Considering a Cow...

[chickensducks&agoose]

I've got an acre. I'm thinking about getting a bred dexter cow, and then selling the baby if it's a girl, or butchering it later if it's a boy. Will one acre be enough space? Or do I have to let go of this idea? We have 4 acres, but 3 of them are woods, yard and house, just one acre free/field...

 

[ksalvagno]

I'm thinking that that is not enough space but hopefully someone else will pipe in and correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Location would help a bit here. But, all in my understanding, one acre isn't enough for even a small-type bovine like a Dexter. You will be feeding hay most of the year, and will only be having her graze for only a few weeks out of the year before you have to take her off and feed her.

So I'd let go of this idea and maybe get some goats or chickens instead.

 

[Little Cow]

It depends on where you live and how much is in your budget to spend on hay. They do this type of thing in England all the time. If it were me, I'd build a sacrifice area with a small corral and a stall (and a swing gate type chute for easy vet care). I would keep the vast majority of your land as her pasture. Then I would restrict your cow to the sacrifice area while the grass is growing. She'll need a round bale in front of her whenever she is in the sacrifice area. Slowly introduce her to the grass each spring and when the grass gets low (height depends on type of grass-check with your extension agent) put her back in her pen, drag the pasture to break up manure and control parasites, and then let the pasture recover before you let her back out again. If you do keep her in a small sacrifice area, pick up her manure daily and compost it for your garden. It will control parasites more effectively than any other method and your garden will be the envy of your neighbors. Best of luck to you!! :bun

 

[amysflock]

Exactly...you can raise a cow on almost any patch of land, but the less land you have, the more you'll have to provide hay as feed (more $$!), AND the more torn up your land will be from constant use.

 

[Serian110]

I Digged this thread to save it for future



Regards


Serian110

 

[CDSMINIS.COM]

If you have 1 acre of good grass that would be more than enough to keep a Dexter on during the growing season. Like other have mentioned it is still a good idea to have sacrifice area to keep her in when you need to let the grass grow.

-Dave