Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Calves can be purchased as newborns all the way up to feeder calf size, which is about 600
pounds. A feeder calf is weaned from its mother and ready to be placed on feed — hay and
grain — to be finished, which means putting flesh and fat on a calf until it meets slaughter
weights, generally about 1,200 to 1,400 pounds. Your top priority when purchasing a newborn
calf or a calf up to 2 months old is to make sure the calf has received its colostrum. Calves are
born with an incomplete immune system and absolutely need to get more than 1 gallon of
high-quality colostrum in their bellies within the first 24 hours of life — preferably within the
first 12 hours. Scours, or diarrhea, are the main cause of death of young calves, and many
cases are traced back to a poor immune system due to lack of sufficient colostrum.
Calves can be purchased directly off the farm or through auction barns. It is not recommended
that you purchase very young calves from an auction barn because the stress of being among
all kinds of cattle along with their fragile immune system equals a strong potential for a health
disaster. Dairy breed steer and bull calves are especially notorious for not receiving the co-
lostrum they require. Older calves and cows can be purchased directly from the breeder or
through auction barns as well. Always ask about vaccination history, parasitical use, and calv-
ing history before purchasing. Any time you bring a new livestock purchase to your farm,
quarantine it in a pen, corral, pasture, or barn for a minimum of two weeks before introducing
it to the rest of the herd. This will minimize the chance of introducing new diseases into your
established herd.
Beef breeds
Breed selection is important in the beef industry. Branded beef, such as Hereford or Angus, is
increasingly common in grocery stores in order to build customer loyalty to a particular breed.
If you plan to sell your cattle commercially, buyers look for a typical beefy type of steer or
heifer as opposed to narrow-bodied steer or heifer. Here is a small sampling of the beef
breeds:
Angus:
Angus cattle are solid black cattle that are naturally polled. They are one of the premi-
er carcass breeds and yield a high-quality carcass with nice marbling meat. They are widely
used in crossbreeding programs to improve carcasses. It is a hardy breed able to withstand
harsh winter weather. The breed was developed in Scotland.
Hereford:
Hereford cattle are white-faced cattle with red bodies. The white extends from the
head to between the front legs. The end of the tail (switch) is also white. Most Herefords have
thick, curved horns, but there is a naturally polled strain. They yield a good quality carcass,
