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Can I afford Highland cattle?
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<blockquote data-quote="alabama" data-source="post: 429657" data-attributes="member: 2218"><p>Some things you might want to consider.</p><p></p><p>If you sell the cattle when finished and ready to kill, you will need room to raise them. This means keeping the calf until it is 15 months old so what you will have is a momma and two claves. So for every momma you need room for three head.</p><p>You will also have to keep heifers separated from bulls so that means another pasture. You will need to wean calves for 60 days in yet another pasture. So now, we have four pastures. One for momma and young calf. One for bulls. One for heifer calves and one for bull calves. You could make steers of the bull calves and run them in with the heifers and the bull could stay with the mommas. I guess you could make it on two pastures. </p><p>If you AI your cows you won't need a bull except to clean up. So on 6 acres that might handle two cows with calves on 4 acres with the two yearling calves on 2 acres. </p><p></p><p>The trouble with AI on a very small herd is heat detection. With just two cows, you will miss heat cycles and have trouble breeding. Your best bet would be to rent a bull. </p><p></p><p>If you want Highland cattle I think you should talk with your local breeder and buy two bred cows and work out a deal to borrow or rent a bull for two months every year. He may even let you sell your calves in his sale every year. </p><p>I am just guessing as I raise Angus cattle but you should be able to get a 3-year-old bred cow for $1500 to $2000. </p><p></p><p>You will also need a trailer to move the cattle. Take one to the vet or take one to the kill house whatever. You will need access to a cattle trailer. </p><p>You will need a good source for hay and a place to store it. If you use round bails you will need a tractor to move them but with just 6 acres, I would feed square bails. You will need a barn to hold about 4 to 500 bails. And at $4 each that is $2000 a year just for hay to produce two $400 calves. You do the math. </p><p>You will have to have a place to restrain the ciders' for shots and whatever. </p><p></p><p>Good luck and let us know how it works out.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="alabama, post: 429657, member: 2218"] Some things you might want to consider. If you sell the cattle when finished and ready to kill, you will need room to raise them. This means keeping the calf until it is 15 months old so what you will have is a momma and two claves. So for every momma you need room for three head. You will also have to keep heifers separated from bulls so that means another pasture. You will need to wean calves for 60 days in yet another pasture. So now, we have four pastures. One for momma and young calf. One for bulls. One for heifer calves and one for bull calves. You could make steers of the bull calves and run them in with the heifers and the bull could stay with the mommas. I guess you could make it on two pastures. If you AI your cows you won’t need a bull except to clean up. So on 6 acres that might handle two cows with calves on 4 acres with the two yearling calves on 2 acres. The trouble with AI on a very small herd is heat detection. With just two cows, you will miss heat cycles and have trouble breeding. Your best bet would be to rent a bull. If you want Highland cattle I think you should talk with your local breeder and buy two bred cows and work out a deal to borrow or rent a bull for two months every year. He may even let you sell your calves in his sale every year. I am just guessing as I raise Angus cattle but you should be able to get a 3-year-old bred cow for $1500 to $2000. You will also need a trailer to move the cattle. Take one to the vet or take one to the kill house whatever. You will need access to a cattle trailer. You will need a good source for hay and a place to store it. If you use round bails you will need a tractor to move them but with just 6 acres, I would feed square bails. You will need a barn to hold about 4 to 500 bails. And at $4 each that is $2000 a year just for hay to produce two $400 calves. You do the math. You will have to have a place to restrain the ciders’ for shots and whatever. Good luck and let us know how it works out. [/QUOTE]
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