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Author Topic: small cattle suggestions for a beginner  (Read 17357 times)

thenovice

  • Joined Oct 2011
small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« on: November 12, 2013, 07:20:20 pm »
Been given the green light by the good lady for a couple of cows on our limited acreage. Never kept cattle before, so looking for ideas for suitable small breeds, that are good doers, will overwinter with just a field shelter, and not destroy the land completely. I live in Kent, and have local herds of both Sussex and dexter cattle. I like and can see the merits of both breeds, but any other suggestions? Also basic essential equipment. Ta very much :thinking:

devonlad

  • Joined Nov 2012
  • Nr Crediton in Devon
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2013, 07:37:09 pm »
Still have an aim that one of these days we'll get a couple of cows to join the crew. To date only been window shopping. Dexters always been a favourite but have been struck by australian lowline cattle I've seen at agri shows. Like mini anguses. Devon reds are a bigger cow but not huge and very docile. Obviously popular round my area

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2013, 07:46:24 pm »
Also consider shetlands and kerry cattle? Both small and hardy breeds.

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #3 on: November 12, 2013, 07:49:47 pm »
What about Shetlands? That's what we have and they are lovely cattle. Small, thrifty, hardy and docile. Milky and good mothers. Remember, they were developed to share the house with the crofters, so docile is good  ;D

We just put our first bullock away; we got 163kg beef back (well, 158 back and 5 to a local piemaker) and it is fabulous. He was 28 months; never seen a bag of feed; wintered last year on straw and a licky bucket and finished off grass.

If you search in the Diary above for cattle, you'll see more of our experiences. All I woudl say is that Shetlands are very rare (not expensive, just rare) so if you do decide to have them, please breed pure and help look after the breed.

ShaunP

  • Joined Dec 2009
    • Timber Chalets and Lodges
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2013, 10:50:20 am »
Dexter fan here. I buy in a couple of steers each year to fatten up. As I am not breeding, they arrive with a premovement test and usually go within a year direct to slaughter I have an annual TB test exemption. That has helped with saving costs and not needing handling equipment. The major bonus is the quality of the meat. I am a grass feed only with supplement hay in the winter.

Backinwellies

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  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
    • Nantygroes
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Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2013, 02:25:53 pm »
Got both Dexters and Shetlands here now but not had them long enough to compare........... love both breeds.
Linda

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thenovice

  • Joined Oct 2011
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2013, 05:51:58 pm »
One suggestion was get a couple of calves, or young steers out of the market to fatten up first, to see how I get on handling the cattle. I love jerseys, and a possibility is to put her to a beef to supply me with meat. I may have to make do with whats local. Any thoughts?

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2013, 06:10:12 pm »
That might not be a bad idea. If you have a local dairy farm, maybe you could buy a couple of young dairy x beef calves and rear them, either after weaning or starting with milk. It won't be a great carcase (from a dairy x) but you'll get plenty meat for yourself. Bucket reared, they shoudl be easy to handle.

thenovice

  • Joined Oct 2011
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2013, 08:04:18 pm »
Top idea rosemary. Just spoken to an experienced cow man, and he suggested the same thing. Hoping to raise a couple on the bucket to start with, and learn as I go  :thumbsup:

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2013, 09:54:20 pm »
Maybe castrated ones , dairy bulls aren't funny to deal with, not sure about crosses but cAstrated ones should be fine

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2013, 08:30:17 am »
Maybe castrated ones , dairy bulls aren't funny to deal with, not sure about crosses but cAstrated ones should be fine

I agree - raising dairy bulls is a specialist area.

Hamish Crofter

  • Joined Jun 2013
  • Isle of Skye
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2013, 01:11:02 pm »
Interesting post this as I'll soon be in the same situation, looking for a few cattle but I'm a novice. We fancy highlands ( we croft on skye) can anyone advise me about these as an option.

Dan

  • The Accidental Smallholder
  • Administrator
  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Carnoustie, Angus
    • The Accidental Smallholder
    • Facebook
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2013, 05:22:23 pm »
A pointer to the introductory guide on the main TAS site that Rosemary wrote:

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/cattle/an-introduction-to-keeping-cattle/  :cow:

jacoblambuk

  • Joined Oct 2012
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #13 on: November 14, 2013, 07:28:33 pm »
Hi hamish crofter we run highland cattle we have 3 cows with there calfs at foot we find them very easy you just have to be careful of there horns don't be frightened of them just be aware you have to have handling equipment does not have to be special crush and if you feed hay or anything like that you don't have to have special feeders we use horned sheep feeders.

shankendfarming

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Hawick, Scottish Borders
Re: small cattle suggestions for a beginner
« Reply #14 on: November 14, 2013, 09:26:45 pm »
Hi,

I'm fairly new to cattle keeping and the cows that I chose were Highlands. The horns are just something to be aware of...I have 8 cows and a bull, and have 4 calves from last year and 5 from this year and they are all very well mannered and are aware of their horns, but you do have to have suitable handling facilities and feeders to accommodate their horns. I suppose there will be bad tempered highlands out there, but my experience with them has been entirely positive.
Highlands are good for conservation grazing as well due to them being lighter than commercial cattle and eating more of a variety of vegetation than a commercial animal.

I luv my coos and I wouldn't change them for anything else!

 

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