Funny Looking Sheep

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Yep its black and white, but the wool is awful thin.

Actually I have no intentions of raising beef at this point, but the wife wanted to raise some food that was more practical then lamb, so I had the boys on the farm bring over a calf. Its a Holstein Bull and very healthy having been "started" for the past month. He won't be full grown until 1½ years, but to keep costs down I might slaughter him this fall so I don't have to feed him all winter at cost. I will only end up with 150 pounds of meat in the freezer, but considering the money I have in him (free thus far) it is pretty hard to beat that per pound price.

As a side note, people should be warned about college educated sheep. I have so many now that my existing field has been grazed to the roots so I needed to add more pasture. I got plenty of that and so fenced in another few acres. It has prime grass (foot tall) but the black faced sheep won't cross a muddy section to reach it. As my dad and I tried to coral them to the new field, one leaped over his head and he said, "You would think being in college for 3 years they would have learned something. Those darn sheep haven't changed in 40 years," referring to his old sheep raising days. You probably had to be there to see the humor in it.

Of course being starved they are constantly getting out of the fence to graze on my lawn. I tried 5 fence designs before I found one that worked. It is a hideous looking thing made from sapling poles and 16 penny nails, but its funny that $7 bucks in spikes and a bit of chainsaw work stopped them dead while $300 dollars in "modern fencing" didn't hold them back at all. Maybe sheep aren't so stupid after all. Of course one of these days they will follow my white faced sheep up to the new pasture teeming with enough grass to satisfy 100 sheep.

Here is a picture of #3 anyway! A cute looking calf for sure though I prefer sheep! "Come here ewe!"
 

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Travis - I heard that per pound buffalo is cheaper to raise than cattle - would that be something you could try in Maine? Or does this also assume an economy of scale for a whole herd and just raising one evens things out?

Having said this, it's hard to get lower than "free" for a price per pound, but anyhows...
 
Travis, personally, I'm not a fan of young beef. Maturity brings flavor. But, good luck with thet 'funny sheep'.

Mark, there are downsides to raising buff. We have some in this area. Fencing means nothing to them. If they aren't fed plenty and often they will go wandering. And, they really are not domesticated. Meaning can be very dangerous. In some ways the arithmetic can seem cheaper but in other ways, management can be a handful. And, currently there is a glut of bufflers in the U.S. Lotsa folks trying to raise them.
 
i spoke with someone who raises buffalo a while back. they said that after they get to be about 3 yrs old, they take a turn for the meaner side. :eek:
you don't want something thats around 3/4 ton on the hoof, short tempered and ornery anywhere near you.
 
Maybe just harvest the buffalo while they're young and tender before they turn mean and nasty? :huh: :rofl:

Hadn't heard about that downside of buffalo raising. Glad you guys piped in - last thing I want is for Travis to have to go get a 45-70 to use against his own herd!

Are ostriches mean and over raised nowadays also? I know most chickens are mean or downright ugly so I guess I assume that means all birds are the same. :huh: :dunno: For that matter, are turkeys ugly like chickens?

What else is available for steaks that isn't as expensive to raise as cattle, tastes good but won't try to eat back if you look at it funny?

Maybe at my level of ignorance I should just shut the old trap and leave you professionals to figure your own things out. :wave:
 
Maybe just harvest the buffalo while they're young and tender before they turn mean and nasty? :huh: :rofl:

Hadn't heard about that downside of buffalo raising. Glad you guys piped in - last thing I want is for Travis to have to go get a 45-70 to use against his own herd!

Are ostriches mean and over raised nowadays also? I know most chickens are mean or downright ugly so I guess I assume that means all birds are the same. :huh: :dunno: For that matter, are turkeys ugly like chickens?

What else is available for steaks that isn't as expensive to raise as cattle, tastes good but won't try to eat back if you look at it funny?

Maybe at my level of ignorance I should just shut the old trap and leave you professionals to figure your own things out. :wave:

Mark, no problem. We have several country boys here, and I'm sure all will agree that this is one of those never ending debate topics.
Goats might fit the bill for some.
A faster raising beef is the Irish Dexter but they have their downsides also. e.g. about one in four is stillborn. No profit there.
Dig a good pond and raise catfish. Lotsa options but for beef, 18 months minimum for tasty stuff.
 
For comparison,

A buddy of mine raises black angus. I'm getting one slaughtered this November. It'll be grain feed only starting in September. I'm getting it for $1.00 per pound (processed weight) plus the slaughter bill. I've figured I'll save quiet a bit over store bought beef. The quality will be much better, and I won't have to fool with the cow.
 
Frank Fusco Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Noren
i spoke with someone who raises buffalo a while back. they said that after they get to be about 3 yrs old, they take a turn for the meaner side.
you don't want something thats around 3/4 ton on the hoof, short tempered and ornery anywhere near you.

Does that mean I have to git a divorce?


Oooooo, ouch. That was a rough one Frank. :eek:

Aloha, Tony
 
Frank Fusco Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Noren
i spoke with someone who raises buffalo a while back. they said that after they get to be about 3 yrs old, they take a turn for the meaner side.
you don't want something thats around 3/4 ton on the hoof, short tempered and ornery anywhere near you.

Does that mean I have to git a divorce?


Oooooo, ouch. That was a rough one Frank. :eek:

Aloha, Tony

I guess Frank's wife never reads over his shoulder... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
 
Frank Fusco Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Noren
i spoke with someone who raises buffalo a while back. they said that after they get to be about 3 yrs old, they take a turn for the meaner side.
you don't want something thats around 3/4 ton on the hoof, short tempered and ornery anywhere near you.

Does that mean I have to git a divorce?


Oooooo, ouch. That was a rough one Frank. :eek:

Aloha, Tony

Yes, and, understand, you should always take me seriously. :rolleyes:
 
That's probably true as far as young beef and mutton is concerned, but I must say it can't be as bad a Highland Cattle! Yuck! (I'd rather eat my boot I think).

Actually growing up on a dairy farm I have eaten my share of bad tasting livestock. You see the worst tasting kind are the ones that are decreasing in health and on a dairy farm the only time you cull a dairy cow is when its no longer producing much milk...and hence declining in health! Yuck...be we ate it anyway, smiled and were thankful were were not eating pretend sandwiches!
 
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