Help for a seeker...

[ChasingDreams]

We are on 7 acres - an acre is tied up with the leech field, another couple with a house, buildings, and chickens, the rest is wooded or is sloping... not particularly ideal 'pasture' .... would it still be possible to rear a cow and calf on 2 acres - rotated? We just want enough to feed the family - with dairy and beef.... I am thinking Jersey bred with angus... or maybe a dexter if I can find any within a reasonable distance.

What resources are invaluable to a beginner? Any key advice you wish you would have had in the beginning? What other animals are good 'companions' to cows?

ETA: I am in the western piedmont of NC

[Karin L]

IMO, I think you have enough land for a cow-calf pair, but if your going for smaller breeds like dexter, you could run a second pair, at the most.

Do you have fencing (for pasture), corrals, maybe even a headgate and loading chute? Those will really come in handy...just something simple.

You might also have to invest in getting hay, meds if and when you need them, and other necessary equipment to have handy...

One other major thing: water. Do you have a waterer on there, or even get a livestock water tank to fill twice a day.

And lastly, it'd be good to supply salt for them too.

That's all the advice I can think of right now, I'm sure others on here will have more for you.

[Dexter_Cattle]

Hi Chasing Dreams,

Their is a for sale list at www.dextercattle4sale.net you could check out. I can also get you a entire membership list for your state and the surrounding states if you would like. Email me at GrandmasDexters@aol.com and specify what states you would like a membership list for and I will get it off to you.

Anyone else looking for Dexters in your area may do the same, I will get you the most current listing as of dues paid September 1st 2007. I say that because some breeders are slower than Molasses in January paying their dues for the year, so there are people still paying their dues this time of year.

Anyway, I am happy to help!
Some breeders don't know about the for sale list yet and that is the reason if you call breeders in your area they may have what you are looking for.

Thanks
Dan

[ebook]

Karin has a bunch of good information there. Once you get a list of things that you may need (fence, supplies, etc.) I would start checking auctions in your area. We have picked up our headgate, waterers, and some fencing supplies at local farm auctions for WAY less than new.

And, I would agree with Dan ... check out the Dexters. If you read around on some topics here you will find some information on milking Dexters. I think for the size of area you are working with you will get more production, getting beef and milk, from Dexters than from a bigger dairy breed.

[mtman]

fence in your leach feild move the chickens in there that will open up more land for you

[JulieLou42]

With a net of 4 acres on this pasture here, which needs refurbishment, and slopes also, I would be able to rotate at least two cow calf pairs, depending on the quality of the grass. I have 6 acres and the county agent said I could probably manage 4 pairs.

If you get a 56 gal. galvanized water tank, you may have to fill it every 2-3 days. That will depend upon the heat or humidity. If you live where there's frozen ponds in the dead of winter, you might want to invest in a tank heater. Frozen water tanks are NO fun at all!!! Breaking ice up to 2" thick with a sledge hammer? I also got a 16 gal. plastic water tub that I keep near where she's tethered in summer that's filled nearly every day, depending upon whether she's managed to tip it over, which is a bit harder for her to do, unless it's nearly empty and she can't reach the water, because it sits inside a box framed of 2x4's.

[tinknal]

First thing you need to do is post your location in your profile. This is a big ol' world and not all acres are created equal.

[southerngurl]

Originally Posted by ChasingDreams

We are on 7 acres - an acre is tied up with the leech field, another couple with a house, buildings, and chickens, the rest is wooded or is sloping... not particularly ideal 'pasture' .... would it still be possible to rear a cow and calf on 2 acres - rotated? We just want enough to feed the family - with dairy and beef.... I am thinking Jersey bred with angus... or maybe a dexter if I can find any within a reasonable distance.

What resources are invaluable to a beginner? Any key advice you wish you would have had in the beginning? What other animals are good 'companions' to cows?

ETA: I am in the western piedmont of NC

Sounds like your land and goals might be better suited to goats. They love rough land, the rougher the better, and they will eat the brush, as well as grass. They will eat green briers, poison ivy, brambles, small bushes etc. They almost always have at least two kids, a good milker will milk around a gallon a day, and you can have more than one milker so if something happens to one, you aren't out all your milk like you would be with a cow. We've had cows and goats, and goats are just more fun too. They have lots of "personality" and playfulness. Fun to watch. You do have to have a good fence. Though if you don't get more goats than the land can handle, they fence easier, they don't see a need to get out.

[ChasingDreams]

tinknal - I specified my location in the OP

THanks for the tips.... lots to think about

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by ChasingDreams

tinknal - I specified my location in the OP

Opps!