How many people have cattle?
- Thread starter Sam427
- Start date
No cattle here but we have 2 Horses and 1 Pygmy goat. Horse #1 7 year old American Quarter Horse mare that I have owned since she was 2 and #2 is a 3 year old breeding stock Paint which is the foal to my mare and was born on our property. The goat is companion to the two horses and runs with them.
I had beef and dairy cattle for a number of years, but not any longer. We also did goats, pigs, chickens and horses over the years. Part of the motivation in disposing of them was the return on my time - I figured I was making about $2.00 per hour. Other reason was selling off part of our land, we are down to 5 acres now.
I miss the animals, but I don't miss the work they involved.
I miss the animals, but I don't miss the work they involved.
Sam, stupid question probably here, but are your cows only grass fed?
By chance I watched a documentary last night called King Corn. Very scary to me as I really didn't understand what feeding corn to cows meant or did to them. Now I know and it pretty much freaked me out. I'm happy to see the picture of your cow munching the greens.
By chance I watched a documentary last night called King Corn. Very scary to me as I really didn't understand what feeding corn to cows meant or did to them. Now I know and it pretty much freaked me out. I'm happy to see the picture of your cow munching the greens.
Scott, yes that documentary is pretty scary, and fairly accurate.
My cows all graze on pasture, or are fed hay and graze in the winter. They also may receive a grain supplement to keep them in condition if need be. They are not fed straight corn or a feed that is primarily corn. They receive minerals and vitamins free choice as well. They are not given implants or any hormones to make them grow faster.
Here is the problem with food for the masses, grass fed beef takes at least 6 months longer to finish a steer as does feeding them grain or corn in a feed lot. They have to achieve a certain level of fat, otherwise the dining experience isn't that good.
What I do with any steers or bulls for beef is let them graze as normal like the rest of the cows, and supplement them with a grain feed to help them grow faster and finish sooner. The problem with a straight grass fed steer or bull is that they tend to be a little too lean, or if you fatten them up enough on lush grass, you end up with a fortune invested in them and have to sell them at a premium price, which most are unwilling to pay for.
Of course all of my cattle are selected for certain bloodlines that produce well marbled beef, along with tenderness. Pretty much all of them will grade upper choice or prime.
Sam,
A tremendous thank you for explaining all of that to me. Probably because I just viewed the documentary but I'm quite skittish about buying grocery store beef cuts anymore. Also I will not be buying fast food burgers unless I'm freeking starving. If I remember correctly they said one McD's burger can have up to 500 different cows in one patty!
To be honest, and I really mean this, I would GLADLY (and go out of my way) to pay the premium price for a grass fed cow. Quite possibly the only reason the masses are not understanding the price difference is that they are not truly aware of what is happening.
Thanks again
A tremendous thank you for explaining all of that to me. Probably because I just viewed the documentary but I'm quite skittish about buying grocery store beef cuts anymore. Also I will not be buying fast food burgers unless I'm freeking starving. If I remember correctly they said one McD's burger can have up to 500 different cows in one patty!
To be honest, and I really mean this, I would GLADLY (and go out of my way) to pay the premium price for a grass fed cow. Quite possibly the only reason the masses are not understanding the price difference is that they are not truly aware of what is happening.
Thanks again
The masses have no idea what they are eating. And yes, ground beef in the store, especially pre-packaged, can be made up of many different head of cattle, all the pieces from the run go into a big hopper and get ground up together.Sam,
A tremendous thank you for explaining all of that to me. Probably because I just viewed the documentary but I'm quite skittish about buying grocery store beef cuts anymore. Also I will not be buying fast food burgers unless I'm freeking starving. If I remember correctly they said one McD's burger can have up to 500 different cows in one patty!
To be honest, and I really mean this, I would GLADLY (and go out of my way) to pay the premium price for a grass fed cow. Quite possibly the only reason the masses are not understanding the price difference is that they are not truly aware of what is happening.
Thanks again
Mine are 100% black angus, and there is a difference in quality compared to some other breeds. What got me started in cattle was I was tired of the sorry quality of beef at the store, and even at the resturants. Beef quality has been in decline for decades, it's a well documented fact. It's all because of the bigger/better/faster mentality we have become accustomed to in the US.
