Question about raising a calf billonthefarm or others...

I am thinking about going in half way on a calf with my buddy. Were both 20 and i farm about 300 acres of hay and round 50 acres of beans/wheat. I would like to grass feed this guy because there is a good market and I think grass fed tastes better. What are the basics I need to know and what kind of calf should I be looking for?

First of all cattle do better if there is more than one. They don't like to be alone.
How old are you talking about? Newborns need colostrum immediately. If they don't get it and many small calves at sale barns haven't they are hard to keep alive bottle fed. Best to get them that are old enough that they are starting to eat some grass and Calf Manna.

OK so I would expect to get two. Could you explain what calf manna is and how old should I be looking for? I would like to have them past the bottle fed stage.

Best bet in my opinion will be to get a couple Hereford or angus 400--500lb. calves so you don't have to mess with milk replacer and all the headaches of trying to keep a baby calf alive .They are mature enough to survive and do well on a grass or hay diet.

If you just want them to eat grass get 400lbs+/- angus, herford charlois, calfs and let them eat, You should keep them familiar with you by keeping some ground corn around and calling them in from time to time. I have done the same and have gotten good results.

400 to 500 you will premium price $.80 to $1.10 lb
At 800 lbs the price will drop in half around $.50 lb. You can get a larger animal for the same price as the smaller ones. They will be around 1 year or over and will be ready to butcher in 6 months to a year depending on what you like. I raise all mine on grass only, maybe some alfalfa to add a little fat. I have Reg. Purebred Limousin.

The cost to raise and feed per lb of beef that you get will a lot less.

Hereford lots of fat.
Angus less fat more lean meat.
Best is LimoFlex (Limousin Angus cross). Lean and tasty and less stuff to fill your arteries.
Walt

For 2 twenty year olds, I would mess with the milk replacer and go with dairy steers. If you ask nice often you can get them for free. If you are going to eat them yourselfs or sell them direct to the consumer as grass fed quarters there will be no price penality because it was a Holstien or Brown Swiss. I can't taste the difference between dairy and beef breeds,I doubt if anyone can. But like others have said, don't get just one.

Hereford or Angus.Like everyone else said buy some feeders and just finish them off. Get them somewhere around 800 lbs.By this I mean buy in the spring and send to butcher in the fall.No headaches with having to deal with them thru the winter.

Vito

Do we need to have a certain liscence to sell the beef

Why not get a heifer with a calf at her side? Or one about to calf? Milk replacer isant cheap, $40 to $80 bucks a bag. Cows milk it better for them anyway. You only need to give them hay and grass, water. I dont feed any grain. I know some love to feed grain, but cows are not designed to eat grain, they are better adapted to foarge. I mean a little grain is fine, but corn finishing is really stupid.

Calf Manna is or was a calf feed. I can't remember who makes it.

I am new to the cattle thing, less than a year, but I have a friend who runs a couple hundred head and I bet I have asked him a thousand questions. I have made some observations in the past year.
Here's my two cents.
Probably doesnt matter what you buy if you are going to butcher them for your own use. Heifers will be cheaper and maybe you can pick up a calf that isnt black for a little less money too.
You might as well get a couple since the work for two would be the same as one. If you dont need two then you could sell the other and that should help out with the bills a little.
Bucket calves are cheap to buy but require alot of time. Dont know much about this other than milk replacer is high priced and you will spend alot of time taking care of the little critters.
I wouldnt try to buy calves when everyone else is. In the spring alot of guys are looking for calves to put out on grass and sell in the fall. You might be able to get a little better price with calves you will have to feed in the winter. They wont be grass fed but the puchase cost is a big part of your investment.
Find someone to help you with questions. A person with some expirence will save you a million headaches and hours of work in vain. I have had alot of help getting started from numerous people and it has been priceless.
Good luck!
bill

You will need two liscenses one for manure and the other for just owning a animal. there might be one to buy feed for the animal and another for possension of and animal,,total $200. plus tax and other taxes unknown. total $400.