jbevans
New member
Hello everyone! I've been lurking on the boards for probably a year or more now and we have finally decided to go ahead with our plans to let my little boy start from the beginning. He will be 8 years old in June. I have 2 other boys that are "interested" but he has been obsessed with farming for several years now. I should also probably note that he is dx'd with ADHD but we have always chosen not to medicate. He does well in school, is very smart and just dang so lovable. He really just has a big attention problem but cows and farming seem to keep him very focused. Maybe because its not so boring. Something new everyday. Always something to learn. Always something to do. He could talk about this stuff all day. It just really seems to be his "calmness" or his "release" maybe. He asks every farmer he knows, every chance he gets, to help on the farm. From pulling weeds, toting square bails to cows, tagging ears, checking for newborn calves, cutting grass, etc. He usually helps during 2 sessions at a milk dairy every weekend on a family member's dairy. Hooking up the milkers, spraying udders, releasing, etc. And then he has 2 uncles that have beef cattle farms and a family friend that has a beef farm. He wants to learn everything he can and will ask a million questions (that sometimes can drive you crazy) and actually google search for info. Heck this boy will even check craigslist and beg me to buy this one or that one!
Anyway, for sometime now we have been trying to get some things ready for him to start with a bottle calf. We have just finished a calf area here at home and have all the needed essentials to keep a good healthy calf. (I bottle fed many calves before we ever had kids so it's not foreign to me) But I've ran into a dilemma with asking for guidance here at home. I hear both sides of Dairy v/s Beef. And it all makes sense so now I'm torn on which way to go. Our long term goal is to start his very own herd. Slowly and 1 small step at a time. We will front the money in the beginning but then it's up to him to put his money in eventually. Here's the scenarios we are considering.
Buy the Jersey/Holstein cross Heifer 2 week old calf that has been presented to us. Let him raise that one. Take that one to the sale (which would be hard lol being his first) when she is ready and let him take that money and put back into one of his choosing.
Or keep her and breed so he can use her for a milking mama cow and bring in a few calves for him to bottle or to try and use on her? And that would be the start of his own herd. Taking the latter calves and selling them off and buying calves or pairs or 3in1's. With the long term plan being to bring in beef calves. Once that time gets here (1 1/2-2 years), we would be willing to lease land for him to have more room. We do not have it here at our home site for anything more than a pair or so (5 acres). And actually by then, he would be eligible for the FSA Youth Loan up to $5000.
Or..... would you go totally different and start with a Beef cow pair? I just kind of want him to experience it all and know the in's and out's of everything he possibly can. So I figure with time on his side, bottle calf would be best to start. What is your thoughts?
Also, another thing my husband has brought up is the Dexters. Smaller breed that would possibly be better for him to handle. (Even though he has been around huge cows already and understand safety and never fully trusting an animal and keeping his guard up at all times)
I just don't know which way to go. I have all these ideas/plans running through my head. Hence the reason I've been lurking for so long. lol After all this time, I'm ready to commit and still don't know the exact direction to go. If it was more for ME, it would be different. I just want to make the hopefully "right" decisions for him to give him the best start possible. I don't see this "phase" going away. It's hard to explain, but I see it in his eyes. It's like I can look right into his soul and know this is where his heart is. (Now with my other 2, they are all typical boy and don't care which way the wind blows) Either way, I will be by his side every step of the way. Morning-Noon-Night. I am a stay at home mom raising these boys of ours so I would be his main helper. Dad is available as needed usually but he does work outside the home. And at the dial of the pad, we could have backup in less than 10 minutes from farming family and friends in our immediate area to help.
So after reading this novel - Anyone want to give any suggestions? As I stated, this will be a slow steady growth. Very slow probably to a lot of people But we are ready for the 1st step. And it may take 8 years to get to a herd count of even 5 (just throwing numbers out there) but that's ok with us. Yes we want to make a profit so that he gains something each time, but more than anything to us its about learning, hard work, and life lessons. Setting a foundation for my children as I believe that the other 2 boys will enjoy all this just as much once it's here and theirs to work with. That's the most important thing!
I will shut up now Thanks for any tips!
Anyway, for sometime now we have been trying to get some things ready for him to start with a bottle calf. We have just finished a calf area here at home and have all the needed essentials to keep a good healthy calf. (I bottle fed many calves before we ever had kids so it's not foreign to me) But I've ran into a dilemma with asking for guidance here at home. I hear both sides of Dairy v/s Beef. And it all makes sense so now I'm torn on which way to go. Our long term goal is to start his very own herd. Slowly and 1 small step at a time. We will front the money in the beginning but then it's up to him to put his money in eventually. Here's the scenarios we are considering.
Buy the Jersey/Holstein cross Heifer 2 week old calf that has been presented to us. Let him raise that one. Take that one to the sale (which would be hard lol being his first) when she is ready and let him take that money and put back into one of his choosing.
Or keep her and breed so he can use her for a milking mama cow and bring in a few calves for him to bottle or to try and use on her? And that would be the start of his own herd. Taking the latter calves and selling them off and buying calves or pairs or 3in1's. With the long term plan being to bring in beef calves. Once that time gets here (1 1/2-2 years), we would be willing to lease land for him to have more room. We do not have it here at our home site for anything more than a pair or so (5 acres). And actually by then, he would be eligible for the FSA Youth Loan up to $5000.
Or..... would you go totally different and start with a Beef cow pair? I just kind of want him to experience it all and know the in's and out's of everything he possibly can. So I figure with time on his side, bottle calf would be best to start. What is your thoughts?
Also, another thing my husband has brought up is the Dexters. Smaller breed that would possibly be better for him to handle. (Even though he has been around huge cows already and understand safety and never fully trusting an animal and keeping his guard up at all times)
I just don't know which way to go. I have all these ideas/plans running through my head. Hence the reason I've been lurking for so long. lol After all this time, I'm ready to commit and still don't know the exact direction to go. If it was more for ME, it would be different. I just want to make the hopefully "right" decisions for him to give him the best start possible. I don't see this "phase" going away. It's hard to explain, but I see it in his eyes. It's like I can look right into his soul and know this is where his heart is. (Now with my other 2, they are all typical boy and don't care which way the wind blows) Either way, I will be by his side every step of the way. Morning-Noon-Night. I am a stay at home mom raising these boys of ours so I would be his main helper. Dad is available as needed usually but he does work outside the home. And at the dial of the pad, we could have backup in less than 10 minutes from farming family and friends in our immediate area to help.
So after reading this novel - Anyone want to give any suggestions? As I stated, this will be a slow steady growth. Very slow probably to a lot of people But we are ready for the 1st step. And it may take 8 years to get to a herd count of even 5 (just throwing numbers out there) but that's ok with us. Yes we want to make a profit so that he gains something each time, but more than anything to us its about learning, hard work, and life lessons. Setting a foundation for my children as I believe that the other 2 boys will enjoy all this just as much once it's here and theirs to work with. That's the most important thing!
I will shut up now Thanks for any tips!