can one breed REALLY be milk and food?

D.I.Y. · #1 08/04/10, 01:00 AM

im new here y'all and apoligize if this is redundant but any suggestions for a 1-2 family cross? is there one breed that can meet one familys milk and beef needs?

thanks,
D.I.Y.

springvalley · #2 08/04/10, 01:31 AM

Well all cows give milk, and you can eat everyone of them. Smart answer huh, sorry, but that is true, while some cows will make tons more milk than others, like Dairy cows, and some less like beef cows. You don`t have to go out and buy the best ever dairy cow for a family milk cow. If you can find a sweet little cow that gives enough milk for your family and she is nice to milk, easy to rebreed, and healthy. That is all you need, look around the world, most third world countries don`t care what the cow looks like, only that she milks well for what she is. Otherwise she is the next meal, and we get another milk cow. One of my best old cows to milk was a hereford/holstein cross, she gave three gallons a day, more than plenty for a family. Anyway, good luck, >Thanks Marc

springvalley · #3 08/04/10, 01:33 AM

I`m sorry, Welcome to Homesteading Today, glad to have you on board.>Thanks Marc

willow_girl · #4 08/04/10, 06:12 AM

I believe about 8 percent of the beef sold in this country actually comes from dairy breeds ... either cull cows or steers raised for slaughter.

tlag1986 · #5 08/04/10, 06:16 AM

We have always raised up Holstein calves from a local dairy farm. They take a little longer, but when they are on grass it's not costing us anything.

Callieslamb · #6 08/04/10, 06:30 AM

Yes, they can. I have a jersey milk cow and a jersey steer. He might not be as beefy as some.....but with a $40 AI visit....they're free. Meat's great too.

ozark_jewels · #7 08/04/10, 07:52 AM

Like Marc said, all cows give milk and are made of beef. So you can pick the breed that you think is best for your situation. Jersey beef is simply delicious.
We have raised Jerseys since I was 7 years old, we butcher Jersey steers and the bulls when we no longer need them. Jerseys are the perfect family milk cow in my opinion, though crosses and other breeds work too. They provide us with all the beef and milk we ever need.

Vickie44 · #8 08/04/10, 08:42 AM

Look into Dutch Belted

linn · #9 08/04/10, 10:53 AM

The Dexter is an excellent example of a smaller dual purpose animal.

D.I.Y. · #10 08/05/10, 01:50 PM

really, thanks you guys. these were ALL helpful. i should have been more specific about my question but it was answered anyway. what i should have written was whats the best cow for "gourmet" milk and beef. im a foodie and im trying to get all my ducks in a row because im about 1 year from buying my land in central washington state!!! 20 acres-4 seasons-275 days of sun and only 4 hours from downtown seattle. goodbye rat race!!! im 32 years old and this is the most sucessful ive ever felt. im tired of indentured servitude. im not a doomsdayer and i dont believe in the rapture but when things get worse(and they will

...) WE will be ahead of the game and our grandchildren will praise US for our foresight. spring...there is no need for apology. we'll all need humor to make it through these times and your post made me laugh! everyone else is laughing to...right?

copperhead46 · #11 08/05/10, 03:55 PM

I can whole heartedly recommend Dexters, for your particular situation. they don't give tons of milk but a milky type, will give you a gallon and a half or better a day. I sell grass fed beef and butcher one for us each year and they definitely fit the "gourmet" beef catagory. They are bred to do well on a grass only diet and the steaks are a wonderfull size and the meat is dark, lean and very flavorfull . I sell several steers a year and always have a waiting list, with repeat customers. The bred is very hardy and small enough that you can keep several on 20 acres. Check out the American Dexter Cattle Assoc website and you can get a lot more information on the breed.
Good luck to you, I know it's a wonderfull feeling to be getting the life you want for yourself and your family.

D.I.Y. · #12 08/05/10, 09:09 PM

copper...if only i could talk you out of one of those ribeyes. whats the best way to "taste" beef breeds? are there specialty butcher shops where i could order cuts of specific breeds?

genebo · #13 08/05/10, 09:49 PM

http://www.freedomfarmdexters.com/Natural_Meats.html

BlackWillowFarm · #14 08/05/10, 10:20 PM

I'm tossing in a vote for Jersey's. I have a Jersey milk cow who gives 6-8 gallons a day on pasture with a couple scoops of grain to get her in the barn for milking. The extra milk becomes cheese, cream, butter and what doesn't come to the house gets fed to the dogs, cats, pigs, and Jersey steer.

