Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?  (Read 34880 times)

belgianblue

  • Joined Jun 2010
Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #15 on: May 23, 2012, 01:18:10 pm »
people who don't dehorn calves are bloody lazy, and when cattle know they have horns will use them. and they will kill you if your are working alone. it dosen't matter if its 300kg or 700kg it will put you out action for a while.
my advice is to go to coarses and learn how to handle all situations of livestock get some proper knowledge behind you from sheep to pigs to cattle,to lamas ect ect. :farmer:

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #16 on: May 23, 2012, 02:22:30 pm »
people who don't dehorn calves are bloody lazy,

Sorry, can't agree with that - and I bet there are no statistics to back up the statement either. A cattle beast without horns can injure you very easily too. If anything the horns make you very aware of safety.

Our breed standard has horns - and Highland breeders might take exception to be classed as "bloody lazy" too
« Last Edit: May 23, 2012, 03:15:37 pm by Dan »

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #17 on: May 23, 2012, 03:28:24 pm »
suckler calves going through the ring get a lower price than dehorned ones
in the old days when all cattle had horns and they were tied up in byres the amount of injuries was frighting   yes with horns you are very wary but one without horns is every bit as dangerous :farmer:

Pel

  • Joined Mar 2009
Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #18 on: May 23, 2012, 06:35:06 pm »
If you go with dexters, buy them from a calm herd (go visit the herd, walk through the field etc), otherwise they are bloody stubborn and very flighty and will jump fences. I used to dislike Dexters greatly, however after sitting for little acorn on here, they arent all that bad, some are nice.

Cattle with horns, are just as dangerous as those without horns.. just have to give yourself more space when handling them. Some horned cattle i've worked with in the past didnt realise they had horns, and would try and gently nudge you in an affectionate manner.. and you'd get poked by horns (but gently), and others knew they had horns so would nudge you with their nose. They were Welsh blacks, lovely beasties, good covering of meat and tasty.
If you can do a deal with your local farmers go with their breeds for now, that way if you get into trouble you can ask for help.
Love pigs; their language, intelligence, and taste.
NPTC in chainsaws (felling small trees) and HND in Agriculture with countryside management.
Farming it runs through the blood :D

macgro7

  • Joined Feb 2016
  • Leicester
Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #19 on: September 27, 2020, 12:01:14 pm »
people who don't dehorn calves are bloody lazy, and when cattle know they have horns will use them. and they will kill you if your are working alone. it dosen't matter if its 300kg or 700kg it will put you out action for a while.
Thats a bit silly to say isint it?
People have been keeping cattle for thousands ofnyears, and they only started dehorning them in 20th century, and majority of people in the world dont do it. Even in most of europe people dont dehorn holsteins in commercial herds! If the cow wanted yo hurt you should would do it with or wothout horns anyway. Have you seen their size and weight?
Growing loads of fruits and vegetables! Raising dairy goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits on 1/2 acre in the middle of the city of Leicester, using permaculture methods.

Backinwellies

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
    • Nantygroes
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Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #20 on: September 27, 2020, 06:03:04 pm »
3 cows or horses
5 sheep
to the acre as a rough guide
but one pig can destroy the lot.

Definitely not 3 cows to the acre even small breeds on good grazing .....  5 sheep + 1 cow ish!
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

http://nantygroes.blogspot.co.uk/
www.nantygroes.co.uk
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Backinwellies

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
    • Nantygroes
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Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #21 on: September 27, 2020, 06:10:53 pm »
people who don't dehorn calves are bloody lazy,

I think maybe you should reword this (ADMIN)  ......  it is an unnecessary and unjust comment.   Yes it is easy to disbudd calves at about 4-6 weeks .... I do it .... but no horns is my choice.  I have one cow with horns who has never shown them to me but I have seen her use them on other cattle.   

Cattle with horns do need much more space in pens and housing to prevent bullying.
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

http://nantygroes.blogspot.co.uk/
www.nantygroes.co.uk
Nantygroes  facebook page

Backinwellies

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
    • Nantygroes
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Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #22 on: September 27, 2020, 06:18:26 pm »
You are not going to make a living from any livestock ..... and they are not a way to get planning permission ..... to do that you usually must show you are able to live off the income from the land. (so get into market gardening or flowers!)

To answer your original question firstly remember at any one time you will have 3 or 4  generations of cattle ..... cows, heifers/ steers  and current years calves.  If you keep your meat animals on just pasture you will need to rear for 3 years so then you will have 4 generations .... so from just  6 original Shetlands....... in 4 years you have   6cows, 6ish growers in 2nd yr, 6ish growers in first year and 6ish calves from this year ....   before you have even sold one for beef.   .....  too many for 18 acres!
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

http://nantygroes.blogspot.co.uk/
www.nantygroes.co.uk
Nantygroes  facebook page

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #23 on: September 27, 2020, 08:47:55 pm »
Why has this been resurrected from 8 years ago? :thinking:
I imagine the OP will have found out how many cattle they could keep, by now, and also learned quite a lot about cattle in general. :fc:
« Last Edit: September 27, 2020, 09:31:26 pm by landroverroy »
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

Backinwellies

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
    • Nantygroes
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Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #24 on: September 28, 2020, 07:54:03 am »
Why has this been resurrected from 8 years ago? :thinking:
I imagine the OP will have found out how many cattle they could keep, by now, and also learned quite a lot about cattle in general. :fc:

well spotted .....  I just responded to the previous post which had just been written ..... didn't look at date of original....  oops!
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

http://nantygroes.blogspot.co.uk/
www.nantygroes.co.uk
Nantygroes  facebook page

YorkshireLass

  • Joined Mar 2010
  • Just when I thought I'd settled down...!
Re: How many cows can i keep on 18 acres of land?
« Reply #25 on: September 30, 2020, 08:06:56 pm »
It's ok, I've just gone through and "liked" a couple  ;D

 

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