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How to Raise a Cow for Beef: The Complete Guide for Beginners

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Raising cows for beef can be a rewarding experience for any homesteader or small farmer Having a freezer full of high-quality, homegrown beef is not only satisfying, but can also save money compared to purchasing beef at the grocery store However, raising cattle does require some planning, preparation, and knowledge. In this complete guide, we will cover everything a beginner needs to know about raising cows for beef.

Choosing a Beef Cow Breed

The first step is selecting the right beef cattle breed for your needs. Some popular breeds for small-scale beef production include:

  • Angus – Known for producing nicely marbled beef and calving ease Angus cattle are naturally polled (hornless) and have a docile temperament

  • Hereford – A hardy, thick-bodied breed that does well on pasture. Herefords are red in color with white faces.

  • Dexter – A smaller dual-purpose breed used for both milk and meat. Great for small acreages.

  • Jersey – Although a dairy breed, Jersey steers produce excellent beef. Jerseys are smaller-framed and efficient grazers

  • Crossbreeds – Crossbred cows with Angus, Hereford or other beef breed genetics often make great beef cows.

Consider availability in your area, temperament, calving ease, and grazing ability when selecting a breed. Larger-framed British breeds like Angus and Hereford are good choices for beginners.

Acquiring a Cow and Calf

You can purchase cows and calves from cattle breeders, at livestock auctions, or directly from dairy farms. Buying locally when possible allows you to inspect animals before purchasing. Expect to pay market price or higher when buying directly from farms or breeders.

Another option is purchasing weaned calves, known as feeders. You’ll then raise the calf yourself versus purchasing a cow-calf pair. Feeder calves are less expensive but require more time and management until ready for processing.

Providing Adequate Pasture

Cattle require quality pasture to graze. As a general rule, one acre can sustain one mature cow-calf pair for the grazing season. More acreage is better, and you can extend grazing by dividing fields into smaller paddocks and rotating livestock.

Improved grass mixes suited to your climate create more nutritious forage. Consult with your local agricultural extension office for recommended grass species.

Supplemental Feed and Hay

While pasture provides the majority of nutrients during the growing season, you’ll need to supplement with hay and possibly grains during the winter.

Figure about one large round bale of hay per animal for the non-grazing months. Store hay covered and off the ground. Feed hay in ring feeders to reduce waste.

Grain isn’t required but can provide extra calories and nutrition. Work with an experienced cattle producer or nutritionist on appropriate supplemental feeding.

Providing Water, Minerals and Shelter

Cattle need unlimited access to clean water. Plan water systems before animals arrive. Natural sources like ponds are ideal, when available. Otherwise, use heavy duty stock tanks.

Provide loose minerals formulated for cattle. Free-choice mineral access allows cattle to balance their micronutrient intake.

A basic three-sided shelter gives refuge from sun, wind, and cold precipitation. Well-drained bedding inside absorbs moisture.

Containing Your Cattle

Invest in quality perimeter fencing before acquiring cattle. The most common types are barbed wire, electric, and wood. Barbed wire and electric fencing are typically the most cost-effective for larger pastures. Use at least four strands of barbed wire, properly spaced.

Check fences regularly and repair any damage immediately. If a determined cow wants out, she will find the weak spot. Proper fences prevent escaped cattle and potential liability.

Breeding Your Cow

You have three main options for breeding your beef cow:

  • Artificial insemination (AI) – Breed to top genetics without owning a bull. Requires proper cattle handling facilities.

  • Borrow or rent a bull – Arrange temporary breeding to a neighbor’s bull. Low cost but limited gene pool.

  • Own a bull – Gives maximum convenience and calf uniformity. Requires facilities and bull management expertise.

First-time cattle owners often opt for AI or renting a bull. Discuss pros and cons of breeding options with local cattle producers to decide what works best for your situation.

Caring for the Newborn Calf

Typically, beef cows can calve without assistance. Monitor expecting mothers closely and intervene if needed. Remove the calf to a clean, dry area and clear mucus from the nose and mouth directly after birth.

Ensure the calf stands, nurses, and receives colostrum shortly after birth. Supplement with colostrum replacer if mother’s milk is delayed. Watch for scours (diarrhea) and other illnesses in newborns and consult a veterinarian as needed.

Weaning and Raising the Calf

Allow calves to naturally wean from their mothers around 6-8 months of age. Wean calves in groups rather than individually to reduce stress. Gradually transition from milk to grass, hay and feed rations.

Adhere to your veterinarian’s health program for vaccinations, deworming, and sign of illness. Work closely with your veterinarian when raising cattle as a beginner.

After weaning, confine calves to a smaller area with shelter, hay and feed. This eases the transition from milk to solid foods. Once adapted, turn out with the herd.

Butchering and Processing

Steers are typically ready for processing around 18-24 months of age. Heifers may be processed earlier, around 12-18 months. Avoid butchering animals still in rapid growth stages.

Cattle should be finished to adequate fat cover before processing for proper flavor and tenderness. Work closely with your processor to ensure you produce high-quality final beef products.

Butchering in the fall when daytime temperatures are cool but not freezing is ideal. This allows beef to hang and age properly.

Is Raising Beef Cattle Worthwhile?

When done properly, raising a family beef cow can produce over 500 lbs of beef for the freezer. That’s a huge return on your investment of time and resources!

And by raising your own, you control everything that goes into producing your beef. Beyond the high-quality meat, you gain invaluable experience and the satisfaction of learning a new homesteading skill.

