What would you choose as livestock if the SHTF??

Originally posted by Oneolddude
reply to post by Mike Stivic

 

Well another ludicrous thread.What do you think,there is going to be a announcement before anything happens?

If you have nothing at this moment you most likely are not going to have anything

So what makes this thread ludicrous? If the idea is for self sufficiency why start asking these questions later? It's obvious the OP is trying to get himself in a position to take care of himself now, and should TSHTF.

That's what I love most of all, someone asks an informed question, and they get beat up, pigeonholed into an end of the world nut, yet if I post that 2012 is actually happening next tuesday and my source is from Neptune, suddenly I'm a hero.

Those who sit back, live in the insane modern, conveinance driven world, thinking it is foolish to prepare for " what if" will be far behind those that do something, anything to make themselves more self sufficient now.

OP, great first thread, keep asking, a lot of good people on this site that will help you anyway they can. Sometimes, sadly, it by continuing to be ignorant.

Rabbits, ducks and chickens are easy enough, you get duel food sources with the chickens. Goats are manageable, and actually not half bad if you cook them right (take it from experience, it's easy to mess up goat real quick). Might even include a Llama for a little protection of the goats, they'll chase off most anything up to a large cat or bear.

Aside from this, cattle would be nice, but not so practical considering food/land constraints if SHTF. Pigs would be great as well, but again, only if you can realistically provide for them.

I would like to know something for the rabbit haters on the thread. I personally love fat in my food but as stated previously, vegetarians don't take in fat yet some are claiming rabbits are a bad source of food because of the lack of fat. How do they live? There are many vegetarians that won't even eat eggs.

Geese.
They travel with you - need no grain (eat grass and bugs) and act as an amazing alarm system.
They're great breeders when kept lean, wonderful egg layers, need a lot less water than people think and live a LONG time (longest on record 80 years).

GEESE ROCK!

peace

EDIT: Add pic of my little Jasmine

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/3215db12599d.jpg[/atsimg]

[edit on 8-6-2010 by silo13]

Goats, they are hardy, need very little in the way of vetinary skills, can defend themselves against predators that stock smaller animals ..i.e. chickens. Dont need the large diet like cows, they can eat almost any form of vegetation. They give milk. meat, fur...and require very little tending too.

reply to post by salchanra


Thank you for your support i really wasnt going to respond to any more of olddudes or accessdenied's posts as i thought it was derailing my thread.


To ventian -yes im still wondering that myself

to silo13_ thanks for the input,im not too concerned with traveling with my livestock so at the moment i am really leaning toward a mix.
i think a small chicken coup, a few goats( they just seem to be emerging as an effective tool(brush clearing) as well as a supply for milk), a few pigs because g_d help me i love bacon,.and of course a few rabbits because as open minded as i am im still a bit stubborn and would like to try it if not for anything else but a learning tool.
AND cute pic thanks for sharing!

Ty all who have contributed to this thread !

~meathead

[edit on 8-6-2010 by Mike Stivic]

[edit on 8-6-2010 by Mike Stivic]

reply to post by Mike Stivic


I have nothing against rabbits, see my post on page two.

Go here for an article on Rabbit Starvation

As far as vegetarians, and vegans for that matter. I have limited experience with people in either group. (I dont dislike them, just we tend to hang out in different areas, I am not a vegan hater)

But found this information on a Vegan website, would explain where their fats come from. Vegan Fats

The only true vegan I know loads up on nuts everyday, so I am guessing that is where she gets hers.

Merino sheep. You could eat the meat, make cheese with the milk, but most importantly, wool. I both spin yarn and knit, so will have important goods for trade, like socks, mittens, gloves, hats and sweaters.
I also can tie flies, so would make sure I was within walking distance of good source of fish. Natural wool, with the lanolin still in it makes good dry flies.

reply to post by salchanra


Yes i read the rabbit starvation wiki article (thanks star in a jar)
and i found it informative and one factor that is making me lean towards goats.

i still plan on trying some rabbits once the cabin is built and i can move in full time. and i didnt even think about how valuable the bunnies would be to other people who didnt think ahead, although as stated in a previous thread i am stockpiling tobacco for personal use as well as trade if it was an absolute nescesity. I am hoping to be fully self sustainable by the end of next summer.except for the tobacco and quitting will probably be the only silver lining in a shtf scenario...just staying positive

the more i think about it the safest bet would not be needing to go barter with other people outside my family. i really dont want some random scavenger posing as a survivor in need getting any ideas...

thank you for the link on the vegans eating nuts( no it wasnt porn), im wondering though would goats milk contain enough fat to subsidize?
ill do some looking into that after dinner..

anyway the more i reread the thread the basic idea im getting from posters is that a little variety should be encouraged as long as the animals you choose arent too much of a drain on your food supply, and have a high return in effort and resources expended ..
Goats and chickens seem to be looking the best to me from the information provided.

