Raising Beef Cattle - 5 Top Considerations Before You Start To Raise Cattle

Those interested in growing and raising beef
cattle on their acreage can find this very
rewarding.  Hence, before you roll up your
sleeves and run out and by a whole passel of
cattle, there are a few things you should
consider first. Be informed, however, so
that you do not become involved in an enterprise
that you have little knowledge of or that is not
economical. 

1) Location: One of the first things to consider
is if the location is compatible with the
community. Is the property zoned for large
animal space? How many animals can you have? How
will neighbors react to the project?

2) The Human Resource: You and your family may
gain a lot of satisfaction from keeping cattle.
Children can benefit from the added
responsibility and families can be strengthened
as they work together. However, the project will
require a commitment of time. Even when cattle
are on pasture they need to be observed daily to
make sure that they have adequate feed and water
and to assure that they are healthy

3) Facilities: Yep, you read that right. You
can't raise beef cows in a barn - they need room
to graze. To be exact, a cow needs about two
acres of good pasture. In some areas, such as
out west where the pasture is really more like
dessert, a cow will need as much as 40 acres. So
the first thing you should consider is how many
cows you can have based on the amount of land
you have. If you get too many cows on your land,
you'll have to buy hay for them even during the
summertime.

4) Health Management: Cattle are susceptible to
a variety of diseases. Good planning and
management, along with use of common vaccines
and pharmaceuticals will usually enable your
cattle to avoid most disease problems. Find a
local veterinarian who includes cattle in their
practice and consult with that practitioner
about a herd health program, based on your type
of enterprise, prior to your obtaining any
cattle.

5) Sources: As with any purchase it is important
that you get value for your money. If you are
uncertain about how to purchase a beef animal
then it would be best to deal with someone who
is ethical and understands this side of the
business. This could include a family member,
friend, neighbor, local farmer or County Agent.
The idea is to not go into a purchase with
little or no information or background.

Cattle can be purchased directly from beef
producers with the price based on local market
conditions. The local market is established
primarily in commodity markets many miles away
from where you live. These are then modified for
each specific region of the country based on
transportation costs to markets and local
conditions. These local conditions could be such
variables as abundance of feedstuffs, moisture
conditions and supply and demand. Markets will
change through the seasons and from year to
year.

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Raising beef cattle can enhance the quality of
life and provide great joy and responsibility
for families. Explore your options and then
decide. If you would like more tips on how to
raise cattle, please visit:
http://www.howtoraisecattle.com

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