We bought our cattle with the idea of insuring the meat we dish up was raised as ethically as possible, unfortunately due to so many set backs of trying for 6 months to get the Holsteins sent off to the butcher, we returned from NSW to find the paddocks dry and feed prices skyrocketing, with the quality of available feed significantly deteriorating. Hard choices in hard times. Watching the steers eat poor-quality feed and their condition steadily decline, we decided to find a different butcher. We called around and found a local butcher who could book one of the steers within a fortnight. We chose to send off the smaller…

Mooving forward with plans After buying our acreage, I reminded myself to take things slowly until we moved onsite. Lanky, however, charged ahead. When cattle prices dropped, he started ordering cattle without considering the long-term goals. He initially planned to get steers. After overhearing a phone conversation about the lack of steers at the auction, I suggested, “Why not get heifers so we can breed them instead?” We purchased our heifers at the wonderfully low price of $250-300 each. I had always planned to get a house cow. I wanted to wait because dairy animals require significant time and effort for breeding and milking. Sometimes, the right opportunity comes unexpectedly.…

Raising livestock on your property comes with its fair share of challenges, especially in Australia, where concerns like feed and water supply weigh heavily on farmers’ minds. The recommended stocking rates typically suggest about 1 head per 2-2.5 acres, for cattle. Delays Compound into issues. Unfortunately, we encountered delays in processing 6 sheep and 2 Holstein steers for the freezer, compounded by delays in rain this Autumn. This forced us to seek supplementary feed. Although we left with what seemed like enough pasture and a few backup round bales, which we got someone to roll out during week 2 of our absence, we returned only to find that the lack…

Regrettably, due to a COVID outbreak in the Adelaide Hills, we must postpone the butchering of the Friesian Holstein steers. One challenge with Friesian Holsteins is their large size. If they age too much some abattoirs may refuse to handle them due to the size of their carcasses and associated handling regulations. Therefore, we are hopeful that the abattoirs will reschedule their booking as soon as possible to avoid the need to seek a home butcher. However, utilizing a home butcher presents legal constraints, as we are prohibited from transporting the meat off our property. This poses significant issues for our plans to share some of the meat with family…

Our journey into the world of cattle began on the humble grounds of our rental property, before the dream of our own acreage turned to reality. When we inked the lease, the owner granted us the freedom to introduce a handful of livestock. Yet, a caveat lingered in the air—a neighbor was entrusted with the land for his sheep, for the first year however the owner said he is happy for us to share or wait till the year was up and take over the full management of the land. Passing of time and new arrivals A year passed, spent observing cautiously as we hesitated to disturb the neighbors’ flock.…