from $7.35 a bu to $6.43 a bu.

That should be quite a drop in your feed costs, if the middle men are indeed passing their savings onto you. Certainly there is cost averaging for feed mills and they won't be able to drop their feed cost in 2 days as well, but there is a trend there they will need to catch up on?

Paul

[jwal10]

You need something that eats a fair amount of grass. Sheep and cattle are best, goats like browse more than grass. They eat some but are not real grazers. If you have the money to buy a 600 lb calf and let it eat grass until late fall, you would get the most out of the grass. If you like lamb you can do that too. That way you don't have to winter livestock and buy hay. I have 3 pygora goats that we milk and feed all winter. I make enough meadow hay, by hand, from our properties to feed them, rabbits, chickens and pigeons. The hay, excess milk products from the goats milk and whole oats, that I get direct from a neighbor, are all we feed. We like this way so we can have fresh meat year around, small amounts at a time and small portions for the 2 of us. Not having to preserve big batches of meat saves money all around, storage, time, resources, freezer, canning supplies, water and power. It works well for us....James

[hiddensprings]

It is all a numbers game and depends on how many chickens you have, what type of chickens you have, etc. I raise all of my meat birds on pasture but they also require feed. I go through 150 lbs of chicken feed a week right now because of the number of birds I raise. (that cost is passed onto my customers though when they buy chicken from me) I never feed my ducks. They are basically the clean up crew. They've learned where to look for spilled feed.
I found Rabbits fairly inexpensive to raise but wasn't fond of them so they went away. Goats are natural browsers so they actually do better with weeds, small brush, trees, etc. If you have dairy goats and want milk, you'll need to supplement them with some grain. Again, the cost will depend on how many goats you are feeding and the size of the goats.
My recommendation is to start small and add too as you get comfortable with whatever you decide to raise. Trying to figure out chickens, goats, rabbits, turkeys, etc all at once can be overwhelming

[highlands]

We raise pigs, ducks, chickens, geese and often sheep on pasture. We don't buy commercial feed except when we get a batch of new chicks. The animals eat pasture and dairy for the vast majority of their diet (see http://SugarMtnFarm.com/pigs). Chickens do very well on pasture and don't need any feed in the warm months. In the winter we feed pigs (weekly slaughter bits) to the chickens to keep the hens laying. We do buy winter hay, about 200 to 300 bales a year. If you're not over wintering the animals you won't need that.

[cindy-e]

I think I am just having analysis paralysis trying to figure out where to start. I don't want to get myself overwhelmed right at the beginning, and I don't want my dh to hate the farm b/c it costs too much. sigh...

I do have a lot of grass. I guess it is not more expensive to buy a cow than to buy a big ole mower. We have to do that anyway. Sigh...

gonna do more checking. Then I am going to make.a.decision! LOL!

Cindyc.

[ebook]

Lately I'm a big fan of hair sheep. When I started my farm (actually when I started it in my mind before we had the farm) I always thought beef would be my centerpiece. It didn't take long for me to realize that pigs were going to be the centerpiece and that is when I thought cattle would be my second big thing.

Now after six years or so I think I'm beginning to realize that hair sheep may have a bigger place on my farm in the future than beef (I have about 18 acres of pasture). One nice thing about the sheep is that if you lamb in the spring the lambs will be ready for processing in the fall and then you'll only have to over winter the breeding stock (as opposed to cattle where it would take longer for them to finish ... especially on grass only).

[unregistered168043]

Sheep are made to live on grass. Rabbits and goats will require too much grain ( not entirely sure about the rabbits yet ). Every homesteading operation should have a detailed plan which considers feed costs today and tomorrow.

If you are not providing your animals feed you are not self reliant. Relying on bagged feed can be more expensive than buying in the store. I have plots plowed over for chicken feed, and keep Icelandic sheep which are bred to produce on grass alone. Mine get no grain.

Dont just consider the type of animal, but also the breed. Certain breeds, like scotish highland cattle, dexters, icelandic sheep, red jungle fowl, san clemente goats and etc are better suited to the self reliant homesteader than the commercial farmer. They can live in sparse pasture, free range more effectively, and etc The trade off is lower production, but if you are supporting your own needs then large production takes a back seat to reduced cost.

[countrygal]

Look online to do research on growing fodder. My hubby and I want to try it. It is filling and nutritious for the animals. It really raises protein levels. There are differing methods of doing it, too, so you might find one you'd like to try. It is supposed to help cut feed costs.

[snowcap]

Originally Posted by countrygal

Look online to do research on growing fodder. My hubby and I want to try it. It is filling and nutritious for the animals. It really raises protein levels. There are differing methods of doing it, too, so you might find one you'd like to try. It is supposed to help cut feed costs.

I don't see how it would since you have to buy so much grain.
Here we can buy whole dry peas , but in the summer i grow them out instead of feeding them whole or soaked.
That is the secret to raising meat is finding some thing local in bulk instead of going to the feed store.

[JLMissouri]

If feed costs are your biggest concern I would look into getting free food. Grocery stores throw out all kinds of produce which is just fine for animal feed. Chickens don't care if its a little past its prime, its still better food than the bagged feed. My chickens free range and get most of their feed during the growing season by free ranging. In winter their feed is table scraps and feed I grow on the place. I do buy some commercial feed in winter, but it is mixed with my own products and this winter was the last time I will have to buy feed.

[snowcap]

Chickens love baked potatoes and parsnips, I you have room to grow them and you can save them/seed to regrow more.

[Fire-Man]

Originally Posted by snowcap

Chickens love baked potatoes and parsnips, I you have room to grow them and you can save them/seed to regrow more.

It would raise the light bill alot to bake potatoes for the chickens-----How do you bake yours?

[snowcap]

On the wood stove in the winter or the microwave. We use 2 at a time so I toss an extra one in there for the chickens and some times the dog likes it.

[Fire-Man]

Originally Posted by countrygal

Look online to do research on growing fodder. My hubby and I want to try it. It is filling and nutritious for the animals. It really raises protein levels. There are differing methods of doing it, too, so you might find one you'd like to try. It is supposed to help cut feed costs.

You can get alot of pro's and cons with fodder and alot will tell you you are wasting alot of money and time. Sure if you bought a $12 bag of seed and went out there and planted it you would come out alot better than fodder, because you can let the animal graze on it, take them away from it for a few days to let it grow then put them back on it for a few days----A Lot Cheaper, BUT What if you did not have enough land to grow this? What if you had some land and did not have the $1000's and $1000's of dollars of equipment to work this land and the Money to fence it in Etc, Etc, Etc. I got a fodder set-up that is automatic and cost less than $100 to set it up. I only get about 20lbs of fodder each day. I can put some seed in a hog trough and some fodder in another----when my Hogs Go to the Fodder and I see that "Look" in their eyes because they Love It So Much----That Stuff is Worth Alot!!

[Fire-Man]

Originally Posted by snowcap

On the wood stove in the winter or the microwave. We use 2 at a time so I toss an extra one in there for the chickens and some times the dog likes it.

OK. That will work. I would be baking alot of potatoes for my 90 chickens.