Beef Cattle Farming Guide: The 4 Preparatory Steps Increase Chances For Success

Beef cattle farming may be treated as something simple: Own a bovine, feed it properly, and when it reaches the optimum weight and size, have it slaughtered. However, in hindsight, it is not as simple as that. There are factors that need to be addressed and weighed carefully to establish a proper cattle farm. Luckily, they are not difficult to learn and apply.

Beef Cattle Farming Tip#1: Choosing the Right Bovine

There are a few different kinds of cows, and not all of them are suited to be raised for beef. Some cows are mainly used to produce milk, and though they can still provide beef, they won't provide the best. Not to mention that they will also hinder faster productivity. Cattle for milk gain weight marginally slower than cattle for beef, and they will yield beef of poorer quality.

Beef Cattle Farming Tip#2: Choosing the Right Gender

Depending on the purpose set out, choosing the appropriate gender is necessary. If breeding is the purpose, then a pair of male and female bovine will be needed. If milking is the purpose, then female bovines are the choice. And lastly, when the sole purpose is for beef, male bovines are the ideal ones to obtain. Male bovines grow significantly faster than female ones. The obvious advantages of having female bovines are: They yield milk, and they can be used to breed.

Beef Cattle Farming Tip#3: Feeding the Bovines

In feeding the cattle, the proper amount of food and proper nutrition should be provided lest they become underweight and malnourished; in other words, they are not suitable for beef production or any other purposes. Feeding them can get quite tricky, though. First, they should have at least tasted their mother's milk before they are separated from them. Second, they should stay for at least a week with their mother. And third, they should be taught how to consume food on their own by their caretaker. The tricky part is teaching them how to drink milk on their own, and it is done by dipping one's fingers in a bucket of milk then letting the young cattle suck it as if it were a teat. Soon enough, they will start to approach the bucket of milk on their own due to their want of milk.

Beef Cattle Farming Tip#4: Living Conditions

Their shelter should have well ventilation, and the temperature must be just right for them to develop properly. Also, they should have a sufficiently wide area for them to walk around, so they will get enough exercise. Improper living conditions may cause the cattle to lose their appetite and become underweight, and they might get sick if the temperature of their shelter is not properly maintained.

In the simplest sense, beef cattle farming can be very rewarding as long as the proper preparations are established. It is not really that difficult, but it should not be taken too lightly as well. Remember that by starting unprepared, there will be more losses than earnings, and there will be mistakes that are hard to recover from.

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Understanding the Ins and Outs of Natural Hoof Care - Part 2

As we've discussed in part one of this two-part series, natural hoof care starts when the cow is born and continues throughout its life. The phrase "natural hoof care" can describe organic products, or it may refer to a more holistic way of looking at your herd's health. This guide addresses the latter. Read on for a handy checklist that will keep your cows' hooves healthy without the use of chemicals.

Natural Hoof Care Checklist

Intracare has developed a special checklist to help farms optimize claw health. Jan van Geest: "Using this checklist, we assess various factors on the dairy farm, such as floor quality, climate, nutrition, the number of times claws are trimmed and the percentage of animals with claw problems." Intracare splits up the latter factor into the various sorts of claw problems. "The scores on the list indicate the factors the dairy farmer has to focus on, in the first instance, in order to improve claw health," Van Geest explains.

Claw Trimming as Part of Your Natural Hoof Care Routine

Van Geest would like to see natural hoof care become part of the standard operational management. "If this was the case, cattle farmers would be able to prevent claw problems from taking on such serious forms that they have to dispose of cows prematurely. Furthermore, the cows rapidly respond to this care with higher milk production." It is therefore important that the cows' claws are trimmed regularly. "The farmer can do this himself or contract it out to a hoof trimmer. I recommend that trimming be carried out at least twice a year by a hoof trimmer. Trimmers generally have more experience, which is ultimately the benefit to claw health," says Van Geest. Dairy farmers who do this work themselves must have sufficient knowledge, so that they can carry out the job properly and can recognize the symptoms observed. "This latter point is particularly important. Many dairy farmers assume that their work is over once they have trimmed the claws. However, this is not true." Van Geest continues on to say that "If the farmer registers the symptoms he ascertains every time he trims the animals' claws, he can find the causes more rapidly and tackle the problem in the right manner." There are several possible causes, such as the wrong rations, cubicles of the wrong dimensions, neglected grid floors, excessive manure in the cubicles and cowshed corridors or an excessively damp climate in the cowshed. If these factors are solved, the general claw health in the herd will, in time, improve greatly.

Points for Improving Claw Health with Natural Hoof Care

Various points require attention if claw health on the dairy farm is to be improved. If you are committed to employing only natural hoof care methods, you'll follow these steps as closely as possible.