We put a milk fed 14 month old Jersey in the freezer in December and I can tell you it is without a doubt the best beef we've ever eaten. Even my snooty MIL had to confess the hamburger we gave her was the best she's ever had.

A Jersey cow will be one of the easier breeds to come by. Her price will be reasonable, the extra milk you'll get from her will feed your pigs, dogs, etc..... I don't think you can go wrong with a Jersey.

DJ in WA · #15 08/05/10, 11:31 PM

I recently sold my Jersey/Lowline angus cow when someone kept offering me more money. Despite her being a small cow, half beef breed, she gave too much milk for our needs, and I don't like raising pigs. I don't like having to create a need for the milk.

So my next move is to get some British White cows, which I like looking at. They are a beef breed, but I'm thinking I can steal a couple quarts daily from them, as production should stay up if I'm creating more demand. I could probably even take a day off from milking without ill effect. Less risk of mastitis in lower producing cows.

I may also breed them to a quality lowline angus bull, to get a very beefy, but smaller calf. We don't eat a great deal of beef. And with a smaller calf, more milk for me.

D.I.Y. · #16 08/06/10, 02:46 AM

im gonna see if this farm will mail me a steak? can you do that?

lol

francismilker · #17 08/06/10, 10:42 AM

While I'm extremely fond of my jerseys and the ayrshire I have, I'm gonna jump outside the box and say the ultimate family milk cow to give beef and milk would be a 1/2 jersey 1/2 angus. They milk really well and if bred to a beef bull every year they give you a high percentage beef bred calf that fattens really well.

While I milk full milk bred cows, I think the average american family wanting fresh milk don't consume enough milk to warrant even a gallon a day unless they have a large family or are industrious enough to make cheese, butter, and other fresh milk products. Besides, the commercialization of the American dairy cow has bred the teat length right off of most breeds. If you put some angus or even better Simmental into your dairy cow you can get back some well needed handles. It's difficult to handmilk two-three gallons per day with your thumb and forefinger.

Just my two cents.

Welcome to HT DIY! Glad you have came to join us.

Trisha in WA · #18 08/06/10, 11:09 AM

I LOVE my Jersey cow for her milk and I breed her to Angus or Lowline Angus for a half beef breed and the meat is the best I have EVER tasted...and I am a foodie too ;-)
I believe there is no better beef than that of a half Jersey half Angus.
Trisha
PS I am in north central WA too...drop me a line if you want and we can chat

genebo · #19 08/06/10, 12:07 PM

Dexter beef has won a lot of contests for best tasting beef in England, where there are more Dexters.

The ALBC held a blind beef tasting that included 8 rare breeds plus Angus and Shorthorn to compare. The crowd tasted all 10 types of beef and then voted on their favorite by number, before the breeds were revealed.

Randall Lineback got the most votes. Galloway (the ancient one, not the belted one) was second, and Dexter was third. Each of these 3 received first place votes and no other beef got even a single first place vote.

Each of these 3 are gourmet beef, something you should put on your bucket list.

http://www.rwdextercattle.com/dexterbeef.htm

Genebo
Paradise Farm

DJ in WA · #20 08/07/10, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genebo

Dexter beef has won a lot of contests for best tasting beef in England, where there are more Dexters.

The ALBC held a blind beef tasting that included 8 rare breeds plus Angus and Shorthorn to compare. The crowd tasted all 10 types of beef and then voted on their favorite by number, before the breeds were revealed.

Randall Lineback got the most votes. Galloway (the ancient one, not the belted one) was second, and Dexter was third. Each of these 3 received first place votes and no other beef got even a single first place vote.

Each of these 3 are gourmet beef, something you should put on your bucket list.

http://www.rwdextercattle.com/dexterbeef.htm

Genebo
Paradise Farm

Were all breeds fed the same, butchered the same, and the beef handled the same? Otherwise, I don't think you can conclude the taste was related to breed. I know people who think brown eggs taste better than white eggs, but it depends mostly on how they're fed and the eggs handled.

I've been told by serious beef eaters that the mostly lowline steer we sold was they best they've ever had. I think it's mostly how we fed him - just good grass and a quart of grain/mineral daily, and a nice quiet death while eating some grain.