Advice on Highland Cow set-up

solsikkefarms · #1 01/10/14, 02:25 PM

Hi there. Just looking for a little guidance from some of you very knowledgeable folks on here. Here's the deal. I have acquired 80 acres of my grandfathers old beef cattle operation that has been fallow for the past 10 years. The land is located in Central Wisconsin. It's split into 20 acres of pasture that we have cut the last 2 seasons and produces a real nice grass hay. The remaindering 60 acres is a mixed oak forest with small sections of white pine. The entire 80 acres is fenced with 4 strand barbed wire and heave metal posts. There are two ponds, one on each end of the property. In the spring I will be fixing the fence lines and bringing in a couple Highland heifers to try and start my own herd. Any advice anyone could give me?

Specific question I have are:

If I build a loading ramp what height should it be to accommodate loading?

Has anyone had trouble with Highland cattle on barbed wire?

Will a grass hay be good for Highlanders?

G. Seddon · #2 01/10/14, 02:52 PM

Hmmm, do people still build loading ramps for small operations? I think most of us expect the animals to step up a foot or so to get into the trailer. You could check on the Temple Grandin website (see page 6) http://www.animalagriculture.org/Edu...ng%20Guide.pdf

Also, I'd get in touch with this organization and some other breeders on the other issues: www.highlandcattleusa.org

Personally I would fence off access to a pond as I am fearful that they'd either get into trouble somehow (fall through ice) or calve in it.

Lazy J · #3 01/10/14, 04:09 PM

I'd leave the trees without pasturing them and use them as a cash crop managed for timber unless the trees are very small.

solsikkefarms · #4 01/10/14, 04:29 PM

Thanks for the reply's so far -

We used to have a cattle ramp for loading but i don't remember the height. I just remember it coming in really handy and they are pretty simple builds.

The wood areas are mostly mature oak with allot of younger pine undergrowth. We had some select cutting done about 3 years ago to improve the overall condition of the trees.

G. Seddon · #5 01/10/14, 04:42 PM

Watch out for ponderosa pine (abortions) and acorn toxicosis.

If you have an county agricultural extension agent where you are, I'd sure get in touch and have him/her visit your property and advise you!

solsikkefarms · #6 01/10/14, 05:47 PM

I've tried contacting the local agent but he doesn't return calls or emails. One of these days I'll have to take a trip into town and hope he's actually there.

genebo · #7 01/10/14, 08:47 PM

If you haven't already bought a trailer, keep in mind that there are some differences between a horse trailer and a livestock trailer.

A horse trailer is tall, and tends to have a dropped floor. That creates a threshhold with a drop. Cattle don't like to step into a trailer like that.

Livestock trailers built for hogs, sheep and cattle tend to have flat floors with no threshhold. It's a lot easier to get cattle to go into a trailer like this.

I have a corral with a loading gate. I built a wooden ramp using 5/4 decking boards. The cattle don't like the sound their hooves make on it, it feels springy to them, and it's slippery. They don't like my ramp very much. Thank goodness I made it narrow so they can step around the ramp to get into the trailer.

I think I'll replace it with an earthen ramp.

I have oak trees, too. Some years the acorn crop is so big I worry about the cows getting sick from eating them. I run temporary fence around the oak trees to limit the time the cattle can get to the acorns. I ration them to an hour per day, and so far none have otten sick.

There is a USDA office near you. The people there run programs to help new farmers and small farmers. They are an invaluable source of advice. They might offer to help you set up a tree farm on your property. They might even offer financial aid.

stevo · #8 01/11/14, 03:25 AM

hi there, if you are going to use a trucking firm ring them, they are usually fairly helpful, if you think you may hire/buy a trailer check out a local firm and set something up to suit that. i built a loading race a year ago and was surprised by the cost- do the math before you begin the build- kia ora stevo

lakeportfarms · #9 01/11/14, 05:41 AM

We have a herd of about 30 Highlands, in addition to our 70 or so Dexters. We've never needed a loading ramp for our livestock trailer, they'll just jump the foot or so up to get into it. As Genebo mentioned, you're better off using the natural topography or setting up an earthen type ramp for the limited amount you'll use it. However a means to handle and separate them is very important. Give a lot of thought to how you'll set up your pastures and working facilities.