Claw Care

• Trim claws at least twice a year

• Use preventive and curative claw care agents

Nutrition

• Ensure that there is sufficient structure in the rations to prevent acidification of the rumen. This reduces the risk of laminitis considerably.

• Ensure minimum and gradual ration changes.

• Check whether the ration provided to the animal is actually the ration eaten. This gives an indication of the activity of the animals.

Cow Comfort

• Reduce the infection pressure with the aid of a dung scraper or by adjusting ventilation.

• Cows must have a sufficiently large cubicle of the correct dimensions. The guideline is that 80% of the animals lie down within 3 hours of milking and that the animals do not stand for longer than 5 minutes in the stall before they lie down.

• Make use of a dung scraper to keep the grids clean. Because of this, the claws remain cleaner, which reduces the risk of claw problems.

• Ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in the cowshed for a fresh climate. An excessively damp climate is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

• Ensure that floors are level and sufficiently roughened up. This will prevent the animals slipping quite so easily and so reduce claw damage.

• The feed trough must be approximately 10 centimeters above the grids.

Dry period

• Ensure a good mineral supply during the dry period so that the claws have the chance to recover. Treat all the animals prior to the dry period; this can prevent a great many problems later.

Rearing

• Ensure that the animals have balanced rations during rearing. This is the basis for good claw health.

Natural hoof care is an ongoing process and it may take time to see results on cows that are already experiencing lameness. The best way to keep your herd's hooves healthy is to implement natural hoof care early on in the cows' lives and continue as they get older. Be consistent and your herd will thank you with healthy hooves.

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Why Raise Chickens?

There are many reasons why you should choose to raise chickens than other animals. Some reasons are listed below.

• Nutritious and Great Tasting Eggs. Most animal lovers choose dogs, fish, and cats as their pet but these animals do not produce something that is edible unlike chickens that produce eggs.


• Chickens have their own personality. Each bird is completely different form the other chickens. They have their own uniqueness that is endearing. They are beautiful and they have different sizes, shapes, colours and patterns. You can give those names, spoil them or play with them any chance you get.


• They can provide a sustainable living. Keeping some chickens in your backyard can help you sustain your everyday life. You can be able to live your fast-paced life and meet your life's demands if you have chickens in your yard.


• Chickens can make your garden or yard healthy and free from chemicals. These birds love to wander around your garden. By doing this, they eliminate dirt and insects by eating them such as small twigs, worms, beetles, earwigs, etc. and at the same time making your garden free from chemicals because they turn it into fertilizers so you won't be needing chemicals anymore.


• They can eat your left overs. Chickens are not choosy with regards to the food that they eat. They can eat almost everything - even your left overs so you do not have to worry about how to dispose them because you can give them to your chickens. You can save money to buy chicken food for this. Do not give chickens onion and garlic because they may affect the taste of the eggs.


• Balance, compost pile. Chickens can contribute to your composting by means of their poo. Eggshells can also help in the soil resulting to a fertile and rich soil.


• Some of these fowl help in eliminating grass, weeds and fallen leaves. They will be happy to dig garden debris until they are all gone.


• Chickens are low maintenance. You do not need to feed them twice daily, walk them, brush or give them a bath. All you need to do is gather eggs, feed them and give them water. You should also change their bedding monthly.


• Save chickens from a factory life. Factory raised chickens are treated unkindly. Raising your own chicken lessens the number of chickens being raised in a farm or factory.


• Be different. Raising chickens are still uncommon nowadays. You will be unique among your neighbours if you choose to raise chickens than the ordinary dogs and cats. Amaze them with your hatched eggs and well-built chicken coop.

Now that you are aware of the many benefits of raising chicken, you must do some research if chickens are right for you. Even if you love chickens, you need to think about some important points.If you think chickens are cute, you're off to a good start. You need to be fond of chicken for you to be able to enjoy raising them. If you find chickens unappealing, you may be less motivated to raise them which are bad for you and the chickens. If you love chickens but your partner doesn't, be ready to take care of the chickens by yourself.

You should have enough space for your chicken but not too big because raising chickens do not require big space. If you will only rely on a coop for your chicken, you will need at least 10sq.ft per chicken. Otherwise, if you have big outdoor space where chickens can freely move, a 2 to 4 sq.ft per chicken is enough. This only means that the bigger the space allotted for your chickens is better for both indoor and outdoor. Consider also that chickens are hunters. You might want to expose them in your garden where they can search for weeds, grasses, twigs and insects. They will be healthier and happier if they have lots of foraging to do. Giving the chickens less space may cause them to destroy other places by digging, pecking, and scratching. Another thing with chickens is that it is not easy to potty train them. Instead, keep them inside their coop so they will not poo everywhere. Get permission from your town's hall if they allow raising chicken in your area.

