

Pigs need shelter from the elements, especially extreme heat and cold. If you use electric fencing, you will want to make sure it’s a nice, hot wire. However, they can also be escape artists (ask me how I know), so your fencing should be very secure. They are intelligent, friendly, and provide delicious meat. Pigs or hogs are a great addition to your low maintenance farm. With the right care, you can raise a healthy and productive flock of sheep on your farm. They provide food, fiber, and fertilizer, and will eat certain weeds that other livestock won’t. Overall, sheep are a low-maintenance and efficient choice for small farms. Alternatively, wool can be used or sold for clothing, blankets, and other products. Hair sheep are generally simpler to maintain, and they produce plenty of lean meat, making them an excellent source of food for your family or to sell. Different breeds can be raised for different purposes. Sheep are primarily raised for meat and wool. If you have the space and resources to care for the lambs as they grow, they can be lots of fun to raise. Sheep give birth to one or two lambs per year. Make sure that their fencing is secure, as sheep are more notorious for escaping. A simple barn or shed will do, as long as it provides protection from wind, rain, and snow. Sheep do require shelter from the elements, especially during winter. Sheep are an efficient choice for small farms, as long as they have a reliable source of clean water, and plenty of pasture and hay to graze on. They are excellent at converting grass and forage into meat and/or wool. Sheep are grazers and foragers, which means they feed on grass, hay, and other vegetation.

They are hardy and adaptable to various conditions, making them ideal for small farms. Sheep are a popular choice for low-maintenance farm animals. They are hardy and low maintenance, making them a great choice for self-sufficiency, if you are okay with adding larger animals to your farm. Overall, cattle can be a great addition to your farm if you have the land and resources to sustain them. They are actually quite simple to fence, typically only requiring a single electric wire to keep them contained. You will also need to provide them with a source of water.įencing is also a consideration with cattle. They are grazers, which means they’ll need plenty of pasture, and hay during the winter months. Most breeds of cattle are hardy and can withstand harsh weather conditions. When you consider the price of a gallon of milk, you can see why a dairy cow has the potential to be one of the most profitable farm animals. A dairy cow will require more attention than a beef cow, but she can provide you with fresh milk and butter, which is an obvious benefit. Miniature cattle breeds require less feed and can be very profitable. They can get by with very basic shelter, and don’t require you to keep up with the daily task of milking.Ĭows are large animals, however, if you really want a dairy cow (like I did), she may not require as much acreage as you think! We raised a miniature jersey cow on 1 acre of land. Beef cattle are more low maintenance than dairy cows. Just remember, there is a marked difference between beef and dairy. If you have the land, cattle can be one of the best low maintenance farm animals to raise. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I am roughly ordering these from least to most low maintenance. Here is my personal take on the top 10 low maintenance farm animals. Additionally, these animals provide flexibility to farmers. Secondly, low maintenance animals can be cost-effective. Firstly, it offers time efficiency, as these animals require less daily care and attention. Homesteaders and farmers have different reasons for wanting low maintenance farm animals. Overall, choosing low maintenance farm animals can provide practical benefits, enabling you to efficiently manage your homestead while also achieving your goals. But also, caring for low maintenance animals promotes sustainable practices, as they often require fewer inputs and interventions. Low maintenance farm animals are a wise choice for beginners or those with limited experience in farming.
