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Honestly if you really think you could allow it to go to market get a couple. I was considering getting a couple of calves but I would fall in love and instead of being a good investment they would be expensive pets. Herd animals do better together so caring for a few would probably be easier than 1 and you could sell them take the money and buy food for yourself.

Good idea, but please remember there is a lot of upkeep and care involved in raising the animal. Land, fencing, housing, good feed, hay, vet care and medical needs and/or vaccination. Most animals crave and need companionship too.
Also, when the time comes you need to be prepared to then have it butchered.
Perhaps start on a smaller scale? Chickens are a good start typically.

While the quality will no doubt be worth it, it is extremely challenging to actually deal with the ‘meat’ aspect of it. We gave it a go with chickens and that was the only time. You’ve been feeding them for a year or so and now you cut their heads off.

That's what I always say..its taking a life just for a sandwich..good for you seeing how sad and unnecessary it all is.x x
One cow would be so lonely. They are herd animals. It will constantly testing the fence to get out

It’s hard to raise an animal, get a relationship with them and then eat them, at least it was for me. I enjoy my fresh eggs, and garden. I don’t know how old you are but you have to remember large animals are a lot of work. Hay bails are heavy. You need safe secure pins. You have to protect them from predators and illness. If you are up to it nothing beats organic grown beef & pork. Go for it!

I wish that was my history. Long story short - my lawyer made $140,000 and my forensic accountant (because of ex's secret financial life ) made $36,000. I'm still paying those "exit bills" off. Took 2 years of abject misery to get divorced. Hell on earth.

We used to do this every year with friends. We bought the calf, bottle fed it, weaned it and then it would move to our friends pasture to graze for two years. Organic grass fed and grass finished beef is a beautiful thing, worth the effort and money and still cheaper than buying sale meats, especially if you calculate in the health savings!

Cow might be a bit much. Chickens are great. I started with two gave me two eggs a day. Think about how many eggs you use and if you want to sell what you don’t use then you can judge how many you want. For beef we go to a local farmer and a bunch of us share a cow when he butchers them. Goats are cool for a different kind of milk. But read up on the care of them.

I totally understand your thinking. I have no clue as to what the best advice is but I hope you do tons of homework and whatever you choose works out!!

We did and learned that generally you buy a baby bull and have it castrated.
Please be aware after #4 my dad couldn’t stand to have them butchered.
We had #4 for 5 years instead of 9 months!

We buy a cow & hog & have it butchered.
We do not raise the animals. I also raise a large garden, can & freeze everything I can.

I don't know about buying animals for the meat, but I'd love to have a pet cow and a pet chicken. Of course, I'd have to have more than one of each so they wouldn't be lonely. I couldn't do it frugally, lol.

I’d reconsider the chickens and the cow IF you are only getting them to save money. We had a lot of both and we loved fresh eggs and sold some too but you weren't money ahead after you take care of shelter, feed, and other necessities. The cow will need the same. Meat is high but you’re probably still ahead buying one ready to process from a farm that raises them same with eggs. Both take a lot of equipment especially for winter.

I'd stick to growing vegetables because If you have a kind heart you will become friends with the cow and you will be unable to kill and eat her!  x meat isn't good for you anyway...x

The very reason we never raised a cow for meat. It would die of old age. Even if some others are saying they eat a beef and a hog I raise every year!

Ahh, I wish…plant based seems so much more chill…without meat, I literally disassociate & won’t remember a whole day of my life. Seeing my nutritionist next week to find EXACTLY what will be best for me.  Btw y’all, insurance often covers seeing a nutritionist / dietitian!

It’s a lot more work than you might think raising a cow. We had them growing up on a small farm. My suggestion would be to buy half a cow from a farmer already grown and packaged for your freezer. You can request what kinds of cuts you’d like. I remember crying when that truck came to pickup our cows. My siblings and I thought of them more as pets. It’s a lot of work and there was 4 of us kids and my mom and dad.

Just saying from experience - and we raise a large herd of beef cattle and process them. If you get one to raise and butcher it will most likely turn into a pet with a face. Hard to butcher that! Only way I can do it is the large herd - no pet.

I would ask a local farmer who raises cows for meat if he would raise one for you and your mom if you give him a deposit and he gives you a receipt. Choose what kind of chickens you want first. If you want meat birds or egg layers, remember if you never dispatched a bird before they are work unless you send them to a prosser which costs. And raising sheep or goats is easier than cows. And meats just as good.

Buy an already dead cow from the butcher and split that with your mom. Do you honestly think purchasing and raising and feeding and falling in love with a cow would be any kind of frugal or wise?

I grew up with cattle and horses.... I honestly think you would be better off buying a quarter steer already processed. Cows are for producing more cattle. You want a steer for beef. You have to feed the steer daily thru the winter including keeping fresh unfrozen water. And they do better with a small herd...which means pasture land and fencing. And do not forget vet care.

If it’s just for meat, I would consider buying a quarter, half, or full butchered cow. Savings are still substantial but you don’t raise, keep, care for it. I’m pretty sure cows are herd animals and thrive best when in a herd as well. Just something to consider.

The chickens & garden easy enough. It would take quite some time for you to consume all that beef. We split a cow up between myself & my 3 boys, my parents & a single family friend & we have a ton of meat. Our local large animal vet raises cows for purchase & we have a butcher down the road who preps & packages. I’d ask around 1st before I bought a cow. Lots to learn & work too.

My above comments aside- my girlfriend and I are beyond pro homesteading. Learn as much as you can and go for it! Start with one thing and grow from there. Hobby garden, learn to can, add to the garden, add some chickens etc. you can totally do it!

Kids are a great idea for the eggs. As far as a cow I'd buy a share in a cow someone else is raising rather than doing all that work or possibly no return other than an expensive freezer full of meat. The Calf is cute while is a young cow, then it will require special attention too.

There is a lot more to raising an animal then buying it and putting it out in a field. Is the field already fenced? Is there a barn, or some sort of protection from inclement weather? There are vet fees, worming, vaccines, possible emergencies. Fed etc. You might be better off meeting your neighbors, one of them may already be raising cattle on a larger scale then a single cow--you may be able to buy a calf with / from them and have them raise it, and deal with butchering.

My family dairy farmed. It is work, vet bills, watering, feed, etc. I would suggest you start with growing a garden and raising chickens.

Cows are beautiful creatures that wouldn't hurt a soul. I couldn't do it.

Your best bet would be to buy beef from a local butcher shop or rancher. You can usually buy a a quarter, half or whole, depending On your need/want. We raise a steer each year to fill our freezer but the costs/time involved are much more than you’d think.