Consider your goals, available time and resources, and then try your hand at raising a cow for beef. The hands-on education and top-notch food source make it a worthwhile endeavor.

how to raise a cow for beef

Electric Fencing

Electric fencing is another good option for raising cattle, but this will require electricity, whether obtained from the grid or solar panels. When using electric fencing, you need to have good ground, and in dry areas or during droughts, this can be more difficult. Be aware that as brush and vegetation grow, they may fall on or push the wire, causing it to short out. Electric fencing is often better suited for smaller pens or pasture areas.

I have to confess, there is little else more charming than a weathered wooden fence. However, if you’re fencing acreage or large paddocks, wood becomes expensive fast. Here in the Pacific Northwest, wood also rots rather quickly, though cedar is often a good wood of choice because it holds up longer.

Your choice of fence posts will range from metal T-posts to wooden ones. We use railroad ties or cedar posts for all of our corner posts, gates and as middle section during long stretches of fencing. Remember, unless you’re in free-range country, if you’re cattle get out, you’re responsible for any damage they incur, so good fencing is important.

Choosing Your Cattle

how to raise a cow for beef

Cattle are herd animals and find safety in numbers. If at all possible, you’ll have better luck raising cattle with a pair than a single cow, and you can keep one of the cows as your breeding stock.

You’ll hear a lot of opinions about which cattle breed produces the best-tasting meat. While some breeds produce larger steaks or grow more quickly than others, in our experience, we’ve found the flavor of your beef comes from what you feed your cow and how it’s handled during and after butchering.

We’ve raised Black Angus, Red Angus and Hereford. We prefer a Black Angus and Hereford cross, as the Angus tend to be larger than our Herefords and produce a slightly larger finished animal.

You can purchase cattle at auction, but we prefer buying from local breeders so we can see the cattle’s condition, observe the rest of the herd and ask the breeder questions.

Raising Your Own Beef Cattle For Beginners

FAQ

How much does it cost to raise a cow for beef?

Generally, cows cost between $500 and $1,000 per year to keep. This includes their care and feed. Purchasing a cow and raising it will automatically become less expensive if you have extra land to grass-feed it. 2 to 5 acres of grassland are required per cow.

How to raise beef cows for beginners?

Here are ten strategies to consider:
  1. Choose the right cattle breed.
  2. Care for Your Land and Forage.
  3. Protect and prioritize animal health.
  4. Maintain and manage your facilities.
  5. Embrace the lifestyle of raising beef cattle.
  6. Enhance your marketing skills.
  7. Improve business operations and management.
  8. Develop your financial plan.

What is the 30 month rule for cattle?

AI Overview
Check important info. Learn more
    • North Dakota Department of Agriculture (.gov)
      https://www.ndda.nd.gov
      Why won’t the butcher cut bone-in steaks from a cow that is 30 months …
      Misfolded proteins (prions) that cause BSE accumulate very slowly in the SRM tissues, so young animals are a lower risk. … Butchers must remove all SRMs prior…

    • Ask USDA
      https://ask.usda.gov
      askFSIS Public Q&A: Handling of SRMs in Custom Plants – Cattle 30 months or older

    • DigitalCommons@UNL
      https://digitalcommons.unl.edu
      NF04-593 Understanding How USDA-FSIS Determines the Age of …
      The USDA-FSIS instructed all veterinary medical officers in packing plants to consider cattle to be 30 months and older when the examination of the dentition of…

    • USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (.gov)
      https://www.fsis.usda.gov
      Verification Instructions Related to Specified Risk Materials in Cattle …
      Oct 24, 2017 — DETERMINING AGE OF CATTLE USING DENTITION … Off-line IPP are to verify in establishments that use dentition to determine age that the establishmen…

    • The Cattle Site
      https://www.thecattlesite.com
      Who Will Slaughter Cattle Over 30 Months Of Age?
      The deadline for processors is sooner. Packing plants must begin segregation by May 12. Renderers say it will take two months to get the old rendered material t…

    • unescwa.org
      https://www.unescwa.org
      Over Thirty Months Scheme (OTMS) – ESCWA
      The OTM Rule bans meat from most cattle aged over 30 months at slaughter from being sold for human consumption. This is to remove older animals which are more l…

How do you raise beef cattle?

Raising beef cattle starts with getting your hands on enough land to keep cows on, and any facilities, if needed, to house them, then, picking the right breed for your local climate and your specific goals. With a breed in mind, you’ll need to purchase calves or mature cows to properly find your herd. Congrats! You are a cattle owner.

Why should you raise beef cattle?

Sustainability – Raising beef cattle for your family can be a smart way to use your land and become more self-reliant. Farm Business – Raising and selling beef cattle can bring in a nice part-time or full-time income. The sooner you know your farm goals the easier it will be to make decisions. Cattle eat a lot of grass and hay.

How many acres do you need to raise beef cattle?

Raising beef cattle can be rewarding in so many ways. Whether you plan to raise beef cows to support your family’s T-bone steak habit or to sell to a larger market, you might assume that you need hundreds of acres to do so effectively. However, that’s not the case.

How do you raise a cow calf?

For instance, you can easily raise a beef cow-calf herd on just grass and hay or raise some backgrounder/stocker calves on grass for the summer. Fattening cattle the conventional way primarily requires silage and grain, and feeding dairy cattle requires that plus moist hay in the form of haylage.

How many cattle can you raise a year?

Even if your farm is less than 10 acres, you can raise a couple of beef cows to feed your family throughout the year. Raising cattle is a way that many people choose to feed their family wholesome food that is raised according to their ethical and health standards. Raising a couple of cattle can feed your family and then some for the year.

Is raising beef cattle profitable?

Yes, when done right. Raising beef cattle can indeed be profitable, highly profitable, but it requires lots of know-how, hard work, careful planning, and business sense. Outside of owning a family cow or two, it is a major endeavor.

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