Caustic Burno
Well-known member
I figure three 4x5's per cow in the same area as GB. I put up four per cow and always have carry over for next year.greybeard":3ieum48m said:
Hobby Farmer Newby could use advise
- Thread starter BrokeFarmerJohn
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Kingfisher
Well-known member
Sell em. Eat one. Buy more in the spring.
redcowsrule33
Well-known member
Winter is cold, long and hard. Keep in mind that everything you do now labor-wise will take at least twice long in the winter. Things go wrong in a hurry. With no running water to the cattle I wouldn't keep them over this year. Sell them, take the money and time to figure out a better system, and to watch the snow blow by the window. :2cents:
Workinonit Farm
Well-known member
In my opinion, kingfisher and redcowsrule , have given the advice I would give. This way you could have some beef in freezer this winter. And have the winter to learn some more, make changes or additions to your facilities etc.
Duramaxgirl
Well-known member
Welcome! My sister owns dairy cows. She had a steer from one cow that was half Jersey half black Angus. It wasn't the best grower and they kept it till it was about 28ish months before butchering and it tasted great! Having your own beef in the freezer is so amazing! I would grow them all and split with someone on the cost of butchering and cut and wrap. We butchered a cow early this summer. We kept half and sold half. After it was all said and done we made about $400 profit and the meat was free... Of course that doesn't count the hay and grain we put into her.
We plan on at least 2-3% of body weight every day per cow during the winter in hay, this is what my dad taught me as he was raised on a cattle ranch. Often we feed more then that though. So if you know your cattle weights its a easy way to know how much hay for winter. We feed about 8 months out of the year here in North Idaho.
We plan on at least 2-3% of body weight every day per cow during the winter in hay, this is what my dad taught me as he was raised on a cattle ranch. Often we feed more then that though. So if you know your cattle weights its a easy way to know how much hay for winter. We feed about 8 months out of the year here in North Idaho.
You've got some good advice on here about selling before winter. Pour some grain into them and butcher light if you have too. Jersey crosses usually don't bring much running through the sale barn unless they are fat and ready to butcher. The Amish around here swear by Jersey beef and will pay good money for something that's not all skin and bones.
I'm in North East Ohio in the snow belt. Winter farming is tough. I'd figure 1 round bale per week for the 3 animals in November, December, March then 2 round bales per week for January, February as those are generally the coldest months when consumption is high. If you don't have the equipment to feed round bales, definitely sell. Feeding square bales during the winter will suck every dime out of you money wise.
I don't know what part of Ohio your in - as northern Ohio is much different than southern Ohio. Wintering these dairy-beef crosses, your not going to gain any as far as profit. With no water near by - do you even have electric near the trough to plug in a heater to keep the trough from freezing up? Also doesn't sound like you have much more than an acre fenced in to winter these animals. This acre will be a mud mess and pretty much destroyed and will require reseeding in the spring - meaning no grass in the spring so your feeding hay longer.
If you sell before winter, take the money and get your facilities in order. Go rent a trencher and put in a water line and frost free hydrant. Then in the spring look for new feeder cattle.
I'm in North East Ohio in the snow belt. Winter farming is tough. I'd figure 1 round bale per week for the 3 animals in November, December, March then 2 round bales per week for January, February as those are generally the coldest months when consumption is high. If you don't have the equipment to feed round bales, definitely sell. Feeding square bales during the winter will suck every dime out of you money wise.
I don't know what part of Ohio your in - as northern Ohio is much different than southern Ohio. Wintering these dairy-beef crosses, your not going to gain any as far as profit. With no water near by - do you even have electric near the trough to plug in a heater to keep the trough from freezing up? Also doesn't sound like you have much more than an acre fenced in to winter these animals. This acre will be a mud mess and pretty much destroyed and will require reseeding in the spring - meaning no grass in the spring so your feeding hay longer.
If you sell before winter, take the money and get your facilities in order. Go rent a trencher and put in a water line and frost free hydrant. Then in the spring look for new feeder cattle.
farmerjan
Well-known member
Okay, I will weigh in on this subject. Cut the bull asap., there is no real good reason to keep a young bull that will start to feel his cheerios and wind up going through a fence or get in with the "80 yr old" (ha ha) bull next door and his girls and UH OH, you are in deep ***** with the neighbor just for starters. Any "beef" type calf with jersey influence will be SEVERELEY discounted at a stockyard as the fineness of the jersey shows through and these buyers are experienced at picking it out. Now, that said; jersey beef is one of the best, most tender, and well marbled beef there is. They mature and keep the tenderness long past the normal butchering age of 20-24 months. I have only eaten jersey beef for nearly 20 years and it is very tender and flavorful. Use this to your advantage if you are going to raise them through the winter, finish them on grass nest year and advertise and sell them on craigslist. Don't know about ohio, but here in Va there are a small number of people that like jersey beef and you would probably do better selling them private.
