Cattle
Tips & Advice to help you make your decision on Cattle
Cattle, or cows, provide many products throughout the world. The meat from a full-grown cow provides beef while veal is meat taken from a calf. Cattle are a staple of any dairy operation, providing milk, cheeses and other byproducts. Some provide leather goods, as well.
Running a successful cattle farm is challenging. The farmer must first decide if the farm will be for beef or dairy cows. When cows are bred for beef, there must be sufficient pasture land for them to graze in and one that has a place to provide water.
Dairy farming has become more sophisticated today than just milking a cow by hand. Machines do much of the work now. Most of the dairy cows in the United States are Holstein cows. This type of cow is bred solely for the purpose of producing dairy products.
Meat and dairy products are in high demand from restaurants that need them to create their dishes. There are hundreds of distributors of these products throughout the United States.
Cattle farmers have many choices when it comes to the equipment they need to get their product on the table. Business.com is a guide for helping farmers find the right resources.
Buying and Breeding Goats
Implement cattle breeding practices to maximize production and profitabilityBy R.N. Dolgener, Special Education Teacher Raising cattle can be a lucrative endeavor for any livestock producer, but with a little extra research and networking, even the smallest cattle operation can excel in a competitive market. You will invest significantly in your operation, so prepare yourself with all of the information and resources the Internet has to offer before you start purchasing breeding heifers.
Find cattle for sale online and through professional associations for a variety of markets:
1. Buy dairy cattle with high-yield milk production genetics, and implement a genetics program that emphasizes synchronized, low-birth-weight calving practices.
2. Use technology and pedigree tracking to produce purebred beef cattle that are suitable for replacement breeding stock.
3. Develop your dairy cattle or beef cattle operation to produce winning show cattle by following show trends and producing to suit judges and buyers.
Stay current with beef cattle prices to maximize your profits
Most small farmers don't worry about worldwide cattle prices, but with family farms falling victim to large cattle-producing conglomerates, small farmers should use any information available to gain an edge over big business.
Try:
Plan regular visits to the United States Department of Agriculture's commodity report for beef and cattle. Customize a high-tech market report using TFC Commodity Charts.
Find specific breeds of cattle for sale nationwide
No matter which breeds of cattle you plan to buy, you can find great resources online. If you're not comfortable with online buying -- which is most often via secure networks to protect your information and involves buyer and seller vetting to ensure valid transactions -- at least browse online ads to get a feel for market prices for heifer, bred cow and bred cow/calf packages.
Try:
Search for replacement stock by cattle breeds at Buy Sell Cows, or register for a buyer membership at CattleRoundUp.com.
Improve your cattle ranching operation through championship genetic upgrades
If your cattle company deals in purebred stock, especially replacement heifers and show cattle, you need to follow showing trends to keep producing conformationally sound calves that judges -- and buyers -- will appreciate. Sell for the national purebred show circuit if you want to truly maximize profit, but remember that genetics, artificial insemination and embryo transfer requirements for modern pure breeding require substantial start-up investment.
Try:
Find genetic resources for raising beef cattle steers at The Breeders' World Beef Breeders Directory. Or, sign up for the Showsteers.com newsletter and keep up with the latest winners -- and their pedigrees -- in the show cattle circuit.
