Having a cow on a dry lot

[Don Scroggins]

Well, there's no easy way to put it other than the only way I can have a cow will be on a dry lot situation. I know I'm going to have to feed hay etc. Not the idea situation, but if I'm going to have a cow or two, it's my only option.L

So What I'm wanting to do is get a Jersey and bred her to a Dexter to get minis. These will likely work better, but I can't drop $3500 on one calf, or I'd just go that route.

What I have is a 1500 sq ft area that is setup with cattle panels and t-post. Will have a hot wire top and bottom.

How much should I be expecting to feed in hay/grain? Probably going to put a goat in there with her to keep her company.

Again, not an idea situation I know, but it's either this or not have cattle at all.

 

[greybeard]

Nutritionally, it's doable on 1500 sq ft-or less...on paper. For one cow, you will feed about 1/2 of a light sq bale of GOOD hay per day. Theoretically, 27lbs of dry matter per cow per day and about 1/2 of that would come from hay. The rest of the protein, fat, and energy would come from a good balanced ration supplement. On paper, it would look like a cow could do fine eating 27 lbs or 2-3% of it's body weight per day of hay, but the animal usually will not eat that much.it would just be too 'full', and even full, probably isn't meeting it's other nutrition requirements if fed just hay.
For a jersey I would think 3-4lbs of hay per 100lbs of body weight per day would be pretty close to what she will eat.
The feed? Depends what is in the feed.

Yes, on paper, dry lotting works fine. I always thought it should be called mud lotting tho.

The reality is often much different for the small farmer that has to look at his/her cow every day.
Your lot would have to be extremely well drained and solid enough to bear the hoof weights even in damp conditions. It can easily, and often does, turn into a deep muddy smelly quagmire if the weather turns wet for an extended amount of time. Especially true near a drinking water source and feed trough. The cow will need shade in summer, of some kind, that isn't a boxy oven type structure, and depending on where you live and the conditions, some shelter from adverse winter weather. (Mine have shelter in winter.....very very rarely use it)

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Nutritionally, it's doable on 1500 sq ft-or less...on paper. For one cow, you will feed about 1/2 of a light sq bale of GOOD hay per day. Theoretically, 27lbs of dry matter per cow per day and about 1/2 of that would come from hay. The rest of the protein, fat, and energy would come from a good balanced ration supplement. On paper, it would look like a cow could do fine eating 27 lbs or 2-3% of it's body weight per day of hay, but the animal usually will not eat that much.it would just be too 'full', and even full, probably isn't meeting it's other nutrition requirements if fed just hay.
For a jersey I would think 3-4lbs of hay per 100lbs of body weight per day would be pretty close to what she will eat.
The feed? Depends what is in the feed.

Yes, on paper, dry lotting works fine. I always thought it should be called mud lotting tho.
View attachment 54915

The reality is often much different for the small farmer that has to look at his/her cow every day.
Your lot would have to be extremely well drained and solid enough to bear the hoof weights even in damp conditions. It can easily, and often does, turn into a deep muddy smelly quagmire if the weather turns wet for an extended amount of time. Especially true near a drinking water source and feed trough. The cow will need shade in summer, of some kind, that isn't a boxy oven type structure, and depending on where you live and the conditions, some shelter from adverse winter weather. (Mine have shelter in winter.....very very rarely use it)

I don’t know cattle, but that was my first thought as well. I would think this could very well set the cow up for mastitis also… @greybeard ?

 

[greybeard]

I don’t know cattle, but that was my first thought as well. I would think this could very well set the cow up for mastitis also… @greybeard ?

@farmerjan would be the one to address that...I haven't had to deal with mastitis in decades. Hoof illness would be my bigger concern.

I've done a little dry lot with a few cows, temporarily. It's just not a management style I care for or need to do and you see very little of it here except with a few of the 4h kids that didn't have much pasture, and those few didn't really turn out very well because of the mud. (we get lots of rain in this part of Texas) They do a lot more of it further West where rainfall is less and the ground is rocky.
But, I'd hate to know I had a cow or a cow and calf in a small area here, in late spring thru summer where they couldn't escape the flies and other biting insects.
Honestly, I'm not much of a touchy/feely emotional kind of cowman, but here where I am now, if it came down to a choice between me dry lotting or not having cows I wouldn't have cows....or horses, mostly because I know the biters would eat them alive. I've seen some horses kept in conditions I would call unsat even tho they were in good condition, well fed etc. I'm just not much on penning large livestock up in small enclosures..and except for jail, I don't care much for us humans living in small areas either. If I can see the far side of my property, I'm too hemmed in. Cows are, IMO, kinda like that too.

 

[Don Scroggins]

Well, thanks for confirming my suspicions. Guess it's time to dump this 25 yr dream and get back to the corp grind.

 

[greybeard]

You can do it Don, but it takes some 'doin', and lots more patience than I have.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Guess it's time to dump this 25 yr dream and get back to the corp grind.

Don't dump the dream! Just do the corporate grind so that you can get a bigger piece of property.

 

[farmerjan]

Don; what @greybeard has said is pretty true. Cattle are kept in confinement on many dairies. But they have alot more than 1500 sq ft to move around in even though they don't get out on "green grass". I am also of the mind to not try to confine a cow in such a small space for the fact of the mud and just lack of exercise, etc as he said.

Okay that said, I have a bunch of questions. First off, where are you located? General state or area of state, you can put it in your profile so it shows up under your picture..like @greybeard 's does and mine and most of the others that post regularly. This gives us an idea of the general climate, temps etc. that you will be dealing with and sometimes that will affect what you do or don't do.
Why is there only 1500 sq feet? Are you in a subdivision with say a quarter acre or something?
Why do you want a cow specifically? Milk for yourself, or beef to eat or what?
Breeding a jersey to a dexter will give a little bit smaller offspring from the original cow, but not alot. A jersey will weigh in the 8-1000 lb range as an adult. a Dexter will run in the 6-800 lb size. They will be much beefier if you are concentrating on the deef ones, but the dairy ones will be slimmer and have less beef. They are all one breed, not split like the shorthorns did into a milking and a beef type.

Dry lotting like you are talking about will cost you 3 to 5 times the value of what you will ever get back out of them. Yes, people spend more than that on their pets.... and cattle can become very tame and such. But they are not pets.
The quality of the milk will not be the same as one that has access to grass. That is one of the things about having a milk cow... to get the benefits of natural grass and such in the quality of the milk you consume. And in the quality of the beef from say a raised up calf to eat.

Tell us more about your circumstances, so we can maybe offer some suggestions, and ideas.

What about goats if you are wanting something to milk? I personally am not a goat person, but a good milking goat will be alot more able to deal with confined space than a cow.
Read threads by @Southern by choice or @Goat Whisperer and @Latestarter and many others.

Is there a possibility in the future to have a larger area available? Leased/rented land.... Moving to a bigger "slice of the pie" ?
Realize that MANY on here have gotten into the "self sufficiency" area upon retirement...

I see you joined a year ago, but have had few posts...
SOOOOOOOO talk to us.

 

[Baymule]

Don't give up on your dream Don. I sat in the middle of our little town for 30+ years, dreaming of the day.... Life often gets in the way. I was a member here for 5 years before we moved to 8 acres and I got 4 sheep. If all you have is a small space, get small livestock. You will get your cow someday. In the meantime, get a goat and you will have at least part of your dream. A little bit beats nothing.

 

[RollingAcres]

Hi Don,

@greybeard @farmerjan know a lot about cattle. I agree with @farmerjan , tell us more about your circumstances so we can better help you.
And like @Baymule and @frustratedearthmother said, don't give up on your dream.