Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Most people who raise animals genuinely like the animals, so it can be hard to reconcile your-
self to the knowledge you will be harvesting some of them for meat. It is easy to become at-
tached to pigs, beef cattle, and other animals usually sent to the butcher, and it can be hard to
say goodbye. However, animals such as cattle, pigs, and sheep were domesticated to be raised
as a source of food for humans. Remember that much of the world's food supply depends on
harvesting animals, and it is normal to use these animals for meat. Most people discover the
advantages of raising their own animals far outweigh the sadness of sending their animals to
the butcher.
If you are raising chickens for eggs, or cows, goats, or even sheep for milk or other dairy
products, your job will be different. Collecting eggs and milking animals on a daily basis of-
ten will require more daily work than is needed with animals being raised for meat. Meat an-
imals often can be pasture raised or only minimally supplemented with grain. They do not
need much daily tending beyond making sure they have food and water and that manure is
picked up. Animals that produce eggs or milk and other dairy products, however, will need
daily attention if you plan to keep things running smoothly.
Raising animals for personal use is a wonderful way to find out if farming is something you
would like to pursue. You can learn a great deal about farming from this approach, as well as
enjoy excellent meat, eggs, and dairy products, not to mention being able to produce your
own wool from sheep and goats. You can start with just one or two animals and see how you
like it. Who knows? You may end up farming for the rest of your life.
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