I would seriously consider setting up some internal pastures if you can. With a limited number of Highlands you'll have plenty of property to stockpile forage for them in addition to hay, and you may find that you'll rarely need to feed hay to them. They'll work their way down through a fair bit of snow to find their forage. For the hay you do feed, it it well worth the cost of getting a GOOD hay saver type feeder, not just a regular bale ring.

solsikkefarms · #10 01/13/14, 01:59 PM

Thanks again everyone. I do have a small livestock trailer with a low flat floor. I'm planning on setting up several smaller paddocks inside the field for rotational grazing but I'm waiting for funding to come through on the addition fence i need.

haypoint · #11 01/13/14, 08:49 PM

Any advice?
Ponder for a moment what breeds those that know something about cattle are raising and the breed you have selected. If I went to the lake and everyone was fishing with worms, and catching fish, I might want to rethink my plan to fish with bubble gum. Maybe start out with worms and switch to bubble gum after I'd learned to fish.
All too often, the unknowing get tricked into believing a particular breed can thrive on weeds and brush. Truth is that no breed thrives on sub standard feed.
Crop land has been in high demand for awhile. Seems like if it were any good at all, there would have been a lot of pressure to rent it for big bucks as crop land.
I'd plan on fencing off the ponds and pumping water from them to a livestock tank a good distance from the pond. You don't want to pollute the ponds.
Waiting on funds? You got a Soil Conservation Service Grant?

Raymond James · #12 01/13/14, 09:02 PM

If you have a livestock trailer no need for a ramp. I used ramps to load cattle and hogs into pickup beds as a kid. I would not even think about doing that now.

Stock trailer is the way to go. I have hauled lumber, metal roofing, moved household goods, feed, fire wood, dry wall during rain, barrels of vinegar, barrels of white gas and yes livestock ( chickens , turkeys, ducks, rabbits, goats, sheep, hogs, horses and cattle ) .

Lazy J · #13 01/14/14, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

Any advice?
Ponder for a moment what breeds those that know something about cattle are raising and the breed you have selected. If I went to the lake and everyone was fishing with worms, and catching fish, I might want to rethink my plan to fish with bubble gum. Maybe start out with worms and switch to bubble gum after I'd learned to fish.
All too often, the unknowing get tricked into believing a particular breed can thrive on weeds and brush. Truth is that no breed thrives on sub standard feed.
Crop land has been in high demand for awhile. Seems like if it were any good at all, there would have been a lot of pressure to rent it for big bucks as crop land.
I'd plan on fencing off the ponds and pumping water from them to a livestock tank a good distance from the pond. You don't want to pollute the ponds.
Waiting on funds? You got a Soil Conservation Service Grant?

But, Haypoint, I read on this one website on the internet that XXXXXX were the best cattle and that there is conspiracy against REAL cattle by Monsanto and the Corporate Food Industry.

haypoint · #14 01/14/14, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazy J

But, Haypoint, I read on this one website on the internet that XXXXXX were the best cattle and that there is conspiracy against REAL cattle by Monsanto and the Corporate Food Industry.

It has been nearly 40 years since Rodale Press ran the story about Highlands in their Farm magazine. Great mothers, don't need shelter, high rate of reproduction, thrive on brush. I've witnessed a number of folks buy into the hype of Highlands. They are an interesting novelty. Some seem tame, others wild as the wind. I've see the scars on horses gored by horns. I've seen folks stuck with a breed that they can't find buyers for, not at the prices they bought in at. I've seen the smirks at the Livestock Auctions and the lack of buyers. Perfectly good Highlands selling as bottom grade culls.
Slaughter facilities don't want to mess with them. The ability to turn weeds and brush is a myth and the quality of meat suffers.
Hey, they are cool looking. If you can find others, that have money, that think they are great, test your salesmanship skills, then go for it. If you think you can produce great beef from them and can convince a number of folks to buy a butcher ready steer, it might be fun. Great if you love dealing with people. But these are my opinions, based on my experiences, yours may differ.

lakeportfarms · #15 01/14/14, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

It has been nearly 40 years since Rodale Press ran the story about Highlands in their Farm magazine. Great mothers, don't need shelter, high rate of reproduction, thrive on brush. I've witnessed a number of folks buy into the hype of Highlands. They are an interesting novelty. Some seem tame, others wild as the wind. I've see the scars on horses gored by horns. I've seen folks stuck with a breed that they can't find buyers for, not at the prices they bought in at. I've seen the smirks at the Livestock Auctions and the lack of buyers. Perfectly good Highlands selling as bottom grade culls.
Slaughter facilities don't want to mess with them. The ability to turn weeds and brush is a myth and the quality of meat suffers.
Hey, they are cool looking. If you can find others, that have money, that think they are great, test your salesmanship skills, then go for it. If you think you can produce great beef from them and can convince a number of folks to buy a butcher ready steer, it might be fun. Great if you love dealing with people. But these are my opinions, based on my experiences, yours may differ.

Haypoint, Highlands have worked very well for us, but then again we also raise Dexters so I guess we really don't raise any "real" cattle. You're correct that if you feed them weeds you won't get very tasty beef, but if you feed them well they'll grow well and produce such good beef that we have a strong marked of repeat business.
I've never had to assist with a calving, I've never even had a vet have to look at one in the 8 years we've owned them. When we first purchased them I put them in an old apple orchard that had been left fallow for many years...multi flora roses, wild raspberries and blackberries to the point I couldn't make my way from one side of the property to another. The Highlands in combination with some goats and Dexters have done what would have taken me many years and/or some very heavy equipment to fix up. The Highlands bashed through the multi flora roses and brushed themselves in the process.

