Newbie needing advice on Cows

[triton77]

We are in the process of buying a 40 acre farm that the current owners have set up to rotational graze their Galloway cows. They feed no grains just grass and then in the winter they feed hay that they grow.
They currently have about 16 cow/calves and one bull. In talking to them they recommended buying 8 cows and then finding a new unrelated bull.
Our main question or concern is having a bull around with kids. I always said we would just buy calves and raise them and butcher them. I never wanted to have a bull around. I know that AI is possible but according to them it's expensive and galloway is hard to find.
Our main goal was to put meat in our freezer and maybe have some to sell. But being able to raise our own sounds like a interesting plan.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Janelle

[PNP Katahdins]

Start with two bred cows maybe, after trying the calves? Also I am wondering how they made their hay, and if they are taking their gates and handling equipment with them. Ask them what vet they use, too.

Eight decent cows plus a good bull or AI would mean some serious $$$.

Good luck to you and your family. Enjoy raising your own food.

Peg

[Allen W]

If I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and didn't have much cattle knowledge I would hesitate to buy into a niche breed especially if premium prices were involved.

[Awnry Abe]

I don't know what your locale is, but if the seller has a herd of Galloways, a bull probably isn't too far off. You may have to drive a bit to get out of your inherited blood line, but it would be worth it if that is the route you take.

If you are not 100% sure how you are going to go to market with the grass that you convert to protein that does not end up in your freezer, I would avoid the non-traditional-for-your-area beef breeds. Galloways make a great backdrop for direct to consumer freezer beef sales. However, they will make horrible use of the 40 acres as a cow-calf breed where your market is selling into the feeders/finishers plus finishing one for yourself.

My goals sound identical to yours. Life got simpler, tastier, and more profitable when I dropped the dream of a pasture full of Galloways.

Regarding your concerns with the bull, I would not consider having one as an increase in risk. YMMV with individual personalities, but beef breed bulls, particularly Galloways, are generally gentle and docile. What you need to worry about with the kids is going out with the yappy family dog in the proximity of a recently calved cow. Danger X100. Broadly speaking, if you are going to raise your own beef, you need to have an understanding of the inherent dangers that come with 1000+ lb animals. It isn't just the bull. It is the cow, and even the stupid 400lb steer with ninja kicks. But t is a very manageable risk. Teach your kids to respect the animal like you would teach them to respect a gun or power tool, and you will be in good shape.

[msscamp]

Originally Posted by triton77

We are in the process of buying a 40 acre farm that the current owners have set up to rotational graze their Galloway cows. They feed no grains just grass and then in the winter they feed hay that they grow.
They currently have about 16 cow/calves and one bull. In talking to them they recommended buying 8 cows and then finding a new unrelated bull.
Our main question or concern is having a bull around with kids. I always said we would just buy calves and raise them and butcher them. I never wanted to have a bull around. I know that AI is possible but according to them it's expensive and galloway is hard to find.
Our main goal was to put meat in our freezer and maybe have some to sell. But being able to raise our own sounds like a interesting plan.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Janelle

If you're not comfortable with having a bull around, then stick to your original plan of buying calves and raising them for beef. Depending on the age of the calf, beef calves are expensive to buy and raise right now, but AI is also expensive, time consuming, there is no guarantee that a heifer/cow will settle, and a clean up bull is almost always necessary for the animals that don't/won't settle with AI. Do not allow anyone to talk you into something that you are not comfortable with.

[triton77]

To answer some of your questions:
We are in central WI.
The owners had all the fencing put in about 5 yrs ago and it was professionally installed 5 strand wire and is divided into 8 different pastures. Everything stays fencing, gates, etc.
They had a neighbor cut their hay for them using their haying equipment.

I don't think we will have any problem getting rid of the meat as we already have family and friends that want some meat.
I'm just not sure which direction to go. This is a already set up cow/calf operation that should be fairly easy to step into but we just aren't sure if we want to take that step.
Thanks for all the help!
Janelle

[lonecowhand]

Sounds like you're set to go, and need a nudge. Read the Godsgapeach/Agmantoo thread on Rotational grazing, if you haven't already, and see if that is something you think you can do.
Check the guidelines for grassfed cattle types they suggest. You can certainly always sell small black cattle, if the cost of the Galloways is scary.

[pfettig77]

Originally Posted by Awnry Abe

If you are not 100% sure how you are going to go to market with the grass that you convert to protein that does not end up in your freezer, I would avoid the non-traditional-for-your-area beef breeds. Galloways make a great backdrop for direct to consumer freezer beef sales. However, they will make horrible use of the 40 acres as a cow-calf breed where your market is selling into the feeders/finishers plus finishing one for yourself.

My goals sound identical to yours. Life got simpler, tastier, and more profitable when I dropped the dream of a pasture full of Galloways.

What breed do you raise?

[Awnry Abe]

Originally Posted by pfettig77

What breed do you raise?

I am currently in a "mutt" phase. Currently have a hereford bull. Lots of Charolais, "black", and "red" crosses. My market is the sale barn feeder. I take the nice looking steers that are 6-9 mo old, roughly 10 days after weaning, to the sale barn. I am still keeping all heifers, regardless of how bad they are, plus all of the ugly steers.

