pros and cons

[goatrancher0129]

i want to get steer to show in 4-h but my parents say i cant. so what are the pros and cons of having a cow?

[topside1]

Convince your parents that your 4H steer will eventually fill their freezer with quality meat....money and time well spent...good luck.

[Karin L]

Pros:
-gain experience handling, feeding, health, nutrition, etc. with cattle
-freezer full of meat
-learn how to train an animal
-take the time to befriend, groom, and train the animal instead of sitting infront of a computer or TV all day.
-possible experience with this steer might encourage further expansion into cattle industry itself, or agriculture industry if not cattle
-there are other pros that I haven't thought of yet that will come up...

Cons:
-need fences, corrals
-can be a risk of not well understood and handled
-time out of your everyday life to train, befriend, and groom the steer
-cattle are herd animals so two might be best to keep each other company
-risk of health issues/loss (i.e., death, as is with every animal that lives on this planet)
-require mode of transport (i.e., trailer) to travel from one 4H show to another
-choosing what breed to go with
-Others...

Get yourself a book or two on raising cattle, and ask lots of questions on here...they are always encouraged.

Good luck to ya!

[francismilker]

Pros: Freezer full of beef

Cons: The price of show feed has went through the roof!

[matt_man]

Let me first say that I agree with all Karen L states in her post.

As a parent I am personally of the opinion that you shouldn't argue with them but...

If you can afford at least $50 a month in feed and probably a lot more once he is older...

If you can pay for the hay he will need to sustain him during the season when there is no grass...

If you can afford to do all the things necessary to keep an animal that large on your property and haul him back and forth....

Then, I would tell you to convince your parents. But I would expect my children to be able to pay for things like that. Especially if I was not already equipped to house a large animal. The economy is bad right now. Everything is costing more and more every week and many people just don't have extra funds just lying around to take care of all the added expenses of having an animal that size. True, there will be beef in the freezer in the end but children should not expect their parents to foot the bill for their every want and desire. You parents might have a good reason as to why they won't allow it.

[sungirl]

I wouldn't fight for it. Unless you can pay to feed the animals, then the answer should be no! My kids always paid for their 4H animals. If for some reason they diddn't have the money, they worked for $5 an hour cleaning out chicken, horse, goats, cattle pens. Sounds hard & mean, but guess what? They now KNOW how to save money and keep the bills paid.

I see your name is "goatrancher" Why not enter a market kid, dairy doe, replacement chevon goat? Your club must have goats. Trust me a $20 per month goat is ALOT better then a $80+ feed bill for a beef cow.

Patty.

[goatrancher0129]

I did a market goat this past year. and i paid for every thing but the feed because we have 4 pygmys that are pets. what kind of fencing would be best to keep it from getting out because im by some busy roads and a lot of houses?