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Breeding Beef Cattle - What You Need To Know If You Want To Venture Into This Lucrative Industry

Breeding beef cattle is basically about producing cows that are fit for selling. It involves producing calves that can be sold in the beef market. It can also involve producing cows that can be used as replacements for your own herd or someone else's herd. When breeding beef cattle, however, there are several things you need to take into consideration. For instance, you should have the time to look out for your cattle. You cannot just leave them out in a pasture. Even if they can feed themselves, you still need to watch and observe them. Keep in mind that adequate herd management skills as well as hands-on supervision is crucial in producing hefty beef cows.

Select your breed wisely. The Black Angus is the most popular choice among beef cattle breeders but you may still choose from other breeds if you want. The Hereford, for instance, is also a good option. Its body color varies from rust brown to rich red. Its face, dewlap, switch, crest, legs, and underline are white. It can do well on a range of pastoral conditions and has good foraging and fertility characteristics. It is also docile and can produce high quality beef. Another great choice is the Murray Grey. Its color ranges from dark grey to silver, with dark skin pigmentations. It is small and recognized for its good temper. It is best known for its feed efficiency, calving ease, and carcass quality. It is mostly preferred by butchers due to its tenderness and quality.

Aside from the breed, the breeding program must also be selected. If your herd is small, you better choose artificial insemination for breeding beef cattle. On the other hand, if you have more than ten cows in your herd, it is best to go with a good herd bull.

During the breeding season, monitor your herd closely. Make sure that they do not fight and none of them is injured. You should also pull the bulls out around two to three months after they have been put in. This will guarantee that all your cows get covered.

Furthermore, choosing which cows to keep and which ones to get rid of is another important thing to remember when it comes to breeding beef cattle. Cows that have calving problems as well as those that do not gain weight are best to be eliminated from the herd. They will not be able to produce good beef and will only add to your expenses.

Important Beef Cattle Diseases That You Need To Be Aware Of When Raising Beef Cattle

As a cattle owner, you should be aware of the diseases that may affect your cows. Parasite infection, for instance, is one of the most common beef cattle diseases. External parasites such as horn flies and lice are common during the summer and the winter respectively. Both can be controlled, however, with proper medication. Internal parasites, on the other hand, can be fatal especially to calves under one year of age. These young calves have not yet developed a certain degree of immunity that can help them survive infections. So, in order to get rid of the parasites, deworming is necessary. You may use anthelmintics that have been approved for beef cattle. Consult a veterinarian with regard to the type of wormer as well as the right timing for medication. Some of the popular brands are Safeguard, Valbazen, Ivomec, Levisol, and Rumatel.

Safeguard contains fenbendazole as its active ingredient. It is effective against lungworms, roundworms, and larval forms. Valbazen is usually available in the form of paste. It has albendazole that is effective against intestinal worms like lungworms, liver flukes, and tapeworms. Ivomec is available in pour-on and injectable formulations. It has ivermectin that works against lice, lungworms, and cattle grubs. Levisol is available in paste, boluses, pour-on, and injectable forms. It contains levamisole that fight against lungworms and roundworms. Rumatel contains the active ingredient morantel tartrate, comes in crumbles or boluses forms, and works effectively against roundworms. Foot and mouth disease is another one of the common beef cattle diseases. It is caused by a virus; and unfortunately, it is not only harmful to cows but to humans, as well. Cows with foot and mouth disease usually have high body temperatures that last for two to three days, abortions, sticky and foamy saliva, mouth and tongue lesions, and inflammation of the heart muscle.

Beef cattle diseases can be prevented with proper nutrition and hygiene. Stress prevention, vitamins, and certain vaccination programs that include IBR, BRSV, BVD, and PI3 are also necessary. When injecting formulations by yourself, make sure that you do not target the muscles. All injections must be given under the skin. You must not inject formulations into the hip or legs either. In addition, always keep a record of all the treatments and follow the directions on the label of the product. Sometimes, beef cattle diseases are caused by changes in the weather. You can protect your cows by providing them with a clean and strong housing.

How To Raise Beef Cattle - Simple And Easy Tips For Beginners

Every farmer has his own way of raising his cattle. Nevertheless, the basics on how to raise beef cattle remain the same. First of all, adequate knowledge on the different beef cattle breeds is essential. You should be able to choose a breed well. Keep in mind that your success in raising beef cattle will mostly depend on how hefty your cattle become and how good their beef production is. Experts on how to raise beef cattle typically go for the Black Angus breed. However, you may also choose from the other popular breeds such as the Murray Gray, the Australian Bradford, the Texas Longhorn, and the Hereford.

In order to produce big and healthy cows, you should have the right location. Beef cows cannot be raised in a barn. They need a spacious area in which they can graze freely. A small herd can thrive in approximately two acres; but if you plan to raise many cows, make sure that you can give them sufficient space.

