In the spring, I purchase 3 day old bottle calves and raise them on goat's milk until they are ready to graze. Actually, I give them a bottle longer. The place where I get them recommends 10 weeks. These guys got cut down to one bottle a day when they hit 13 weeks. I like to do the evening chore bottle through most of the summer if possible. As beef prices continue to increase, I know if I wasn't raising beef, I couldn't afford it, and who knows what they feed what's sold in the store. This beef contains no antibiotics, no GMO grain, and the pasture is naturally maintained, no chemical herbicides or fertilizer.
When I home process, I have do it when they are about 350-400 pounds. I can't physically handle anything any bigger without making some major investments in hydraulics. So, since I've decided to send them to market this year, I've been able to let them get bigger and since they are going to be professionally processed, I will be able to donate some. I'm really trying to get a better understanding of agricultural offerings according to Scripture.
In all this figuring and planning, I've had to make one concession. Sheep and goats are led by their shepherd. Cattle are driven, except bottle calves. I cannot drive my calves into the stock trailer. As soon as I get behind them, they turn around, and the three of us go nowhere. So, my concession is this. I've had to obtain organic, non GMO grain and have spent the last few evenings coaxing them with grain into the stock trailer. They haven't ever been grained, so I don't think a week of it it will affect the meat. I certainly hope things go as planned. I'll say it this way, I truly pray my plan is the will of YHWH.
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