Thanks again all.

~meathead

I would probab;y use people that were dumber than me. I would have a little utopia set up and everyonce in a while i would drag someone into my tent and eat them.

Originally posted by Oneolddude
reply to post by Mike Stivic

 

Well another ludicrous thread.What do you think,there is going to be a announcement before anything happens?

If you have nothing at this moment you most likely are not going to have anything later.

What makes anyone believe that animals are all going to survive TSHF?

Maybe you are not aware that most of the issues with the planet is diseases that effect animals and are passed to humans.

Anyway,a persons best bet is to raise goats.

That is what the ancients did and they did it for a reason.

well, depending on what kind of 's' hits what speed 'f' we might all be here with little or no infrastructure.
I think there's a fair amount of folks who live like this now, esp in the hinterlands. apocalypse aside, they enjoy being as self-sufficient as possible. some merely wish to live 'green' and live low-impact. I know some fairly well-to-do people with gardens that just like to grow their own.
if I had the re$ources I'd like nothing better than to own a few acres and self-provide.

reply to post by zaiger


Pure genius.... There are a lot of stupid people in the world lol. Kind of nasty, but hey, you've gotta do what you've gotta do.


Does anyone know of a fowl that produces roughly as many eggs as a chicken, but aren't as violent? lol we had chickens for awhile and they would attack my 4 year old brother... He got to where he always carried a hockey stick with him for protection. It might have been the particular breed but IDK for sure.
Geese, ducks, guineas, turkeys, and pheasants. That's all I can think of right now, but I'm not sure how productive they are.

Great thread, by the way. Hadn't really thought about livestock until now.

reply to post by zamo1993


Not really birds can get pretty violent last week i was mauled by a cacatoo no joke. Chickens are the best choice for eggs.

reply to post by zaiger


Okay, fair enough... maybe I could train them to flog all the looters who were unfortunate enough to stumble onto my property

That'll show 'em.

And thank you.

Originally posted by zaiger
I would probab;y use people that were dumber than me. I would have a little utopia set up and everyonce in a while i would drag someone into my tent and eat them.

Yet another thoughtful and insightful post in survival by zaiger. I mean if it was his posts I lived by, all would be well with the world.

Would some mod please take control of our resident TROLL?

Where is that alert button again? Oh,there it is.

Nice Thread!
I've got and would recommend chickens and ducks. Mine run wild all day and only require feed at the worst winter times. They can protect themselves better than ppl realize. I gotta add, if my birds all get noisy, I go checking. Geese and turkey are supposed to be better as watch animals but...I just really hate geese, they are mean. (Silly, I know!)
You have a lot more land to work than I do.
You might want to look into Dexter Cattle
I don't have good luck with goats but I'd probably be glad to have one come the day.
Also you can plant fodder for the animals that requires minimal work, such as Jerusalem Artichokes
or beets, rutabagas and turnips. All can be eaten by humans and feed animals.
I am working on a rabbit hutch this spring. I know rabbits are lean, but they are meat, and I store oil to help with supplementing fat content. Most wild game is lean, so I put the oil stocking pretty high on the list, also salt.
Ok,
Now if I had a farm animal fairy I would also love to have a donkey or two, as pack animals. You got a lot of land there, donkeys are tough and reliable. The will carry you or supplies and you won't have to walk it. To my mind that would be worth the feeding 'cost' in the human energy it saves. That is, of course, just my opinion.
Good Luck,
~prep

reply to post by salchanra


There is an ignore button you can use it if you want. Do not be jealous because when SHTF i will grow fat with people meat and you will be starving.

Originally posted by Mike Stivic
What would you choose as livestock if the SHTF??



My personal choice would be rabbits, they taste good take up little space and breed often. I am wondering what other people think who have given this some thought.

~meathead

Rabbit doe's are often touchy breeders; prone to not taking care of their young or out and out infanticide under even the slightest stress.


I'd go with chickens, and milk producing goats or sheep, and a horse or two for transportation and labor help.

However, I'm sitting on 30 acres.

i would have to say chickens, easier and cheaper to feed i would assume. plus you could get quality protein from the eggs and also chicken meat is tasty! would have to forrage for veggies & nuts for healthy fat and carbs..

Lamb...tastes good and you can use the wool. I know how to knit so that would be perfect.