Also, do not forget to install fencing in order to keep your cattle inside their grazing area. Find a location that is ideal for your cows and your community. Surely, you will not want your neighbors complaining and reacting violently against your actions.

Of course, you also need to provide food and water. One cow can drink up to twelve gallons of water each day. If you do not have a creek or pond, you can buy a water tank and have your cows drink from a tub. An automatic watering device that can be heated is also a good option. When it comes to food, anyone who knows how to raise beef cattle will have the sense to stock hay for the winter. During the summer and spring, cows can eat all the fresh grass they want; but during the winter, they will need to be kept indoors and supplied with hay.

You can either grow the hay yourself or purchase it. It can be quite costly, though. So, growing it yourself is a better option especially if you only have a few cows. Also, some of the available hay in the market are old and damp. These are not ideal to be fed to cows because they tend to encourage mold growth. Anyway, you should be aware that cows are vulnerable to various diseases too. Thus, proper health management is necessary. If you are not adept on cattle medication, consult a veterinarian. You may also ask experts on how to raise beef cattle for advice. With proper care and management, you will soon be able to produce big and healthy beef cows.

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How to Build a Chicken Coop - The Main Steps

Aspect #1: Appearance, Design and Style:

Draw out your design and style on a paper before you start other things. Consider the colors you can paint the roof and also chicken coop surfaces. Always keep in mind when your current chicken coop will be clearly visible in your neighborhood friends, (unless your home is inside a farm it will eventually more than likely be obvious to your complete area) that shouldn't ever be an expansion or defacement of its utmost area. So ensure that you design and style an aesthetically seeking chicken coop which means that your neighborhood friends do not complain about its detracting appearance. Once finished, bear in mind to eliminate and eliminate any forms of garbage or perhaps weeds from close to your chicken hen house. Make an effort to maintain a desirable landscape close to it to boost its appearance.

Aspect #2 - Protection from Hazardous Factors:

So you plan to discover how to build a chicken coop together with maximum defense?

And then hear this.

As you are probably aware, a highly developed chicken coop may protect your birds from hazardous factors such as negative climate (heavy rainwater, breeze, hale, compacted snow, cold temperatures, and so forth,) nevertheless they may also protect them from eager predators, burglary and damage.

So, just how do we accomplish that will?

You need to develop a draft free of charge chicken house together with doors that may be opened and closed since needed. Ensure the doors both have proper testing systems installed within them for instance a large gage mesh line. Building the particular chicken coop over a high but well drained location with ensure the smallest amount of level of dampness in the hen house. Make sure you your own chicken hen house in an location that faces the sunlight to help warm and dry the particular soil and hen house itself after that you furthermore may.

To guard your birds from possible predators, the great thing to accomplish is always to bury your current outside runs together with chicken wire throughout the hen house about 1 ft. deep. This will likely prevent several very hungry possible predators like raccoons, kittens and cats and even puppies from digging underneath.

Aspect #3 - Chicken Coop Venting:

You could be thinking how to build a chicken coop that won't simply keep your birds locked up and protected from negative climate and possible predators yet obtain the proper venting it needs. If you do, then you certainly already understand significance of draft free of charge air movement from within the hen house. Birds, just like human beings, need oxygen and air. The identical costs are targeted on undesired excessive moisture and also carbon. Any chicken coop together with ample air movements and proper venting will help eliminate the ammonia develop and humidity that may increase inside its surfaces.

These are surfaces, the particular chicken coop surfaces should have appropriate insulation installed to help keep your chickens dried. Provided that birds are dried, they could handle cool climates well, yet humidity plus winter may cause medical issues to your poultry. Consequently, insulated surfaces are a need too!

Aspect #4 - Light Source:

If you need a very good source of mild and warmth to your chickens winter months in the year and also a solid way to obtain ventilation through the hot months, and then make sure you put in the chicken hen house windows facing the particular Southside where they may receive direct sunlight the whole day.

In another take note, if your goal is to get chickens that may produce fantastic eggs all year long, then you certainly should check into any way to obtain light. You ought to be capable of easily put in an electrical light at the level in the chicken coop's ceiling to help keep the chickens hot and help these lay far better chicken eggs all year round. One particular ceiling light must be enough to get a small scale chicken hen house, for greater chicken coops even though, make an effort to install a system electrical threshold light per every single 30 - 45 foot.

Aspect #5 - Handily Placed Wateres and also Chicken Feeders:

Chicken feeders and also waterers must be placed just where your flock could have comfortable access in their eyes. But you must be careful in which back up for sale because birds like to produce a mess regarding everything they take in because of the chicken itching instincts. I think a person be interested in your current chicken feed combine everywhere in the hen house floors therefore, in order to avoid this specific, you can put chicken feeders on the height in the chicken's backside. In this way they must stretch their particular necks around eat yet won't reach the particular feeders with the foot. Same costs the particular waterers.

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