The charolais get dinged pretty good. ~20%. Everything else, red, black, red/white, black/white, polka dot, etc seem to hit the top side of the market report. I've learned not to give away perfectly good beef at the sale barn, so only the "good" or better go there.

I sold my Belted Galloways this summer and made a truckload of money on them, relative to purchase price. (Now is great time to get rid of mistakes).

On the one hand, I really like the ecclectic herd. The visual variety helps me and my sporatic managment keep an eye on particular animals of interest (limp, runny nose, about to calf, etc).

On the other hand, I fully expect beef prices to come back to rest, and the real margin will be in retail freezer beef. For me to succeed there, I need more consistency, which means consistent genetics. That is where I am steering the ship, in 2 degree turns.

I feel pretty comfortable with my acreage at around 50 cow/calf pairs+finishing beef. The prior owner claimed "100+" head, but I could never get a straight answer out of him as to whether that was 100 pairs or 50 pairs. I suspect 100. But I am looking for a sustainable income with fewer head, and the Galloway's didn't fit that mold for me because of their slow growth.

[pfettig77]

Originally Posted by Awnry Abe

I am currently in a "mutt" phase. Currently have a hereford bull. Lots of Charolais, "black", and "red" crosses. My market is the sale barn feeder. I take the nice looking steers that are 6-9 mo old, roughly 10 days after weaning, to the sale barn. I am still keeping all heifers, regardless of how bad they are, plus all of the ugly steers.

The charolais get dinged pretty good. ~20%. Everything else, red, black, red/white, black/white, polka dot, etc seem to hit the top side of the market report. I've learned not to give away perfectly good beef at the sale barn, so only the "good" or better go there.

I sold my Belted Galloways this summer and made a truckload of money on them, relative to purchase price. (Now is great time to get rid of mistakes).

On the one hand, I really like the ecclectic herd. The visual variety helps me and my sporatic managment keep an eye on particular animals of interest (limp, runny nose, about to calf, etc).

On the other hand, I fully expect beef prices to come back to rest, and the real margin will be in retail freezer beef. For me to succeed there, I need more consistency, which means consistent genetics. That is where I am steering the ship, in 2 degree turns.

I feel pretty comfortable with my acreage at around 50 cow/calf pairs+finishing beef. The prior owner claimed "100+" head, but I could never get a straight answer out of him as to whether that was 100 pairs or 50 pairs. I suspect 100. But I am looking for a sustainable income with fewer head, and the Galloway's didn't fit that mold for me because of their slow growth.

This is the exact type of answer I was looking for. Thanks a hundred. I am a couple years and a bunch of acres behind you. When you say you're trying to get more consistency, is that so the taste of the beef is always the same for your customers?

[Awnry Abe]

Originally Posted by pfettig77

This is the exact type of answer I was looking for. Thanks a hundred. I am a couple years and a bunch of acres behind you. When you say you're trying to get more consistency, is that so the taste of the beef is always the same for your customers?

Not as many years as you think. Yes, taste, texture/tenderness, marbling, cut-size, everything. I don't expect to make everything perfect, but I need to be able to sell someone when they buy an individual cut that they can get an expectation of what a freezer full would be like. Can't do that now.

[TheFarmerMommy]

I' m a divorced mom with 6 and 7 year old children. This is my second year with cattle. I have a bull that is loaned from a friend. His disposition trends towards that of Ferdinand the bull. The boss cow pushes him around relentlessly because he's young. Still, I don't trust an uncut male of any species, lol. Kidding aside, I'm careful around him. But zi'm careful around all of the cattle, even the babies. I have a feeling that if one of them ever hurts me, it will be the 400 pound angus steer. I try never to be complacent no matter how much of a hurry I'm in - that's when stuff happens. My girls know they are never to go in an animal enclosure without me. They understand the power of even a baby from bottle feeding their heifer calves this summer.

I would see if I could lease a bull from a reputable farm, or even borrow one. You likely don't need one full time. But AI is so expensive & doesn't always take.

[GaryS61]

I do not understand why every one bad mouths Galloway? They grow just fine and I have a mixed herd the Galloway consistently out do the Angus or Red Angus. They eat less and taste better too and grow much faster esp. the X breeds. In my neck of the woods they are much cheaper to get into than Angus but having said that every one now is asking to much for cows in an unrealistic feeding frenzy to get in on the high prices. If they stay this high then people will just eat chicken............... cattle prices will come back down. For now just concentrate on continuous improvement to the 40A consider lease until the price is more in line with reality. By the way my Galloway bull is the most gentle bull I have ever seen while in general I do not trust bulls I can walk up to him in the pasture with a brush and scratch him all over he loves it. All kids need to know is avoid him as he still is a bull but there is no reason to think he is more dangerous than a cow. In fact a cow with a new born is much more dangerous to the kids.

[medski]

Thanks for the info. Gary! I have been looking at the Galloway breed with interest! Glad to hear something positive about the breed!
Still researching! No hurry here , prices way to high for me! Have the money but won't throw it away on ridiculous high market.

[snaffle]

We fed out a beltie in the late 90's. Don't remember what he weighed whe I never thought it took longer to feed him out.

Always wanted another Beltie bull calf or steer.