The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Cattle => Topic started by: Connor on January 30, 2014, 10:41:56 pm
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I am thinking of getting a few dropped calves to grow on and sell or breed from.
What do i need to keep them and how will i be able to make it profitable?
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Well Madden :wave:
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You'll find a lot of info in this recent thread (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=41052.0)- come back and ask some more questions when you've waded through that lot! :)
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I do calf rearing in the lambing shed after I've finished using it for shearing in May, selling the calves as potential suckler cows in February, so leaving the shed empty for lambing again. It's a pole barn so ventilation is very good. BUT I get top quality British Freisian x British Blue heifer calves from a local dairy farm that's meticulous about ensuring calves get sufficient colostrum and gives us buckets of the stuff when we pick them up. We use our own hay and best quality milk powder. We invested in cattle hurdles, a secondhand dehorning crate and calf buckets. We've now become known for top quality calves and make a reasonable profit when they go to auction. It helps a lot if you really like calf-rearing (which I do!)
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When I was at University, I did calf rearing in my summer holidays. We could get a couple of batches of Hereford x Freisian (before the days of Holsteins) heifers through in the holidays. My boss then grew them on and sold them as sucklers. Loved that job. Good calves and good hygiene absolutely essential.
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The trouble is if you're going for dairy calves or dairy crosses - most heifer calves are probably going to be kept on or farmers have buyers lined up. So your often left with bull calves which you could rear for rose veal or beef - but they give a leaner carcass & take longer to fatten.
Also do you have cattle already - if so at least you'll know about TB testing & it's different in England & Wales. To me I enjoy cattle work but it's too much hassle on the paperwork side of things when compared with sheep ect.
Plus you need a big vehicle to shift adult cattle & the correct drivers licence & movement stuff to do so x