Corn V.S. Grass

[Arkansas]

I am just wondering why so many people think Grass is good and so many think Corn is Gr8 ? I see a lot on Corn saying Corn causes high acid in the stomach making stronger e-coli. Is this true, and I don't see how you can make a living on cattle if you do only grass feed them? I mean I know a lot of people do it but there mostly people with a sh*t ton of land right ? I am getting geared up to get a few cattle and pigs etc myself to make a run at being more self sufficient and getting away from GMO's for my own piece of mind mainly. Well and wife is wanting to do it too, she seems to think growing our own things like vegetables and meat etc we can eat healthier.. Don't ask me why..lol

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Last time I checked corn is a grass. ;-)


If we were to rely solely on grass for beef production we probably wouldn't get far. No offense to the grass feeders, its quite a bit cheaper than corn feeding, but just doesn't crate pounds in the same amount of time as high energy corn mix.

 

[TexasBred]

"Corn" really isn't ever needed unless you're really trying to put weight on one for the freezer or you're operating a feedlot. Otherwise, good grazing for the mother cow produces more than enough milk to raise a calf up to weaning age. If the calf's weight is not what you want then "mama" might need to go. Seldom is supplementation needed unless you're feeding hay and the quality is low and then you feed protein such as range cubes, liquid feed etc. Even range cubes contain very very little corn.

 

[Rahe Family Belties]

Cattle can gain well on good grass. Unfortunately, that good grass is only available for a limited time each year as it will mature and lose nutritional value and palatability. Rotating pastures and mixing grass and legumes in your pastures will
extend your grazing season. Even in Arkansas you'll have to feed hay for about 3 months a year too.

You will need a breed that does well on high-forage diets if you want a calf that gains well and will also produce a quality carcass. If they gain at 1.25-1.5 pounds per day, they are doing well on grass(year-long average as some seasons will be much better than others)

A rule of thumb is that it takes two years to get a steer to market on grass alone. Some will do better than others of course, but some will not make it in two years. You will have to be patient on grass.

Hopefully you won't have alot of money wrapped up in your investment(and at too high an interest rate) so you can be patient and let the cattle grow on your own grass.

If grass-fed is how you want to do it, and you enjoy the taste of the grass-fed beef, go for it!
Personal satisfaction is the most important part of raising your own cattle.

Good luck to you sir!

 

[shaz]

I am just wondering why so many people think Grass is good and so many think Corn is Gr8 ? I see a lot on Corn saying Corn causes high acid in the stomach making stronger e-coli. Is this true, and I don't see how you can make a living on cattle if you do only grass feed them? I mean I know a lot of people do it but there mostly people with a sh*t ton of land right ? I am getting geared up to get a few cattle and pigs etc myself to make a run at being more self sufficient and getting away from GMO's for my own piece of mind mainly. Well and wife is wanting to do it too, she seems to think growing our own things like vegetables and meat etc we can eat healthier.. Don't ask me why..lol

We're growing alot of our own food due to wife's food allergies. I have had a reaction to MSG as well.

 

[HOSS]

Calves can do well on momma and grass. I do not feed any grain or corn for my commercial herd unless it is a steer being fattened for slaughter OR a sick animal that needs a bit of help in recovery. I have posted plenty of pics on here of 600 to 800+ lb weaning weight bulls, steers and heifers. A lot of grain feeders would like to have weaning weights like that. I focused on genetics since I don't have a lot of land. I do the best I can with the grass I have by rotating, proper stocking rates etc. I have had to work at it by culling aggressively and researching the genetics and crosses that I want. I have found that doing lots of research and studying is much cheaper than buying grain. Kudos to those that can feed grain and still make a profit though.

 

[cmf1]

For me personally, what HOSS said, except I like it all grass.
As a producer, regardless of pounds produced, all you can do is produce within your margins or go broke. (yep! Started down that road. Ouch!)
Consumers want what they want, and don't want what they don't.
Grass fed or corn fed, each has a market.
Which one pencils out.
If you're producing just for youself, factor in your preference and don't go broke filling your freezer.