What you may want to do is find a reputable angus breeder in your area that sells freezer beef and buy a half of a steer at a time. A half will feed an average family for a year. Do the same with a hog. You will find you save a huge amount of money and eat better too. I know a few breeders in California if you need help finding a reputable one.
When I stopped raising cattle we quit eating beef. Once I knew exactly what was happening in the beef industry I didn't want to be a customer any more.
Something to consider, and a warning that I may be mistaken on this. The big concern with hamburger is proper cooking and e-coli. But e-coli is not a beef issue. We don't get warnings about eating rare steaks. It is a dairy issue.
As I understand it, most hamburger is made from 'retired' dairy cattle. If it was just pure meat there would be less of a problem, but some 'byproduct', part of the dairy process, may find its way into the grinder - that increases the yield.
The second issue is the grinding - the surface area of the product increases exponentially compared to a roast or steak, so the opportunity for contamination in the processing also increases. Plus, the contamination is neatly packaged inside the meat, where you can't see it working
There are other reasons for avoiding beef, but I think they are better discussed in a healthy eating forum.
Something to consider, and a warning that I may be mistaken on this. The big concern with hamburger is proper cooking and e-coli. But e-coli is not a beef issue. We don't get warnings about eating rare steaks. It is a dairy issue.
As I understand it, most hamburger is made from 'retired' dairy cattle. If it was just pure meat there would be less of a problem, but some 'byproduct', part of the dairy process, may find its way into the grinder - that increases the yield.
The second issue is the grinding - the surface area of the product increases exponentially compared to a roast or steak, so the opportunity for contamination in the processing also increases. Plus, the contamination is neatly packaged inside the meat, where you can't see it working
There are other reasons for avoiding beef, but I think they are better discussed in a healthy eating forum.
There was always the golden rule of the two things not to discuss amongst other people.... politics and religion. No I believe there is a third...the food processing industry. I mentioned what I have learned with co-workers and they looked at me as if I was out of my mind.
I equate the comparison of this to the movie The Matrix. If the masses knew the truth about what they were being fed they would do something about it, at least I hope they would.
Stuart, the great thing about the OTT is we can feel free to discuss all sorts of issues such as tractors, pretty women and yes the industrial food processing. This really is the greatest forum in the world, hands down!
Sam, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me the information to acquire real quality beef. Well, as a matter of fact as Stuart mentioned, I as well have singed off beef for me and my family for the time being until I am able to find a good quality source.
There is a local farmers market that I go to on a weekly basis for purchase of local grown goods. Currently the only meat available is chicken. As with the beef, I will not buy chicken from the store anymore and choose to buy from the local farmers.
If I could have one wish right now it would be for everybody to learn as much as they can about the industrial food processing. Guess what the number one type of corn grown in the U.S. is? It's non edible, that's what it is. It's genetically engineered to be processed for high fructose corn syrup, cattle feed and powering byo fuel.
Thankfully farmers like Sam and Stuart are aware as well many others.
I need to stop as I'm getting kinda upset
I equate the comparison of this to the movie The Matrix. If the masses knew the truth about what they were being fed they would do something about it, at least I hope they would.
Stuart, the great thing about the OTT is we can feel free to discuss all sorts of issues such as tractors, pretty women and yes the industrial food processing. This really is the greatest forum in the world, hands down!
Sam, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me the information to acquire real quality beef. Well, as a matter of fact as Stuart mentioned, I as well have singed off beef for me and my family for the time being until I am able to find a good quality source.
There is a local farmers market that I go to on a weekly basis for purchase of local grown goods. Currently the only meat available is chicken. As with the beef, I will not buy chicken from the store anymore and choose to buy from the local farmers.
If I could have one wish right now it would be for everybody to learn as much as they can about the industrial food processing. Guess what the number one type of corn grown in the U.S. is? It's non edible, that's what it is. It's genetically engineered to be processed for high fructose corn syrup, cattle feed and powering byo fuel.
Thankfully farmers like Sam and Stuart are aware as well many others.
I need to stop as I'm getting kinda upset
I know a couple in northern California, I emailed to see if they know someone in the southern part of the state.There was always the golden rule of the two things not to discuss amongst other people.... politics and religion. No I believe there is a third...the food processing industry. I mentioned what I have learned with co-workers and they looked at me as if I was out of my mind.
