dshappychicks said:
Hello BYH!
New to this site. I found you on BYC,(Love it!), just today! My DH and I have been talking about getting some cattle for our 32 acres for lots of years, but that's all we've done. I read a thread on mini cattle and started some research. From what I have read, this breed, Highland, seems to be the perfect breed for us. We have never had cattle before, but my dh's family always raised a beef steer (angus) for their large family. We would have to get our spring developed and a little fencing, but other than that we should be ready. We were thinking of getting a breeding pair and putting offspring in the freezer. I do have a few questions, though.
1. How much can I expect to pay for a good breeding pair?
2. How much hay can I expect to go thru in the winter months? (Live in sw ohio)
3. Do they need any supplementation?
4. What kind of pasture do they need? (I understand they will eat anything, but what is ideal for them)
5. What kind of milk do they give?
6. What is the avg. height?
7. At what age should I buy?
8. Do they all have horns? (kinda scares me!
)
9. What do I need to look for when purchasing?
10. What time of year is best for buying?
So sorry this is such a long list, but I really like to know what to expect and what I'm getting into before I jump in! Anything else you may think of that I have missed, please feel free to advise. I really appreciate any and all comments! Thank you in advance!
Better off getting a couple cows instead of one bull and one cow. You can get more calves that way, plus they may be a bit easier to manage than one bull and one cow. Not all highland bulls are going to be as tame and friendly as Paw's: there's always a chance that the bull you get turns out to be not as nice as you expected.
Also, another thing to think about is how soon do you want beef in your freezer? It will take at least two, if not three years for a calf born on your farm to be ready for the freezer, from birth to plate: Nine months of gestation, 6 months of being on the cow, and another 10 or so months for the calf to be ready for the freezer, if you are wanting to grass-finish it only (it'll be a few months shorter if you are wanting to grain-finish him). If you're looking to put beef in the freezer sooner, then buy some weaners and fatten them up for the freezer. They'll take a lot less feed, time and money to raise than a couple of cows or a breeding pair would. Get a couple of steers at 6 months of age and around 10 months later you'll be able to slaughter them.
Just something for you greenhorns to think on.
Anyway, to answer your questions about Highlanders:
1. You may be paying at least $2000 or $4000 for them: maybe more, depending on whether they're registered and how much you're willing to pay. (I may be under [or over] estimating the value here too.)
2. Depending on their weight, the quality of the hay and the length of winter time, expect to feed around 70 to 80 lbs of hay per day: For a 6-month long winter period, you may have to feed at least 13000 lbs of hay over all. You are in a much warmer region than I, so these values may be significantly less than the amount of hay that is typically needed for a cow-calf operation up here in Alberta.
3. Yes and no. Supplement only when they are losing body condition, like if your hay is poorer quality than you like or you don't have enough pasture to sustain your animals. Also supplement according to your cow's nutritional needs. Lactating cows typically require 50% more nutrition than they do when they're dry. Growing calves require a good source of protein, energy, and minerals and vitamins to grow and fill out their frames. It's more important to supplement during the winter months than during the growing season. You must, however, make sure your animals have access to loose mineral ALL the time.
4. Good quality pasture is sufficient. The quality and health of your soil and the amount of precipitation you get will depict how good your pasture is for your cattle. The pasture should be good enough for a cow that has just come out of calving and suckling a calf to gain on, especially at the first part of season.
5. Not too sure about this, but I've heard that Highland milk is pretty good quality milk.
6. Highland cattle are small to moderate framed cattle. That being said, a mature Highland bull may stand around 4 to 5 feet at the shoulder. The same goes for a cow. Bulls weigh in at around 1600 lbs, whereas cows top out at only 1000 lbs.
7. Depends on what's available and what you're willing to spend. Heifers cost less than cows, but they cost a little more if they're bred. Three-in-ones (bred cow with calf at side) are the most expensive, followed by bred cows then open cows. Some people would rather start with heifers that had been just weaned, but this means you have to wait 4 years until you get a calf from that heifer that is ready for your freezer. Three-in-ones are better because the calf at the cow's side can be weaned within a month or two and fattened up for the freezer. And of course the cow is already experienced already so she won't be a pain in the butt at calving and weaning time (unlike heifers). If you are still considering getting a bull (which I don't recommend), get him as a yearling.
8. Yep, I haven't heard of a Highlander that's polled.
If you are wanting polled cattle instead, consider Red Polls or Galloways, as they're just as good as Highlands and will meet your needs just as well as Highlanders do.
9. Stock that are in good condition, healthy and alert and do not look sickly or very thin. Cattle with adequate conformation (not so important if you're purchasing feeder/stocker steers) are also good to look for. The bull should be of better conformation than the cow (IF you are still looking to buy a bull), though the cow should be have good conformation so she has the ability to bear a calf no problem.
10. Any time of the year is fine.
Even though that most breed websites say that highlands are free of diseases, they still can be prone to illness from lack of care in nutrition or stress. They do tend to be tougher in those respects, but after all, they're still cattle and still need care just like any other breed of cattle do.
