Questions...

[Zelda]

All right, for those of you who don't know my background, here:

http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=483112#483112

So, basically, I need a breed that will produce plenty of beef on a grass-based feeding plan. No grain whatsoever. I'd prefer an animal that can give me a lot of chuck (I love chuck steak, lol), and more of the better cuts if there is a breed that can. My crocodilian pets (as well as the komodo dragon) aren't picky about what part of the animal they get, so long as they get fed. I just want to be able to eat well too, lol.

Oh, and are there any beef breeds that are a good choice for oxen? I'd like an ox just to keep around, he could carry my equipment lol. And I could eat him when he was too old to work.

 

[dun]

For the ox infromation give this a look:
http://www.ruralheritage.com/ox_paddock/index.htm

 

[grannysoo]

I'm just glad the snakes are in your house and not mine...

 

[Aero]

It sounds like Aubracs would be perfect for you. They come from a region in France where there is no grain production, they are brown instead of black so they reflect a great deal of sun light instead of absorbing it and the have plenty of chuck.

I think Dr Yelich is still doing research on this breed at the University of Florida.

http://www.aubracusa.com/

 

[Zelda]

Wow..they seem great. And it says they have good foraging ability...just what I need.

But, I'm sure there are many other breeds out there suited for me as well. I want to look at as many breeds as possible before I buy my herd.

Any other ideas?

 

[dun]

Have at it:
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/

 

[dun]

stupid machine

 

[Zelda]

what about a randall steer for my ox? I like the look of the breed. Anyone have experience with them? Actually, the ox is probably going to end up as a "working pet"...

But aubracs still seem really nice...for meat anyway. Anyone had firsthand experience with them? How about Salers? or Gelbvieh?

A note before I get flamed: I'm used to handling dangerous animals. I understand that the animals are capable of doing serious damage to me. But I'm okay with that. If I wasn't okay with danger, I never would have come to specialize in herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians). If I can handle an angry komodo dragon, I can handle an angry steer or cow or even a bull. I've milked venomous snakes. I've helped wrestle crocodilians such as the american alligator. I can take anything these cattle throw at me.

 

[Frankie]

Perhaps you should look at polled (no horns) animals. Most breeds have a line of them. It might make your life a bit easier. BTW, you can find Angus cattle that do well on grass. Good luck in your search.

 

[Zelda]

Perhaps polled would be safer..but what about my ox? they need horns don't they? But I can always get a seperate animal of a different breed for an ox. I don't like the look of angus though...no offense to anyone who breeds angus, or keeps them. I know that appearance shouldn't be a factor in my search. But my cows are basically going to be "useful lawn ornaments that will reproduce themselves". I'll be looking at them an awful lot. And the ox is going to be a "working pet". I'll use him to carry stuff around while I make my rounds around my little zoo. My enclosures are very big and in a zoo-like setting. I hate to lug all the gator and croc food around with me and have to run back to the house to get more. I have a wheelbarrow, but that's boring. And my komodo dragon, whom I've named "dragon" (I know, I'm so original lol), is afraid of wheelbarrows...not sure why. But I'd like him to be sweet and mannerly when he's not working. Sweet enough to allow my brother's kids (and other family children) near when they come to visit me. I can't do that with anything I own so far, lol.

 

[Frankie]

Perhaps polled would be safer..but what about my ox? they need horns don't they? But I can always get a seperate animal of a different breed for an ox. I don't like the look of angus though...no offense to anyone who breeds angus, or keeps them. I know that appearance shouldn't be a factor in my search. But my cows are basically going to be "useful lawn ornaments that will reproduce themselves". I'll be looking at them an awful lot. And the ox is going to be a "working pet". I'll use him to carry stuff around while I make my rounds around my little zoo. My enclosures are very big and in a zoo-like setting. I hate to lug all the gator and croc food around with me and have to run back to the house to get more. I have a wheelbarrow, but that's boring. And my komodo dragon, whom I've named "dragon" (I know, I'm so original lol), is afraid of wheelbarrows...not sure why. But I'd like him to be sweet and mannerly when he's not working. Sweet enough to allow my brother's kids (and other family children) near when they come to visit me. I can't do that with anything I own so far, lol.

Why would an ox need horns? I do raise Angus and no offense taken. Personally, a pasture full of black cattle makes me happy. I used to leave work all uptight and unhappy. There was a wheat pasture on my way home that had black calves on it during the fall and winter. By the time I had driven past them, slowly, I was feeling much more cheerful. But to each his/her own. I also like to look at Herefords. A newborn Hereford calf is one of nature's wonders. They're so clean, white, red and new. When we first got cattle, Limousin was the breed of choice in our area and some of those red Limi bulls were just knockouts to look at. Some people like Longhorns because you never know what color or spots you'll get; though some people have been breeding for solid colors. Here's the link to the OSU site again. There is surely a breed that would make you happy.


http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/

 

[dun]

Why would an ox need horns? I do raise Angus and no offense taken.

Ox need horns for the yoke to ride against so the ox can brake, hold a rolling load back going down hill and to back up.
With a single ox or with polled oxen they are usually worked with a harness and britchen

 

[Beefy]

in south florida i would have brahman influenced cattle.

 

[Keren]

Dun, that was the link I was going to post! It will give you a lot of information, and there are oxen listed for sale there, too. I notice there is a pair of Randall calves listed there now.