I equate the comparison of this to the movie The Matrix. If the masses knew the truth about what they were being fed they would do something about it, at least I hope they would.
Stuart, the great thing about the OTT is we can feel free to discuss all sorts of issues such as tractors, pretty women and yes the industrial food processing. This really is the greatest forum in the world, hands down!
Sam, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me the information to acquire real quality beef. Well, as a matter of fact as Stuart mentioned, I as well have singed off beef for me and my family for the time being until I am able to find a good quality source.
There is a local farmers market that I go to on a weekly basis for purchase of local grown goods. Currently the only meat available is chicken. As with the beef, I will not buy chicken from the store anymore and choose to buy from the local farmers.
If I could have one wish right now it would be for everybody to learn as much as they can about the industrial food processing. Guess what the number one type of corn grown in the U.S. is? It's non edible, that's what it is. It's genetically engineered to be processed for high fructose corn syrup, cattle feed and powering byo fuel.
Thankfully farmers like Sam and Stuart are aware as well many others.
I need to stop as I'm getting kinda upset
That's great that you support the local farmers. The problem with beef and pork is the government, you have to go through all sorts of paperwork and inspections to sell processed meat to the public. What farmers do to get around it is sell a live animal, and they haul them to the processor for you, the animal is yours at that point and there isn't an issue anymore. You tell the processor how you want it cut and pick it up.
A half of a steer will fit in a 14 cubic foot chest type freezer with a little extra room. The freezers generally cost around $400 here. People sell differently as far as the cost of the beef. Average around here is $1 per pound on the hoof, which is the live weight of the animal, I would guess it would cost a little more in your area. Hanging weights vary, usually anywhere from 54% to 63%, so a 1000 pound steer would have a 540 to 630 pound carcass, and if you get bone out cuts you can expect about 75% of that in processed beef. The processors usually charge by the hanging weight, and that varies to, wrapped in paper here is about 45 cents per pound, and vacuum pack is 60 cents per pound. After all is said and done, you pay about $3.50 a pound or less for the ground beef, steaks, roasts, and short ribs combined.
Hi Sam! Thank you for the link you PM'd, very useful and there are a couple of resources near me. One is about an hour and the next is 2 hours. The first one is a Bison rancher! I can't wait to give them a call. I was reading the information for the second one and they quoted a reference to Joel Salatin's salad bar cattle! I learned about him from the movie Food, inc and that man is truly impressive.
Reading your breakdown of the cost's for a pound of grass fed cow I think $3.50 a pound is extremely reasonable. I would have no problem paying that price.
My local farmers market is a true gold mine. The veggies they sell are top quality and the chicken is free range. The market is held every Thursday and I'm there to support them and feed my family truly good food. There is even a bee keeper that sells honey for $7.50 a pound. That is the best honey I have ever had.
Thanks again for your assistance with the link and your guidance with the expected cost's. Most of all, thank you for raising your cattle as they should be, you are a good man!
Reading your breakdown of the cost's for a pound of grass fed cow I think $3.50 a pound is extremely reasonable. I would have no problem paying that price.
My local farmers market is a true gold mine. The veggies they sell are top quality and the chicken is free range. The market is held every Thursday and I'm there to support them and feed my family truly good food. There is even a bee keeper that sells honey for $7.50 a pound. That is the best honey I have ever had.
Thanks again for your assistance with the link and your guidance with the expected cost's. Most of all, thank you for raising your cattle as they should be, you are a good man!
aquaforce
New member
Equipment
L245DT FEL, JD450 Track loader, 5' scrape blade&mower, 5x10 trailer, Dump truck
Very nice cows you have.
I grew up on an animal farm and we ate like a king but back then as a youngster I couldn't appreciate all that for all the chores and my interests that lurked just over the horizon.
Now I miss the tranquility of the farm and the great food. This trash in the city is worse than I ever thought it could be. My wife doesn't realize just how good great meat and produce can be.
I don't miss the chores though. That is why I don't even have a pet now.
pat331
New member
Equipment
L35, mower, bushhog, cement mixer, grader, boxblade, forks, posthole digger
Captain, I also spent my youth on a small farm, ate good, fresh meat, veggies, and fruit. But hated the chores just like you. But I still miss the farm.
After living in the city most of my life, I can't wait to retire to the farm, those chores are fun compared to the daily grind.