Keys To Success In Raising Livestock: The Right Livestock To Raise For A Beginning Farmer

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Livestock farming is an industry that is different from any other industry. The better you know about it the more are your chances of being a successful livestock farmer.

Raising livestock is a great way of making lots of money in a field that not so money people are in. But before you get started in livestock farming you have to get as much knowledge as you can about this industry and what is required to raise healthy profitable livestock.

Two profitable livestock that you may raise when starting out in livestock farming are cattle and sheep. These livestock are very profitable because their milk and meat is high in demand and the market is large enough for anyone to have a piece of the pie.

Cattle:

Raising cattle will always be a good business venture which has great return of investment. One way you can look at it is you "buy cheap cattle, fatten them up and sell them at a higher price".

When getting started the first thing you have to do is buy your cattle. Places where you can buy your cattle are at livestock auctions, advertisements in your local newspaper and you can even ask other livestock farmers on who sells good healthy cattle. You can buy a few weaned calves or some feeders just to start with.

Once you have bought your cattle its time to take care of them. The first thing to do is to build your cattle some shelter. When starting out you can build a simple windbreaker and once you start making money you can then build a bigger shelter.

Feeding your cattle well is the most important of all. Good pasture is a great way of feeding your cattle. To also help in feeding your livestock you can give them alfalfa and corn. Do not forget to give your cattle plenty of water as well. A single cow can drink about 12 gallons of water per day.

Sheep:

Just like cattle, sheep are rewarding livestock to raise. You can raise sheep for milk, meat and wool. But in order to get some good returns in investment from your sheep you have to be dedicated to your venture and take care of your sheep.

Sheep also need some shelter to be protected from harsh temperatures. A sheep house is where your sheep well also sleep, feed and give birth.

When starting out in feeding sheep you have to be aware that different kinds of sheep need different kinds of food. Ewes, lambs, and rams are all feed in a different way so when buying your feed make sure you are buying the right feed for the type of sheep you are raising.

Raising healthy sheep requires you to feed them well. In order for your sheep to get enough nutrients you have to feed them forage which contains proteins and energy, not forgetting pasture as well. Also give your sheep enough water because its critical for their health. And make sure that the feeders are clean to discourage the spread of fatal diseases.