What livestock is "self sufficent"

naturelover · #**101** 08/13/10, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinner

The 2 I had on pasture didn't escape. There was no signs that they had tried to root under the fence anywhere. They were on 5 acres that they shared with about 20 goats, 2 donkeys, 60 muscovies, bunches of chickens, and several LGD's.
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Were they all left alone together unchecked for a week or two at a time or did you check them every day and give them food and water?

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mountainlaurel · #**102** 08/13/10, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otter

Ranging cattle on 100+ and 1000+ acres is not the same as asking what can survive on 3 to 10 fenced acres.

I doubt there is anyone here who has successfully "ranged" cattle on a 3 acre lot and checked them every week or 2.

And all the critters mentioned who have gone feral have done so in areas with little to no predation. WV has LOTS of natural predator, plus roaming dogs, plus neighbors,

Which is why I added that we have them on over 100 acres. I wouldn't keep critters on that small of a lot with out daily attention neither.

But there are people on here who think it can't be done on any amount of acreage and I am showing you that it is done in WV and it's a common practice.

mountainlaurel · #**103** 08/13/10, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pancho

Don't know where or what kind of goats people on here have. The goats I was raised up around would eat and drink anything they could get hold of, up to and including your car. They were released in the mountains in herds. The old billies took reasonable care of them. They survived and multiplied on what they found on the mountain.

The mountain right across the river from me is locally called Goat Mountain for this reason. And it's in Loudon Co, VA

wwubben · #**104** 08/13/10, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwubben

Domestic animals need to be checked every day.It is animal cruelty not too.You can live on wildlife year round if you preserve some for the off season.I would turn a person in for not tending their livestock.

I am talking about a homestead setting here.The open range is a different ball game.

ErinP · #**105** 08/13/10, 08:10 AM

Really, no one was talking open range.

Even those who've mentioned the fact that cattle often go for a week or so with no contact from people, aren't usually on open range.
A large ranch will usually have pastures that are only a 1/2 (320ac) or a full (640ac) section. BLM and gov't lease pastures are bigger of course, but of those who've mentioned it, I don't think anyone was talking about that.

Just run-of-the-mill commercial cattle operations.

Or maybe people are confused about the difference between the terms "range" and "open range?"

SpaceCadet12364 · #**106** 08/13/10, 08:13 AM

I would go more on the suggestion of the guineas, pheasants, quail, other birds that can be free-ranged with minimal losses, depending of course on your local predator concentrations. A side benefit with being able to get a herd of guineas or such established and thriving, is that when you do actually move there.....your tick (and other bugs, etc) concentration should be not too awful. Is there a barn or outbuilding there on the property where the birds could get up into for roosting off the ground/out of the weather. when they want to? Natural water source on the land at all?

And, definitely start planting things that take a bit to mature, such as fruit trees, or berry bushes. That way, those should be doing well when you finally move. And, they may help attract wildlife to the area for hunting as well.

Patt · #**107** 08/13/10, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pops2

i'm not saying it's good idea for everyone.
but it could be a good idea for someone that has the means & makes the effort to provide protection. i am also saying the predation risk could be overstated.

I don't think the human one has been over stated that's for sure.

Pops2 · #**108** 08/13/10, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pancho

Hogs are about the only domestic animal that are self-sustaining. Other domestic animals still depend on humans even if they do not belong to anyone. Chickens, ducks, guineas, geese, cattle, goats, sheep cannot survive without mans help. They are not considered really feral if they live near and depend on man for their food and protection.

not true the rabbit population & some of the waterfowl i mentioned in UT are remote from human contact and so have little or no assistance. also goats, hair sheep, cattle & horses have gone feral all over the world w/o human assistance. for example TX longhorns lived on the range for the duration of the war of northern aggression w/ no assistance whatsoever from humans. TX also has had spanish goats that were heavily hunted because they "competed" w/ livestock for grazing. and mustangs & burros were regularly hunted & shot. in some parts of southern TX the wild criollo cattle are hunted as game as well. all the opposite of human assistance.

pancho · #**109** 08/13/10, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pops2

not true the rabbit population & some of the waterfowl i mentioned in UT are remote from human contact and so have little or no assistance. also goats, hair sheep, cattle & horses have gone feral all over the world w/o human assistance. for example TX longhorns lived on the range for the duration of the war of northern aggression w/ no assistance whatsoever from humans. TX also has had spanish goats that were heavily hunted because they "competed" w/ livestock for grazing. and mustangs & burros were regularly hunted & shot. in some parts of southern TX the wild criollo cattle are hunted as game as well. all the opposite of human assistance.

In some other countries it may be a little easier.
You will notice there are no longer any longhorns living on the range. Goes also for horses, even the wild herds are not wild anymore.

arabian knight · #**110** 08/13/10, 08:13 PM

You know I bet most of these last posts, are not even being read by the OP ster.
The person was new, and asked for our opinions, and I bet when 95% of the answers didn't agree with what the person was trying to do the person just left.
That does happen on boards like this.

Navotifarm · #**111** 08/14/10, 08:38 AM

"That person" didn't "just leave." There are two persons indicated as reading this thread right now. OP is one of them.
My comments are that stocking guineas is a very bad idea! I had a flock of guineas last year, some of which I bought as day-olds and brooded in my home (a consideration, is OP going to brood any birds in his regular home before releasing them on the wv retirement property?) And some I bought as older birds. I kept my guineas with my chickens so they were bonded. Even though they were in a covered pen, some predator got in and ate almost all of them. Apparently they were tastier than chickens or easier to catch.
If OP is living on this property weekends, the suggestions of having a resident caretaker, renter or tenant farmer there seem to me to be the most practical. If OP is not there, word will get around about the "abandoned" property. Scavengers, thieves, poachers, 4-wheelers, marijuana-raisers, fishers, campers, picnickers whatever will be using OP's land as their own presonal hunting preserve and recreational property. I know because it's happened to me, both with property I used to own in wv I commuted to on weekends from washington, dc and on property I now have - even though I actually live on it. 4-wheelers can go almost anyehere a person on foot can go, faster and they sure are adept at carrying things away! Or vandalizing. One man had built a wonderful home out of telephone poles. An arsonist burned it to ashes one weekend he was away. Unattended property is a magnet to certain kinds of people already. Why make it MORE attractive by stocking it with landrace or other stealable stock?
An intelligent, responsible tenant can enhance and protect your land and enable you to have your livestock and your traveling life. And help pay your expenses such as taxes and electric bills (if any).