Cost of Raising Cattle For Beginners - Tips Before You Start
1. Cost of Raising Cattle For
Beginners - Tips Before You
Start
Click Here For More Tips On Raising Cattle The Proper Way And
Avoid Making Costly Mistakes
What is the cost of raising cattle? It shouldn't be too expensive, right? All
you have to do is buy the cow, put it in a field, and watch it graze. Right?
Wrong! Many people have thought of trying to raise their own cows for
meat or milk, but not many have considered the actual cost of raising cattle.
Below is a rundown of all the costs involved in raising a cow.
1. Cow
The first cost to be considered is the actual cost of the cow. The price
depends on the breed of the cow, as well as secondary factors such as its age
and size. You also have to consider the current cost of feeding it and how
long you have to wait until it can be bred.
2. 2. Shelter
The cost of raising cattle also depends on the cost of providing shelter for
them. Money can be spent on building expensive sheds or barns.
Alternatively, a simple windbreak can suffice. Consider that thousands of
cattle are raised successfully with little or no housing. Many cows spend
their whole lives out in the open but, to be on the safe side and to protect
the health of your cows, it would be wise to build or rent for them a place
that will shelter them from rain and wind. The structure has to provide
shade, be draft-free, and be spacious enough for all its occupants. The cost
of raising cattle also includes the cost of putting up sturdy fences to keep
the cows from straying and to protect them from thieves and other animals.
3. Water
A normal cow will consume about 12 gallons of water every day. This fact
should be taken into account when tallying up the total cost of raising
cattle. Tank heaters will be necessary during the colder months - this, too,
should be accounted for.
4. Pasture
The life of the cattle and the quality of meat they produce will rely on the
pasture they graze on. According to some farmers, cows thrive on pasture
that is a mixture of alfalfa, brome, and timothy. This provides more grazing
than straight bluegrass. Remember that it takes around 20 acres of grass to
pasture one head of cattle.
3. 5. Hay and ground feed
The cost of feeding a cow will make up a significant portion of the total cost
of raising cattle. For a cow to produce good beef, it needs to consume about
half to ¾ of a ton of hay. Remember that alfalfa is the best kind of hay for
cattle and is the standard by which all other kinds of hay are judged. It is
also the most expensive. As for ground feed, corn is the best feed there is
and you will need about a thousand pounds of it for every cow you have.
6. Veterinary and other costs
Apart from the cost of buying a cow, sheltering it, watering it, and feeding
it, you also have to take into consideration a number of other expenses.
There's the cost of labor, the cost of transporting cattle, the cost of breeding
a cow, and so on. These are only some of the costs that you have to keep in
mind if you are curious about the total cost of raising cattle.
Click Here For More Tips On Raising Cattle The Proper Way And
Avoid Making Costly Mistakes