lizard said:
nate, you'd just have cows, right, and have them inseminated, or would you have your own bull? aren't quality bulls wicked expensive?
We do everything in as natural a way as possible. We also try to eliminate as much labor as possible. Basically we have cattle because some of the land we own can't be farmed (too sandy). So cattle aren't really our main business; crops (wheat and corn) are the majority of our income. The cattle portion of the business is a completely different corporation, though.
We have about 19 bulls for the 500 or so cows we breed each year. Of course we regularly sell old bulls and get new ones, to avoid inbreeding. You're right, though. Bulls are pretty expensive. We usually buy them young for probably $3000 to $4000 each.
I'll go ahead and ruin the voting . . . maybe.
We raise 100% Natrual Angus Beef right now. I assumed it would be the choice of most people around here.
Does everybody know the difference between "natural" and regular beef?
Natural beef contains no antibiotics and no hormones. It's less labor on our end, but we have to get a premium when we sell the calf to make up for not using the hormones to add size. So far it seems to be working out. We have enough pasture that we can pretty much run our cows on grass year round. That definitely cuts down on labor. Some people bring their cows in to shelter every night. Of course we could never do that with 500 or so of them, but beyond that a cow can survive pretty much any weather south of the arctic circle. Some people waste a lot of money on baby sitting their cows. You have to look at them as a business, not a pet.
Oh . . . if you wanted the most natural beef you could get, you'd have to get organic. But I think you'd be paying for some stuff that isn't worth it. Organic just eliminates the same stuff as natural, but you can't use vaccinations or genetically modified feed.
but i'll try!
