Absolute beginner on micro holding - advice needed!

Betsy Og

Well not absolute beginner but might as well be. Grew up on a farm, cattle only, helped with the physical aspects (forking silage, scraping the hard, general "herding" is thats not an overstatement:)) but zero experience of buying/selling/paperwork/vet etc.

Am now on about 3.5 acres, an in-law owns adjacent 5 acres (he knows less than me... yikes :eek: but at least he grew up in a town so has an excuse! He's into horses I'm not (as yet anyway), we share a MF 165, topper, transport box. I've a crush (there from before when the 8.5 acres were farmed together). Land was rented to an in law relation but not any longer.

So I've 3.5 acres around my house and what to do? Basically I want a few organic lawnmowers (bullocks), thinking of buying around March, sell to factory in October or so. No sheds and not economic to build, or dont think feasible or wortwhile to winter cattle. Obviously its only a hobby, as long as I dont routinely lose my shirt I'm happy to have the place tidy and operational. I've it partially fenced, will finish it off, have an electric fence, have 2 water troughs to fit (most of pipes down) that should should service about 5 differnent plots (all tiny).

Questions then - So how many bullocks - I suppose 3 tops, what breed(s), ballpark age, weight, cost to buy and expected selling price. Probably pure grass diet, I know meal improves weight/quality but at those numbers probably not worth the hassle.

I got the form to get a herd number. Any other "red tape" to look out for?, I presume REPS is either gone or wouldnt qualify anyway, qualify for anything else? Have the Farmers Handbook 2010 so suppose could read that for starters.

Would I need to do much dosing if only holding from March to October?

And now to make ye laugh - is there a glossary of Irish farming?, we were never into dairying so I've only the vaguest idea of terms like springers, strippers etc etc etc. I know I dont need to know but never good to feel like a complete eejit!!:o By any chance is there a book called The Fools Guide to Irish Farming?

5live

First of all best of luck in your new occupation. Not a beef farmer but summer grazing probably the simplest. One magazine that may be of some help is smallholder. UK based but basics covered well and may give some ideas what to do in terms of management and diversification. Would organic suit( I cant believe i am promoting wooly green policy) as the holding is small and the margins may be better?

Betsy Og

5live wrote: »

Would organic suit( I cant believe i am promoting wooly green policy) as the holding is small and the margins may be better?

Thought about it but I heard thats very strict and maybe more suited for farmers taking animals through from calving to factory. I see now from my trusty farmers handbook that I'd need to keep a 'conventional' animal for 2 years before it would be "converted", so either buy in organic or no go.

I also see my land would need 2 years conversion, or at least 1 bit of it - about half an acre is being straightend out and I've sprayed it with roundup - intended reseeding it a few weeks back but contractor recommended I leave it over the winter as a fair scraw on it (never properly seeded) that ideally should be let break down (maybe rotavate it in a months time to help the process). So maybe seed it early next year (I know thats a bit earlier than ideal).

Btw I spot on another thread here that technically I shouldnt have it left unsown over the winter, should be in grass within 6 weeks - is that only for REPS participants? - would I get jip from the Department lad who will have to inspect before I get a herd number?

So overall I think maybe conventional as opposed to organic would be less hassle.

Username John

Hello,

First, not sure what your intended goal is here. Is it to use the 3,5 acres as best you can, or is it to see how many cattle you can get? Just wondering, as you mention cattle, so maybe you have a grá for getting some cattle, maybe cos ye had em at home, and I can completely understand that like.

3.5 acres is small enough, would you not just be better off treating it as a source of home-grown food?
So if you eat bacon, then grand - get pigs, fatten and kill, same for lamb. Not so sure this would be possible for beef, as it would take a while. But if its purely for the hobby side, then I think either lambs or pigs. Grow your own veg, grow some beet or turnips for winter fodder for the pigs or lambs (if you would keep them over the winter)

As you said yerself, a "micro holding" - if you try to operate it as a farm, doing the same thing as the lad down the road with 100 acres, then you will most likely lose money and get fustrated fairly quickly. But if you operate it as farm producing home-grown, trying to grow everything you eat, you will make more money (in money saved from buying food) you will also get a lot more satisfaction from it, eating food you have grown yerself.

Thats my two cents - although it doesnt answer any of the questions you originally asked
Whatever you decide, best of luck with it.

corazon

I am in a similar situation with a house on 3.75 acres and I am looking to do something with the land. The land is fairly decent and has water on it. I don't see it as a money making venture but I plan to put some sheep, cattle and a polytunnel/garden on it to supply our own food needs. I know it sounds small for cattle but I am thinking of putting a few Dexter cattle on it as they are small and can be wintered outside. I think we will save a fair bit of money and eat much better quality meat and vegetables. I will be putting a few hens and ducks on it too. Looking to get started in the spring as I have a few bucks coming in over the Christmas.

Betsy Og

In a twist on the Irish obsession I like land but am not too pushed on farming/animals:)!

Between the day job, young kids, sport & other hobbies I dont have loads of time to devote to farming. That said I enjoy a bit of tipping around at the weekend. I hate looking at unkept land, weeds, rushes, flattened grass etc, so basically what I'm after is minimum effort use of the land that keeps it in good condition. I know the simplest solution is let it out to someone else (if they'd be bothered) but I wouldnt mind the experience to having a go at cattle. They would seem to me to be the most straightforward, let them graze, top the field after them, left with good fields and a kept appearance about the place.

Herself might have a go at the vegetable gardening side, and while I like the idea of self sufficiency, realistically I know I wont be able to give it the time.

colrow

Well we've got 5 acres and have kept a couple of Kerry cows and calves on it, had a fruit and veg area, the cattle were wintered but with me working away, jenny needed to get a neighbour to help with the silage bales, and she's got arthuritus, the veg and fruit and garden need a lot of time spent on them, so we've got rid of the livestock accept for 2 donkeys, and i let a neghbour use the land for his cattle in the summer and sheep in the winter in exchange for a trailer of turf. I want to keep the land in use and in good condition. And then when I'm at home I play at being a farmer driving my tractor around.

morning delight

Start off with 2 stores (general term for older cattle (2yo) in the few months before slaughter) and rotate them around the 5 paddocks.

See how that goes for the first year and take it from there. 3 stores is probably max you'll manage without having to get into fertilising and meal etc.

Better to have a bit of a surplus of grass for your first year than end up short of grass.

Veterinary - Use an invermectin wormer 3, 8 and 13 weeks after turnout. Need to register the herd with the Dept of Agriculture to get a herd number. Need to register with a vet to do your annual TB test. Other than that, they shouldn't need any other doses, injections. If you buy in from the mart it maybe no harm to give them a fluke dose/ injection/ pour-on when they arrive. With so few animals your probably better just to get the few injections from your vet as a bottle is for a lot more animals.

Enjoy it! I think the most important thing for you is to keep the inputs to a minimum and make sure you get quiet tame bullocks, i.e. keep away from Limousins;)

Let us know what you decide.

5live

Good advice. And betsy, the green cover regulations cover all farmers in all systems. Best of luck