Raising a calf for beef

[Kathey]

My husband and I would like to raise a couple of calves for beef.

I know there are specific breeds that are considered beef cattle. But I've heard that some people buy dairy calves (male) from dairy farms and raise them for beef.

We have been told that a lot of dairy farms will sell the bull calves for a reasonable price as they are more interested in the heifers for future milk production.

We also have heard that you can purchase a calf only a few days old and bottle feed it until it's weaned and ready for grain/hay/grass.

I'm interested in finding out what other people do.

What age do you get your calves? How much acreage per animal is adequate?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Kathey

[Deberosa]

What you ask could take a book to cover but I can tell you what my plan is and what I've learned (in all of 4 months of cow ownership keep in mind!).

We chose Dexter cows. They are small (38 inches at the shoulder) and dual purpose. You can raise a dairy calf with a cow's existing calf, it may take come convincing to get the cow to accept her. I am on another group where they do this alot. Sometimes they have to tie up the cow and maybe tie her back legs so she doesn't kick but not all the time.

They do say to get the calf castrated! The other thing to beware of raising a calf is to not get to "close" to a bottle raised dairy cow - they get huge! And because of that can be dangerous if they don't respect you. It's hard enough for us to impose our will on our little Dexters! And Dairy bulls are notorious for being mean so you want to be sure and castrate them.

I probably won't get a dairy cow - I have T-Bone for the freezer this fall and with any luck Daisy is currently Pregnant. If she has a bull calf that's next year's freezer beef but if it's a heifer I'll sell it Since she is registered I 'll get a good price for her. I plan to milk her on an occasional basis which you can do with a Dexter - milk a few times a week but let the calf have the rest. Of course Daisy had twins her first time around so that would take care of that! If you want to foster dairy cows you may want something like a Jersey, that's what I've heard people using for that purpose or they of course can be hand raised. At the feed store this year they had a raffle of a dairy steer - really cute! He came with a year of food so that was a good deal.

The people I know get the steers at a day old. They make sure they nursed at the farm for the first day so they get the colustrum from the cow - farmer can't use it anyhow. After that they get milk replacer, but again, don't get too friendly because they will become huge! They said to get them to drink from a pail early on instead of a bottle.

Hope that helps. Like I said I am a novice also at this point but Daisy has been pretty accomodating so far.

PS if you are new to cows I would suggest one without horns. Daisy has horns and I think things would be alot simpler if she didn't have them!

[_MPillow]

The dairy calves (bulls) are cheap right now. 10-$25 will get you a holstein sucker. Castrating is a good idea if you don't have a cow that needs service in about a year.
We bottle feed them goats milk and some expired canned milk from the store (much cheaper then replacer). They do get big but they also tend to be very friendly! My 12yo daughter is the cowgirl...she feeds them and rides them...she doesnt weigh 100 pounds soaking wet.
She plays tag and throws snowballs at the one thats gotten too tall for her to ride. He's over 400#
We'll have 2 for sale right off all weaned if you're anywhere near Maine! You can expect about 300-350 pounds of meat from a dairy steer 12-16months old.

[bookwormom]

how is the meat quality?

[flatwater]

The holstein is a leaner beef and taste as good as any other. It also what you feed them at the end. Just remember , garbage in garbage out.
Flatwater

[Drawbar]

You really can't go wrong raising a dairy cow breed as beef. My family has for years and now after a 15 year rest from raising beef, we are headed going back to raising beef this year. We will be doing it on a commercial basis and yet we will be using Holstein and Jersey breeds.

You have probably ate Holstein or Jersey beef and did not even know it. Holstein Beef makes up 8-10 percent of the beef that is consumed today. The problem with Holstein and Jersey beef is not its quality, its the way the beef industry is based on weight and not quality.

Breeds like Holstein and Jersey's are unique in that they do not store their fat outside of the muscle like beef breeds. They store it inside. This produces better marbling which is a quality trait. They also have high Omega 3 fats which are good for you (a fish type fat). Beef type breeds give you more live weight, and more meat per pound, but its less quality. Holstein cows on the other hand give less overall slaughtered weight, but will give you more higher choice cuts. Jersey's, because of their overall small size, give you less of each.

I am about to pick up my first set of calves just as soon as I get done typing this. They will be Holsteins and Jerseys because my family has a dairy farm and that is the breed we have. (free) If I had to buy a cow, I would go with the Jersey. If you don't mind the slight hassle of cross-breeding, mixing a Jersey with an Angus gives you a smaller sized cow (manageability) with more weight then a Jersey alone.

Quality wise, Holstein is the way to go. You will use some of your feed to produce the bigger bone structure that Holsteins are noted for, but you will be getting more select cuts, better marbling of the meat itself, and less hamburg from the cow.

15 years ago one of my Holstein Cows was raised from calf to 1½ years of age, on grass -only (this was long before grass fed cattle was all the rage) and he produced 450 pounds of butchered meat. This took some heavy pasturing, 60 bales of hay over the winter and was accomplished in Maine. Not bad considering a Holstein calf sold for veil fetches only 75 bucks.