On that note, the feeder market is tanking and prices have fallen. Dairy steers here are bringing .60 to .80 lb. Jerseys on the low side, holsteins in the 70-80 cent range. Most any size. So at 600 lbs the jersey is only worth 360. Not much of a return. Eat him yourself or find someone who wants a jersey for beef and get your money back if you're lucky.
Winter hay needs. Here we figure 20 head per 5x5 round bale per day so a round bale will last 3 head of yearling cattle approx. 7-10 days depending on the weather. We get some cold weather here in the Shenandoah valley in the winter but not as cold as Ohio. And you will probably get more snow and it will come sooner and last longer than here. Consider also, jerseys do NOT get the longer hair coat of a "beef" animal, nor do they have the fat cover on them so will need more energy to stay warm so will eat more; meaning more corn/feed than most beef breeds. I would say figure the long end: 5 months hay 4 rolls per month minimum = 20 to 25 rolls for all three. There is nothing worse than not enough hay and can't find any to buy and spring is late getting here and cold and the grass just isn't growing much...
Hauling water is the pits, but REALLY THE PITS in the winter. you might want to butcher one ( or two) and use the money from the other to put in a water line next spring, out towards the pasture area where you can run a hose in the summer at least.
Do this once or twice and look around. Go to a stockyard if close to you and just watch. See what animals are bringing, get a feel for what's around, what's available, and what is in demand. I love belted galloways, had several but they are definitely a niche market. They are a double hair coat breed so do not get as much fat as some like angus, and I found them to be very docile. Just realize that you will take a shellacking if you take them to the stockyards to sell. NOT trying to discourage you, just do some homework and know what you can reasonably expect in return for your investment.
Most beef calves stay on their mothers for 7-10 months. If she calves, then you breed her back in 60-90 days, she will calve again in approx 12 months, (they carry for 9 months m/l) so the calf can stay with her for up to 10 months, then get taken off so she gets 2 months rest before starting a new calving/lactation again. No point in taking it off too soon then putting expensive feed into it when it can grow on mamma and eating grass etc.
Brewers grain from a brewery is a good feed but must be mixed into a balanced ration. Most breweries sell it buy truckload ( I mean big truckload not a pickup) and it has to be fed in a certain percentage, not as the only grain. It is honestly hardly worth it for only a couple of animals, and not something a newby should start out with. Get some experience with animals before you try to get too creative or you could lose one or more just from not realizing what's what. This is not trying to discourage you. Get your feet wet before you try to jump off the diving board if you've never taken a swim before.
Hope this is of some help.
On that note, the feeder market is tanking and prices have fallen. Dairy steers here are bringing .60 to .80 lb. Jerseys on the low side, holsteins in the 70-80 cent range. Most any size. So at 600 lbs the jersey is only worth 360. Not much of a return. Eat him yourself or find someone who wants a jersey for beef and get your money back if you're lucky.
Winter hay needs. Here we figure 20 head per 5x5 round bale per day so a round bale will last 3 head of yearling cattle approx. 7-10 days depending on the weather. We get some cold weather here in the Shenandoah valley in the winter but not as cold as Ohio. And you will probably get more snow and it will come sooner and last longer than here. Consider also, jerseys do NOT get the longer hair coat of a "beef" animal, nor do they have the fat cover on them so will need more energy to stay warm so will eat more; meaning more corn/feed than most beef breeds. I would say figure the long end: 5 months hay 4 rolls per month minimum = 20 to 25 rolls for all three. There is nothing worse than not enough hay and can't find any to buy and spring is late getting here and cold and the grass just isn't growing much...
Hauling water is the pits, but REALLY THE PITS in the winter. you might want to butcher one ( or two) and use the money from the other to put in a water line next spring, out towards the pasture area where you can run a hose in the summer at least.
Do this once or twice and look around. Go to a stockyard if close to you and just watch. See what animals are bringing, get a feel for what's around, what's available, and what is in demand. I love belted galloways, had several but they are definitely a niche market. They are a double hair coat breed so do not get as much fat as some like angus, and I found them to be very docile. Just realize that you will take a shellacking if you take them to the stockyards to sell. NOT trying to discourage you, just do some homework and know what you can reasonably expect in return for your investment.
Most beef calves stay on their mothers for 7-10 months. If she calves, then you breed her back in 60-90 days, she will calve again in approx 12 months, (they carry for 9 months m/l) so the calf can stay with her for up to 10 months, then get taken off so she gets 2 months rest before starting a new calving/lactation again. No point in taking it off too soon then putting expensive feed into it when it can grow on mamma and eating grass etc.
Brewers grain from a brewery is a good feed but must be mixed into a balanced ration. Most breweries sell it buy truckload ( I mean big truckload not a pickup) and it has to be fed in a certain percentage, not as the only grain. It is honestly hardly worth it for only a couple of animals, and not something a newby should start out with. Get some experience with animals before you try to get too creative or you could lose one or more just from not realizing what's what. This is not trying to discourage you. Get your feet wet before you try to jump off the diving board if you've never taken a swim before.
Hope this is of some help.