 

[Arkansas]

Yea, were mainly wanting to just get a few cattle not make a living on them but would be nice if I could.. I figure 2 cattle, a few heritage pigs and about 100 or so chickens to begin with. We will be giving egg's and meat to family and in return there gonna help with some of the cost. I plan on learning as much as I can and slaughtering my own livestock. I am hoping if I can process chickens and a deer that I can hopefully handle a cow.. If not I will put in a little FREE worker time at the local Butcher to try and learn something..lol

 

[cow pollinater]

If sustainability is your goal, skip beef and plant a decent garden where you were going to run the cattle. ;-) You can grow a lot more food by planting seed than you ever will by converting grass into beef on ground that could be farmed.
Pigs do okay if you have enough scrap for them but once you have to open a feed sack you're better off buying pork at the store. Egg laying chickens that will forage are cheap protein as long as you can keep them close enough to home to find the eggs and they're turned out to pasture so You don't pay to feed them. The commercial type meat chickens won't forage so you'll wind up feeding them out of a sack and spending more to make a meal that's the same as you'd buy over the counter.
Turkey's are fantastic as you can turn them loose and they stay close by, don't make a mess, don't eat up your garden as bad as other birds, and they're fairly easy to catch. Plus you get a lot more bang for the buck cleaning a turkey for dinner than you ever will on a chicken.
If you decide to milk something, go with a goat... much more efficient for a small family. We get about a gallon a day.
That all being said, we eat two steers a year without much corn influence and have plenty of ground beef for the rescue mission. I wouldn't do them if my goal was to feed the family in the most efficient way but we have the ability to put grass in front of them year round above and beyond where we have our gardens and other livestock so we do it.

 

[Arkansas]

If sustainability is your goal, skip beef and plant a decent garden where you were going to run the cattle. ;-) You can grow a lot more food by planting seed than you ever will by converting grass into beef on ground that could be farmed.
Pigs do okay if you have enough scrap for them but once you have to open a feed sack you're better off buying pork at the store. Egg laying chickens that will forage are cheap protein as long as you can keep them close enough to home to find the eggs and they're turned out to pasture so You don't pay to feed them. The commercial type meat chickens won't forage so you'll wind up feeding them out of a sack and spending more to make a meal that's the same as you'd buy over the counter.
Turkey's are fantastic as you can turn them loose and they stay close by, don't make a mess, don't eat up your garden as bad as other birds, and they're fairly easy to catch. Plus you get a lot more bang for the buck cleaning a turkey for dinner than you ever will on a chicken.
If you decide to milk something, go with a goat... much more efficient for a small family. We get about a gallon a day.
That all being said, we eat two steers a year without much corn influence and have plenty of ground beef for the rescue mission. I wouldn't do them if my goal was to feed the family in the most efficient way but we have the ability to put grass in front of them year round above and beyond where we have our gardens and other livestock so we do it.

Well I have plenty of room, land isn't a problem. Were doing cattle to get where we can stop going to the store for meats because about $200 a month is spent on meat. We eat alot of Hamburger meat for Hamburger helper and taco's burgers etc.. And we also eat alot of Ribeye steaks and pork chops too... We eat alot for a family of 5 soon to be 6.. And we plan on having 3 more and then stopping, we both come from pretty much small to no family.. And we both want a big family, like cheaper by the dozen..lol What I plain on doing is maybe having a few acres of Corn & Oats and then have a 5 to 10 acre Hay field with hopes of being able to cut twice a year.. Maybe a 2 acre garden and a green house for seeding or starting the plants.. And about 15 acres of pasture to raise cattle, chickens and pasture pigs.. Hopefully

If you can count woods as land too then you can add another 16 acres of woods..Figured we would use some of the woods for pigs though.. Not sure yet.

 

[M5farm]

We eat a lot of pork. I was raised in the hog business so I know the input and I can't pencil out a good way to raise a couple of pigs a year too eat unless corn goes down 3bucks a bushel. We kill about 3 to 5 deer a year and make alot of burger and cubed steak. We eat beef but I haven't butchered one in years because of the deer meat. We cut our own so all I have invested is time and a small amount for wrap, electricity, ice and ammo. You will have a large family and it sounds like you are preparing for it. A large garden a few goats and chickens will put meat on the table a lot quicker. A steer is going be a lot longer

 

[hevmando]

I have heard lowline breeders can get 2x the amount of meat per acre vs. conventional angus due to smaller size/maintenance requirements. Might consider those.

 

[dun]

I have heard lowline breeders can get 2x the amount of meat per acre vs. conventional angus due to smaller size/maintenance requirements. Might consider those.

Dexters would probably be even higher then that.