Beginner Livestock for Small Acreage

[The Ri Guy]

Just curious if anyone has any input on this, we just moved to a ~5 acre property and are looking at getting livestock to improve our self-sufficiency and supplement our wild game harvests. Never owned or dealt with livestock.

Available workable land for animals is about 1.25 acres of pasture, and 1.75 acres of mixed forest Red Alder + Fir/Spruce/Hemlock + heavy thickets of Salmon/Blackberry in the understory. There is an open-air "barn" with 4 covered horse stalls that can be converted for whatever animals we get.

Looking at Chickens for sure, either Goats or Medium-Mini Cattle, and Pigs. The larger livestock seem like they might be a pain in the ass for two people with full-time jobs.

Appreciate any input from experienced folks!

 

[Billy Goat]

I'd start by looking up animal units per acre for your area.

At 1.25 acres it's really just a feedlot. Going to be purchasing most all of your feed, if you do anything larger than turkeys.

Pigs will ruin any wood lot you have. Pasture too.

 

[cnelk]

My daughter and son in law raised meat sheep [Painted Desert breed] on small acreage. They first bought 20 ewes and before long they had 40.


Also had a ram so the lambs kept coming.

They sold the lambs when they reached 60-80lbs.
They made good money.
Easy to get in and out of

 

[The Ri Guy]

I'd start by looking up animal units per acre for your area.

At 1.25 acres it's really just a feedlot. Going to be purchasing most all of your feed, if you do anything larger than turkeys.

Pigs will ruin any wood lot you have. Pasture too.

Thanks, I didn't even know animals per acre was a county mandated consideration until I just Googled it!

Sounds like Chickens & Goats or Sheep might be our only good options. Goats have the added benefit (I hope) of clearing out all the damn sticker bushes...

 

[Broomd]

We're 7 years into our Highlands and it's been a fun, work-filled journey. Early on all of the 'experts' said that 'cattle were too hard', 'we didn't have what it took' etc. They buy meat from us now.
People say things to make themselves seem more knowlegable. Animal husbandry isn't hard, but it takes commitment and attention. Animals like life EARLY.
Highland cows themselves are very self-sufficient. Securing Hay is imperative during the off season.
Banding, worming, trailering animals, grooming, keeping records--all part of the game, but very doable for most with some desire to farm/ranch.

Start with chickens, they are fun and easy, see how things go from there.

 

[The Ri Guy]

We're 7 years into our Highlands and it's been a fun, work-filled journey.

Start with chickens, they are fun and easy, see how things go from there.

We were actually considering medium-miniature Highlands specifically due to our lack of pasture acreage & the smaller variety not needing as much feed.

Definitely starting with just Chickens this summer, doing advanced research in the meantime and ordering some homesteading type books.

What # of Roosters + Hens do you recommend? Because we have the heavy forest cover, we are contemplating letting them free range most of the day, weather permitting. I have heard this can be a double-edged sword, as hens will lay eggs in random spots in the woods, but the nutrient gains + happiness factor makes better quality eggs.

Any input there?

 

[SIR_34:16]

I suggest someone just starting out strongly consider goats. They are smaller and easier to handle than cattle and are generally more hearty than sheep. We have a flock of about 25 brood ewes plus some yearlings and a ram. We joke that sheep are born trying to die. Never quite sure for the first 24 hours if they will make it. It is also common to have to assist the ewe with passing the lamb. We have two that were due this past weekend and could lamb at any time now. We've been checking our cameras every 20 minutes and a few times throughout the night to monitor things.

I had goats as a kid (no pun intended ), and within a few hours of being born they were bouncing all over the pen.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Don’t forget, on a small lot it’ll get really muddy and messy and smelly. Something to think about.

 

[The Ri Guy]

I suggest someone just starting out strongly consider goats.

That is something else we're debating, a small flock of goats instead of cattle or pigs.

They seem to offer a lot of benefits for our property set up, as well as potentially having use as pack-animals on hunting & camping trips. We've identified Oberhasli's as our #1 breed if we go that route in the next couple years...from what I understand they produce decent meat, decent milk, and eat all the junk bushes we don't want in the woods.

Don’t forget, on a small lot it’ll get really muddy and messy and smelly. Something to think about.

That's our other major consideration/concern.

Previous owners kept 4 horses on the property and some patches were barren wastelands of rock and mud when we moved in. I've successfully reseeded most of said spots through last summer, but it was an absolute disaster when we got here.

The neighboring property runs 3 head of cattle on their back couple acres and it is just a muddy mess...

 

[Ucsdryder]

That is something else we're debating, a small flock of goats instead of cattle or pigs.