I am confident in saying, if you crunch the numbers, for the money, raising dairy breeds as beef works, and works quite well. Of course, you have to keep this a secret so those 75 dollar calves don't jump to 450 bucks :) :) :)

[AlchemyAcres]

I am confident in saying, if you crunch the numbers, for the money, raising dairy breeds as beef works, and works quite well. Of course, you have to keep this a secret so those 75 dollar calves don't jump to 450 bucks

Holstein bull calves average about $25.00 each here in PA/NY, the market is WAY done.
The high milk prices have affected the veal market. There's little demand for veal at the current outrageous prices.
Bull calves will likely remain a bargain as long as the milk price is fairly high.

~Martin :)

[Drawbar]

Wow, 25 bucks huh? I wish we had that price where I live, went looking for cows today and found plenty, but all ranged in the 70-125 dollar range. (Holstein bulls,or Holstein/Jersey cross-breeds)

Now keep in mind that price is AFTER they are weaned, or about 2 months old. Considering the price of calf-starter and grain prices, that sounded fair. A pail of calf-starter here is about 62 dollars a pail, and that will just about keep a calf going for two months.

I am not trying to sound smart here, I am just wondering if we are comparing apple to apples. If we are I am astounded at that price. 25 bucks...wow.

Here was a week old Holstein Calf I saw today. My wife says he is too cute to eat, but I still named him Rib Eye. :)

http://www.railroadmachinist.com/images/Infant-small.JPG

[AlchemyAcres]

The $25 price is for newborn calves sent to the sale barn.
$75-$125 is a bargain for an 8 week old! Good milk replacer is at least $85 for a 50 lb.bag.



~Martin :)

[Drawbar]

Thanks for clearing that up...I was blown away when you said 25 bucks. As I said 70-125 sounded fair to me too.

I am not that involved with the family dairy farm, only helping out when needed. Still my Aunt figured as long as I paid for the cost of raising the calf from 0-2 months it would work out for them. She figured that would be 75 bucks for the straight Holsteins and Jerseys, and $125 for the Jersey/Holstein cross-breeds (they are popular here for Homesteaders which kind of raises their value).

I kind of balked at this Holstein/Jersey Crossbreed. Partly because of the cost and partly because it did not look like a top notch calf to me. I am not sure how well the picture shows all this, but he had a few ribs showing, a bit of his spine showing and his hind quarters is slightly visible. Still his brisket looked full, and knowing both his father and mother quite well, I know he comes from a good bloodline.

I am not sure how they scale calf's. My Aunt said something about being #1, but my understanding was a #1 cow was sickly, with a #9 being overweight. The ideal cow being in the #7 category. If that is still the grading method then I would guess this calf to be a #4.

Does that sound about right? Of course this is not an auction, and being family, negotiation's aren't in the cards. I am sure that being a Bull Calf Cross-Breed on a dairy farm means he's not getting much attention, and would most likely bulk up if I got him.

You can probably see that I am questioning this one. For $125 bucks I can get him on pasture tomorrow, or wait a few weeks and get some full bloodied Holsteins for $75 bucks. ????

http://www.railroadmachinist.com/images/Tenderloin-small.JPG

[AlchemyAcres]

There are several body condition scoring scales...dairy cow scale, stocker cattle scale, feeder calf scale, etc.
I'd just look for healthy calves with good muscling.

I would definitely go with the pure holstein calves for $75.
Holstein and holstein/jersey calves should gain at LEAST one and a half pounds per day.

2 holstein calves @ $75 ($150) gaining 3 lbs a day VS. 1 holstein/jersey calf @ $125 gaining 1.5 lbs. per day.


~Martin :)

[Drawbar]

Thanks for the advice. I got to educate myself quite heavily on the beef industry if I am going to make any money at this. I was not aware of the different grading methods, but unfortunately the majority of my experience is with Dairy Cows only.

That is another reason I want to go with Holstein or Jersey Cows...I know the breed quite well. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have 500 head of Herefords grazing out in my fields, but it seems a little foolish when this is Dairy Farm country and Holstein Bull Calfs are so affordable. At this time anyway, it seems kind of silly to get into the breeding/calf part of it, when I can raise them from weaned calf's to finishing.

I have no disillusionments of getting rich at this...I have farmed WAYYY to long to know that will never happen, but in 5-10 years I would like to make enough at least to pay my property taxes.

I have always used my outside job (machinist) to pay for the upkeep and taxes on the farm, but now its getting to the point where the farm needs to be a bit more productive. Beef seems like a good way to make a bit of money while I still maintain my job.

[AlchemyAcres]

Are you familiar with The Stockman Grassfarmer magazine?

They offer a free sample issue, and a subscription is well worth the cost

http://stockmangrassfarmer.net/.


