Lowline Cattle ?

Pheasant283 · #1 10/19/12, 09:14 AM

Looking into getting a few Lowlines, once I get some land bought.
From what I have been reading, people are saying they eat 1/3 less than a full size cow. So if you figure a full size cow eats 30lbs of forage a day, does a Lowline cow only eat 20lbs of forage a day? Anyone on here have experience with Lowlines?

postroad · #2 10/19/12, 09:28 AM

A third less would twenty pounds?

Pheasant283 · #3 10/19/12, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by postroad

A third less would twenty pounds?

Yup thats what i meant, good thing is friday...

myersfarm · #4 10/19/12, 09:33 AM

3% of body weight....on all breeds sizes of cattle...thats a 700 pound lowline and a 700 pound full size would eat same amount....see how that works

SteveO · #5 10/20/12, 05:34 PM

True But at 7-800 lbs my girls will be calving. While the others will be at 1400 or more. Statistically I can get more beef per lb so ask me in a couple of years and Ill let you know
Go on the american lowline web site. The largest ranch on the US is in ND I believe. Take a ride and have a look. I have had mine for almost a year already. Low maintenence easy calving and docile to boot.
Pm me if you want more info or want to talk
Steve

DenMacII · #6 10/20/12, 10:43 PM

We switched to Lowlines a year and a half ago after having a couple of full sized Angus cows.

The Lowlines have lived up to their billing in my opinion.

They condition very well on grass - the Lowline we harvested this year had an ample amount of fat, well marbled - some of the best meat we've ever eaten.

We now have two percentage females (one cow and one heifer) and a full blooded year old bull. They have a great temperament and are very easy to manage. Our bull with his shorter frame still did his job back in May, and we are expecting a calf from our cow in late February.

We rotationally graze our 5+ acres in six paddocks plus utilized our neighbor's pasture. Our pasture continues to improve, and our herd is healthy and fit. Our cow calved last November with out any complications. The calf was small, but grew very quickly - one of the positive traits of the Lowlines.

Best of luck to you.

Alaska · #7 10/21/12, 09:16 AM

still very new to this ranching stuff. I started studying up about 6 years ago when we decided we were going to move from alaska to texas.
We have decided lowlines is the direction we are going to go. Due to cost we started with a couple of cow calf angus pairs. Our neighbor loaned us his angus bull this last spring .
Just a few weeks ago we picked up our first lowline a 8 mo old bull. Our girls should be calving after the first of the year and we our hoping LB Sir Loin will be able to get on his tippy toes and start the downsizing of our herd.
Depending on the economy we hope to add some lowline girls into the mix.
WE really like the size and tempermant of all the lowlines we have been around.
And of course the meat production. I hope it lives up to all the studies.

Gabriel · #8 10/21/12, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveO

True But at 7-800 lbs my girls will be calving. While the others will be at 1400 or more. Statistically I can get more beef per lb so ask me in a couple of years and Ill let you know
Go on the american lowline web site. The largest ranch on the US is in ND I believe. Take a ride and have a look. I have had mine for almost a year already. Low maintenence easy calving and docile to boot.
Pm me if you want more info or want to talk
Steve

Steve, did you mean to say more per Lb or more per acre?

ArmyDoc · #9 10/21/12, 05:47 PM

Looked into lowlines and I think they have a niche - but that niche is in direct sales, not the sale barn. If a lowline is sold through the sale barn, you're going to be peanalized, because they are looking for a larger animal. Same for dexters.

For the small farm, and someone willing to put fort the effort to develope their contacts they have a place.

SteveO · #10 10/21/12, 06:37 PM

Gabriel
Actually yes to both.
More pounds of beef produced per acre.
Tastes great and a leaner meat also.
Yes it is a nitch market. I sell to people who care where the meat comes from and like the all grass fed idea
If you don't want to meet your consumer and deal with that issue the auction works and has for a long time.
BUt when my first customer called to get on the list for our next animal after one meal and it was burger. I decided this is my nitch.
And you are welcome to feed the 99%
Got to go I smell beef cookin
Steve

Alaska · #11 10/22/12, 07:16 PM

Stevo I believe this is the same way we are headed. We dont have enough land to raise a lot of animals so plan is to raise a small herd of small grassfed beef that hopefully will all be spoken for long before they are ready for harvest.

SteveO · #12 10/27/12, 05:18 PM

Alaska,
Not sure if your ready for cattle yet. But there is a sellout of twin rivers lowline of plano tx.
They just sent out a add of over 180 animals they will sell. Some of them are without papers and could go cheap. YOu might even be able to buy them before the auction.
Look on ALR for more info or PM me if you need me for anything
Steve

knight88 · #13 10/27/12, 10:22 PM

If thinking of a good breed to grass feed and milk as well as for beef I suggest you look at the American Milking Devons. Small birth weight also, docile easy to handle etc.. Good luck