Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
As you get better at managing your herd's rotation patterns, you will be able to provide more
nutrition from grazing and rely less on stored forage and supplements. You also may be able
to increase your stocking rates because your pasture yield will improve.
The Differences in Raising Cattle for Milk and For
Meat
Dairy farms and beef farms can both succeed, but each type of operation poses its own chal-
lenges. Beef production and dairy production depend on different breeds of animals. You can
buy beef and dairy animals from similar sources, such as public auctions or private sellers, but
you will base your purchases on different sets of criteria. Different breeds often are used for
beef rather than for dairies, and each type of operation provides differing management chal-
lenges.
With cows you intend to raise for beef, consider the following points:
• Your goal is to get the animals to fatten to a weight that will produce the best meat before
slaughter. Grass-fed beef cattle may need 20 months or even two years or more to reach
finishing weight, compared to a typical 16 to 18 months for grain-finished cattle.
• Beef calves are left with their mothers for between six and nine months. Then, they can be
sold to other farmers or kept on the farm to continue to grow.
•Beef animals usually are killed at slaughterhouses and then cut upbybutchers. Depending
on whom you plan to sell your beef to and the laws in your state, the facilities and the
carcasses may need to be inspected by state or federal officials.
If you plan to raise cattle for dairy products, here are some points you should consider:
• Your goal is to get them to produce as much high-quality milk as possible. Dairy cattle
usuallyaremilkedtwiceaday,everyday—onceinthemorningandonceintheevening
— for much of the year. Many dairies are seasonal, meaning they breed their cows at the
same time and have a dry period where they do not milk cows, which is usually during
the last two months before cows calve again. At this stage of pregnancy, cows use less
of the nutrients they take in for milk production and put them toward their developing
fetuses.
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