The only oxen I have seen in Australia are Holstein and Milking Shorthorn, or crosses of these. My personal favourite is the cross, giving a nice blue roan animal.

Actually, I like the Randalls too. Given that you have a rather unusual collection of animals, have you thought about a Highland? That would be a sight to see :lol:

As for your beef-producing breed, you cant go past a Murray Grey for cheap converters of grass to meat.

They are quiet, so they are easy for learners to handle. And as an added benefit they are polled (no horns). Of course, that means you would need a different breed to use as a traditional ox, but have you considered that it would serve your purposes just as well to train a steer to harness as you would a horse? You should be able to adapt a horse harness to fit him, and that way you dont need the horns, as the breeching will serve as brakes.

Or, even better, you could get a harness goat, or two to pull as a pair.

Good luck with whatever you end up getting, btw it would be great to see some photos of your reptilian collection :lol: I'm not that keen on snakes but I'm weirdly interested in dragons, monitors etc.

 

[Zelda]

Wow! murray greys are beautiful! They'd look great in my pastures. And you know, since I'll just be leading the animal around (as opposed to driving from behind) anyway, I can always halter train a polled ox. I love that gray color...

btw it would be great to see some photos of your reptilian collection

Two years ago I would have flooded your forum with pictures long before you asked, lol. But something upsetting occurred, and since then I don't put any pics on the net, not even ones of my dog. Or the cattle that I'm planning to get.

Here's what happened:

I proudly posted a pic online of my 6-metres-long nile crocodile, known to friends and family as "The Prince" (because he was one of my favorites, and I spoiled him rotten lol), on a reptile forum. Two weeks later, a man broke into my "zoo" and attempted to steal the croc. He never got The Prince into the truck. Crocodiles don't like strangers coming into their territory, and The Prince, as an adult male in prime condition was no exception. That man was almost killed trying to steal him. No doubt the man was planning to skin him or something. If my dog hadn't gotten my butt out of bed, there wouldn't have been anything to see except blood in the enclosure and the truck outside of it. In fact, the truck was loaded with a few of my more agreeable animals (a carpet python, a red-tailed boa, and a dozen ball pythons). The Prince ripped the man's leg clean off, had the dog not gotten me outside he would have bled to death. I live near a hospital, and I know how to give emergency first aid. So I got him to the hospital, they saved his life and then he has the nerve to report my croc to the police. The Prince had to be put down, in this case I had to shoot him. I didn't want him to be all stressed out being taken somewhere else to be killed.

Sometimes I think I should've let that jerk get eaten...

 

[Keren]

Sorry for your loss, Zelda.

There are quite a few US. Murray Grey breeders on these boards, who will be happy to help you out.

And you know, if you ever did want to drive a polled ox, you could drive it using a halter style bridle (bitless), reins and driving saddle, just as you would drive a horse or goat.

 

[Zelda]

Awesome! And I know where I can get some murray greys too! but I'll have to wait awhile for the animals to get here. A friend of mine has some he wants to get rid of. I should ask about them.

Don't worry, all my fences are in good shape. The only thing I'm missing is the cows.

 

[Zelda]

Slight weight differential but what the heck

lol well thats true.. but remember that many of my pets are also quite larger than myself. Crocs and gators aren't exactly kittens. And the komodo dragon's bite is lethal. If he bites me I could be done for. I realize that cattle are dangerous, all animals are. A cocker spaniel is dangerous when it wants to be.

 

[TREY-L]

Slight weight differential but what the heck

lol well thats true.. but remember that many of my pets are also quite larger than myself. Crocs and gators aren't exactly kittens. And the komodo dragon's bite is lethal. If he bites me I could be done for. I realize that cattle are dangerous, all animals are. A cocker spaniel is dangerous when it wants to be.

Wow you actually own a Komodo Dragon, what other endangered species do you own. What sub-species of Crocodile did you say you had?

What kind of paperwork is involved in order to keep a CITES index II endangered species?

I really like all of the Varanidae family. They are my favorite lizards.

 

[Zelda]

Wow you actually own a Komodo Dragon, what other endangered species do you own. What sub-species of Crocodile did you say you had?

What kind of paperwork is involved in order to keep a CITES index II endangered species?

I really like all of the Varanidae family. They are my favorite lizards.

Yes, he's quite old actually. He was confiscated from a privately owned zoo. This one was from an actual zoo, with a gift shop. I have a lot of friends in animal control. When they confiscate something they think I'd be able to house, they call me to see if I'm interested. And of course I was. I call him "Dragon".

As for paperwork, the fact that I specialize in herpetology helps a lot. My boss helps me out with paperwork a lot, since I'm just as good in the lab as I am in the field. In fact, almost all of it goes through my workplace. Remember that some of these larger reptiles I recieved through my job. I can't imagine trying to get any of these species without these qualifications.

I own lots of endangered species...I don't keep track of how many anymore though, lol.

Here are my crocodilians:

American alligator(quite a story behind her, I'll be glad to post about it if anyone is interested)
Nile Crocodile (The Prince, but as I said before I had to shoot him)
Mugger's crocodile
Estuarine crocodile
Orinoco crocodile

And I've got a ton of room left, even after the cows get here. I think I'll dig out a few more enclosures....lol

by the way, if you like varanids, you've got great taste! lol