They seem to offer a lot of benefits for our property set up, as well as potentially having use as pack-animals on hunting & camping trips. We've identified Oberhasli's as our #1 breed if we go that route in the next couple years...from what I understand they produce decent meat, decent milk, and eat all the junk bushes we don't want in the woods.


That's our other major consideration/concern.

Previous owners kept 4 horses on the property and some patches were barren wastelands of rock and mud when we moved in. I've successfully reseeded most of said spots through last summer, but it was an absolute disaster when we got here.

The neighboring property runs 3 head of cattle on their back couple acres and it is just a muddy mess...

Usually weaner steers aren’t too expensive.

 

[Ucsdryder]

That is something else we're debating, a small flock of goats instead of cattle or pigs.

They seem to offer a lot of benefits for our property set up, as well as potentially having use as pack-animals on hunting & camping trips. We've identified Oberhasli's as our #1 breed if we go that route in the next couple years...from what I understand they produce decent meat, decent milk, and eat all the junk bushes we don't want in the woods.


That's our other major consideration/concern.

Previous owners kept 4 horses on the property and some patches were barren wastelands of rock and mud when we moved in. I've successfully reseeded most of said spots through last summer, but it was an absolute disaster when we got here.

The neighboring property runs 3 head of cattle on their back couple acres and it is just a muddy mess...

I would probably look at buying a weaner steer. If you do it right and get him in early April when the grass starts growing on the property with plans of either switching to grain/corn before butchering or if you want grass fed only, plan on butchering when the grass starts to dry up. That would help with the mud and be cheaper and with only one animal you wouldn’t have as much of a mess.

 

[bsnedeker]

I second the recommendation to go with chickens. Relatively easy to get into and maintain. We raise about a dozen hens for eggs, but my brother raises chickens for meat. He harvests 2-3 times per year and basically feeds his entire family (including a full-grown Mastiff) on them.

 

[S.Clancy]

I would go chickens, a turkey or 2, and a big garden. Four legged animals are going to nuke small acreage in no time.

 

[cnelk]

I have 5 chickens. Eggs only.

Man, those ISA Browns pump out the eggs. I eat eggs everyday and still sell a dozen+ to my neighbor each week.

I use the chicken straw from the coop to fertilizer my 2 gardens every spring.

 

[wesfromky]

You might look into some of the heritage pig breeds, they tend to run a bit smaller and the extra fat is a nice addition to wild game. Kunekunes or something like them.

 

[Wetwork]

I'd say goats or sheep. When you step up to large stuff like cattle or horses think about vet care. How you going to trap and wrangle the cattle to give them shots and vaccines? That calls for working squeeze chutes and corrals. At least a head catch right? Plus you gonna need a livestock trailer. With goats or sheep you could pitch them in a SUV, and they are small enough to man-handle into a corner for shots and vet work.-WW

 

[bowieknife50]

I'd say goats or sheep. When you step up to large stuff like cattle or horses think about vet care. How you going to trap and wrangle the cattle to give them shots and vaccines? That calls for working squeeze chutes and corrals. At least a head catch right? Plus you gonna need a livestock trailer. With goats or sheep you could pitch them in a SUV, and they are small enough to man-handle into a corner for shots and vet work.-WW

This guy hit it. I am a large animal vet and not a rodeo cowboy. The biggest rodeos I get into are people in your situation that have 2 or 3 cattle. I show up and they say, "how are we going to catch them?" I usually say I don't know but it's getting more expensive every minute until you do.


Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

 

[Howiemoth]

We were actually considering medium-miniature Highlands specifically due to our lack of pasture acreage & the smaller variety not needing as much feed.

Definitely starting with just Chickens this summer, doing advanced research in the meantime and ordering some homesteading type books.

What # of Roosters + Hens do you recommend? Because we have the heavy forest cover, we are contemplating letting them free range most of the day, weather permitting. I have heard this can be a double-edged sword, as hens will lay eggs in random spots in the woods, but the nutrient gains + happiness factor makes better quality eggs.

Any input there?

Borrow a rooster #sleep

 

[FLATHEAD]

I had chickens a while back, thinking about getting
set up for them again.
I've thought about Honey Bees but dont know squat
about raising them.
Getting older and dont want anything getting in the way
of hunting and fishing.

 

[Jimmy]

Goats are fairly easy, and hardy. If they have horns they will get stuck in wire fencing. Lots of people use them to keep weeds and brush under control. Not hard for an adult to manhandle them around wherever you need.

You might think about fencing your pasture area into two and rotating your animals to keep from getting eaten down too far and to let it grow back.

Cows are work, like any large livestock. But if the desire for beef makes it worth it then go for it. Especially if you buy a young one and simply raise it to butchering size. Then you don't deal with a lot of sick animals, birthing, etc


Starting with egg laying chickens and some meat chickens is a good starting point for most people.