They now eat the clover, orchard grass and fescue pasture under the trees with managed grazing so they can be finished on grass. Grass I now have thanks to them. They work very well and can be profitable in some circumstances, better than the commercial breeds.

genebo · #16 01/14/14, 10:36 AM

I hsve only Dexters, but I echo Lakeportfarms's sentiments exactly. My land was so overgrown when I put my first Dexter on it that you couldn't even see, much less get to, the abandoned house that my goats now live in. Today, the place looks like a park!

The end result of keeping cattle isn't always to get the best return on your dollar at the sale barn. If it was, I wouldn't own cattle at all. With only 10 acres at my disposal, The maximum number of beef cattle I could raise and sell wouldn't pay for the cost of fencing it.

With my small cattle I manage to have a lot of fun all year, sell enough calves to put a little spending money in my pocket, and pay taxes, to keep the economy alive.

Mostly though, the small Dexters are the only breed that can prosper on the little bit of land I have, and provide milk, meat and entertainment.

I work for my neighbor on his beef spread whenever he does vaccinations or needs help mowing, harrowing or installing waterers and repairing fence. I have to completely change my mind-set when I go to work for him. Raising cattle for beef is not even close to raising family cattle.

Now let's hear from the dairy farmers, who see the world through a whole different view.

If you want advice about raising beef cattle, listen to the beef farmers.

If you want advice about how to raise dairy cattle, listen to the dairy farmers.

If you want advice on how to raise a few family cattle on small acreage, listen to those who successfully do that.

solsikkefarms · #17 01/14/14, 05:28 PM

Again thanks for all the advice so far.

Why Highlands? why not? I can raise any animal i want, but I chose Highlands because I like the way they look, I like the size, and I love the way they taste. With any animal you get what you put into it.. I wasn't sold any false hopes or dreams, i researched cattle based on what I wanted and found the cattle that would fit me and my needs the best.

about 10 years ago we ran about 60 head of beef cattle on this 80 acres, my goal is to run about 15-20 pairs of cows/calves on it using a rotational grazing system mixed with some goats, sheep, and chicken tractors.

I farm because I want to, I raise animals because I love to. Everything else is just a bonus.

nosqrls · #18 01/15/14, 06:38 AM

If Highlands are what you want than raise them. We did the same thing 10 years ago. And yes they said the same about us here. WE would lose money and they wouldn't sell they don't taste good. You know what we sell most of ours to angus ranchers for beef. That shut them up fast angus sells at the stockyards not highlands you will get docked for everything long hair, Horns and small size. Truth is I get more beef per pound walking than an angus and quality is just as good or better. When I take one to be weighed people will say he don't weigh a 1000lb and sure enough he will go past 1300lb. They will say the scale is off or broke. Our butcher likes highlands Because they don't carry back fat like others. 200lbs of fat that goes into scrap pile. But gets counted as hanging weight. Market it as grass finished and offer to deliver to butcher. You should do fine. And when you get a angus rancher buying from you laugh all the way to the bank.

haypoint · #19 01/15/14, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nosqrls

If Highlands are what you want than raise them. We did the same thing 10 years ago. And yes they said the same about us here. WE would lose money and they wouldn't sell they don't taste good. You know what we sell most of ours to angus ranchers for beef. That shut them up fast angus sells at the stockyards not highlands you will get docked for everything long hair, Horns and small size. Truth is I get more beef per pound walking than an angus and quality is just as good or better. When I take one to be weighed people will say he don't weigh a 1000lb and sure enough he will go past 1300lb. They will say the scale is off or broke. Our butcher likes highlands Because they don't carry back fat like others. 200lbs of fat that goes into scrap pile. But gets counted as hanging weight. Market it as grass finished and offer to deliver to butcher. You should do fine. And when you get a angus rancher buying from you laugh all the way to the bank.

That's what I'm talking about! I don't know if any of what you wrote was true or not, doesn't matter. This is the speech that sells cattle, odd breed or not. Salesmanship is vital if you want to prevent the losses that you should expect selling in normal markets. You must be able to promote your products and instill a belief in your customers the belief that they are getting something special. Congrats!

nosqrls · #20 01/15/14, 12:59 PM

What I have learned about most ranchers is that they are going to sell what is going to make them the most money in the shortest time with the least cash outlay period. They don't care if it is good or not. And if you try to get into their market then you're are crazy or stupid. But I have a restaurant that wants my beef they only sell grass fed beef and it says Scottish Highland Beef when available. I don't advertise Because everything I have is sold before hand to repeat customers.