Hello all,
Looking for opinions from experienced hands.
I've never owned cattle. I've never known any who did before moving to texoma. I've never worked with cattle.
I was raised in southern California and had awesome grandparents from different walls of life, so I got a feel for what I might expect from country living.
Fast forward to now.
Husband works on another state. We have a little bit of heaven and I raise our 5 boys best I can. With what's going on in the ag world he brought up getting a milk cow for our little homestead instead of goats.
He asked I consider taking on one milk cow. So I'm considering.
I'll go to him when I'm done, he's not put a time expectation on me but myself? Im starting a new animal breed in the spring, not two.
Milks cows over goats:
I'm very unsure. I had planned next spring to grow our homestead with goats. I've the same experience with them as cattle but they're smaller which I feel simplifies all including home doctoring.
All I have at the moment is meat rabbits and chickens, and they provide well for our table. I do all my own processing because it's really not that big a deal.
I don't sell eggs, but I'll sell excess meat pens if Camp Fridgidare is at capacity lol. We volunteered at stables so I could get aquatinted with large animals. Verdict- I can do the work but I'm not fond of inexperienced people intruding on an owners decisions, and a lot show up around horses. After doing that work for a few years husband doesn't want any either. They're very nice, glad I gained that insight.
What are your thoughts and experiences with owning milk cows for home use?
I'd have to have two in my inexperienced opinion because they're herd animals. I haven't begun to fence the part of pasture I'd use so I'm not sure two is possible considering our rural regulations.
I'll step in to my local ag office and ask about restrictions on that.
Husband's reasoning is: goat milk is weird, we're used to cow milk, beef is much better on the table (calves), easier to sell calves, it would be easier to get stud service.
I have my own opinions but I'm not looking for support against him here, he's the best man in my earthly world I know so no hate, just be free with some honest thoughts on ownership.
Details on experience with specific breeds would be so lovely.
Also I don't own a tractor so hoisting up a full grown heifer that needs to be processed is out of the question.
Picture of my sancho for attention.
Thanks all,
Katonk
Looking for opinions from experienced hands.
I've never owned cattle. I've never known any who did before moving to texoma. I've never worked with cattle.
I was raised in southern California and had awesome grandparents from different walls of life, so I got a feel for what I might expect from country living.
Fast forward to now.
Husband works on another state. We have a little bit of heaven and I raise our 5 boys best I can. With what's going on in the ag world he brought up getting a milk cow for our little homestead instead of goats.
He asked I consider taking on one milk cow. So I'm considering.
I'll go to him when I'm done, he's not put a time expectation on me but myself? Im starting a new animal breed in the spring, not two.
Milks cows over goats:
I'm very unsure. I had planned next spring to grow our homestead with goats. I've the same experience with them as cattle but they're smaller which I feel simplifies all including home doctoring.
All I have at the moment is meat rabbits and chickens, and they provide well for our table. I do all my own processing because it's really not that big a deal.
I don't sell eggs, but I'll sell excess meat pens if Camp Fridgidare is at capacity lol. We volunteered at stables so I could get aquatinted with large animals. Verdict- I can do the work but I'm not fond of inexperienced people intruding on an owners decisions, and a lot show up around horses. After doing that work for a few years husband doesn't want any either. They're very nice, glad I gained that insight.
What are your thoughts and experiences with owning milk cows for home use?
I'd have to have two in my inexperienced opinion because they're herd animals. I haven't begun to fence the part of pasture I'd use so I'm not sure two is possible considering our rural regulations.
I'll step in to my local ag office and ask about restrictions on that.
Husband's reasoning is: goat milk is weird, we're used to cow milk, beef is much better on the table (calves), easier to sell calves, it would be easier to get stud service.
I have my own opinions but I'm not looking for support against him here, he's the best man in my earthly world I know so no hate, just be free with some honest thoughts on ownership.
Details on experience with specific breeds would be so lovely.
Also I don't own a tractor so hoisting up a full grown heifer that needs to be processed is out of the question.
Picture of my sancho for attention.
Thanks all,
Katonk