~Martin :)

[Drawbar]

Hey thanks...that magazine looks very promising. I got the free sample ordered and will most likely get the subscription unless the magazine is something way off base.

I know a little bit about cows, but man I have so much to learn about the beef market. Dairy farming and Beef production is quite different.

What are your views on Grass Fed Beef from a production sort of view if you don't mind me asking? I am not looking to raise 100 head, but would like to try raising 5-10 the first year. I am too gun-shy to try winter grazing yet, but I really find the idea of grass fed beef appealing. Winter grazing...very appealing, even if I hold off a few years before trying it. Here are the main reasons:

A: To allow those who do not have access to good beef, or who do not have the acreage to raise good beef, access to it
B: To reduce operational costs

I am not trying to jump on any grass fed beef band wagon here, but I really find the idea of low-cost, natural beef production appealing. I am cheap by nature, but growing up on a standardized dairy farm, its unreal the costs of meds, grain and feed, costs our farm. If I can reduce that overhead on my own beef farm (it is isolated from both the small dairy farm and bigger dairy farm) and allow it to be viable so my daughter can have it 30 years from now; yeah I find grass fed beef very appealing.

I was just curious what your thoughts were on it?

By the way I was out checking out some more calf prices this morning. This time I got my daughter (who is always with me) to pose along side one of the calf's I might get. You can see that the calf was more interested in her, then she was in him.

http://www.railroadmachinist.com/images/Alyson_and_Calf-small.JPG

:)

[AlchemyAcres]

Grazing is the only way to go!!

I've been involved in planned grazing for about 15 years now.
I've worked with several different farmer's (usually dairy, some beef) establishing grazing, water, and financial plans.

I worked with one close friend,on a daily basis, for 6 seasons on his seasonal pasture-based dairy.

You can read about that particular farm here...(a pdf file)

http://www.holisticmanagement.org/n7/Info_07/whole_farm_planning/24-26_KTS_Farm_72.pdf

Thankfully, I'm not mentioned in the article...it was written about the time that I left....LOL

For farm planning in general and grazing planning in particular...I'd be more than happy to recommend a couple books.

"Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making" by Allan Savory

http://www.amazon.com/Holistic-Management-Framework-Decision-Making/dp/155963488X

"Greener Pasture on Your Side of the Fence: Better Farming Voisin Management-Intensive Grazing" by Bill Murphy

http://www.amazon.com/Greener-Pasture-Your-Fence-Management-Intensive/dp/0961780738/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208132079&sr= 1-2

And in addition to Greener Pastures...
Voisn's book...

"Grass Productivity"

http://www.amazon.com/Grass-Productivity-Conservation-Classics-Voisin/dp/0933280645/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208132207&sr= 1-1

~Martin :).

[Drawbar]

I've got a book called Grass Fed Cattle that got me started in that direction. I don't agree100% with everything that is said, but at the same time this person is making money with beef, so who the heck am I to judge right? :)

I was talking with my Uncle the other day regarding the dairy farm and it was just sad regarding how much money and time is spent on the cows because of meds, grain and equipment.

Another farmer bought out another farmer near me and plans to milk 800-1000 cows because "you need to milk that many to make money." After hearing that I could not help but think maybe lowering operational costs would be the better plan. It would be tough to do on a dairy farm, but beef is another story.

[Bructer]

I raise a couple of black/red Angus steers each year. I both grass feed and grain feed for my own use. The only shot they are given is for Blackleg. All grain feed and hay is organically grown and the 60 acre pasture is natural local grasses. I trade pork for calves and butcher each june. Works for me.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/Bructer/DSC00716.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/Bructer/DSC00720.jpg

[AlchemyAcres]

I've got a book called Grass Fed Cattle that got me started in that direction. I don't agree100% with everything that is said, but at the same time this person is making money with beef, so who the heck am I to judge right? :)

I was talking with my Uncle the other day regarding the dairy farm and it was just sad regarding how much money and time is spent on the cows because of meds, grain and equipment.

Another farmer bought out another farmer near me and plans to milk 800-1000 cows because "you need to milk that many to make money." After hearing that I could not help but think maybe lowering operational costs would be the better plan. It would be tough to do on a dairy farm, but beef is another story.



Sounds like the farmer near you is living the old paradigm.
Production equals profit and success, well that just isn't so.

Low capitol dairying is a reality...but no illusions...it requires more thought and planning than "conventional' dairying.

Letting the cows do nearly all the work (out on pasture), instead of hauling feed and grain to the barn and hauling manure back out to the feed..let the cows do the work!!!!!!

We took 3 months a year off from the seasonal pasture-based dairy that I mentioned.
The place is a success......he's expanded a lot since I left.

~Martin :)

[AlchemyAcres]

Bructer,

Those are some fine looking steers!!!


~Martin :)

[Nicole]

"The dairy calves (bulls) are cheap right now. 10-$25 will get you a holstein sucker."

Wow that is real cheap to raise beef. Those calfs look real lean to.