Production Methods - Key PDF

BEEF PRODUCTION! Why do we raise beef? ​ -The main purpose is to produce meat (beef) ​ -Common breeds: Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Limousine, Simmental & Shorthorn Cow-Calf Operations: A cow-calf operation is a method of raising beef cattle in which a farmer or rancher keeps a permanent herd of cow...

BEEF PRODUCTION! Why do we raise beef? ​ -The main purpose is to produce meat (beef) ​ -Common breeds: Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Limousine, Simmental & Shorthorn Cow-Calf Operations: A cow-calf operation is a method of raising beef cattle in which a farmer or rancher keeps a permanent herd of cows to produce calves for later sale. Typically, calves are weaned in the fall or winter and then sent to a stocker operation. Stocker operation: In a stocker operation, cattle are obtained that can range from 200-650 lb. The cattle are customarily purchased after weaning and turned onto pasture to gain weight before being shipped to the feedlot. Feedlot operation: Cattle come into a feedlot weighing about 700 lbs when they enter at about 700 lbs. grain and forage and raised to their slaughter weight of about 1,200 lbs. 1,200 lbs SWINE PRODUCTION: Why do we raise swine? Main reason is meat-pork Six main breeds of swine: Yorkshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Chester White, Landrace and Duroc Gestation Length: 3 months, 3 weeks & 3 days Farrow to Finish: A farrow-to-finish enterprise involves breeding and farrowing sows and feeding the offspring until they reach a market weight of about 280 pounds. The entire production period takes approximately 10 months, with 4 months for breeding and gestation and 6 months to raise the litter to market weight. Farrow to Feeder: A farrow-to-feeder enterprise involves breeding and farrowing sows and then selling the piglets to finishing operations when they weigh 30 to 60 pounds Feeder to Finish: This is where 30-60lbs of pigs are brought in and raised to about 280 - 300 lbs or their finished harvest weight. Goats! Why do we raise goats? We raise them for milk, meat, and hair. Gestation length: 5 months Main breeds: Alpine, Boer, LaMancha, Cashmere, Angora, Nubian, Saaen, Toggenburg, Oberhasli Milk Goats: The eight major dairy goat breeds in the United States are the Saanen, Sable, Nubian, Toggenburg, LaMancha, Oberhasli, Nigerian Dwarf, and Alpine. The lactation period for dairy goats averages 284 days, with peak production usually occurring four to six weeks after kidding. Goats have two teats; WI is the largest dairy goat state in the nation. Meat Goats: Common breeds: Boer, Kiko, Spanish Chevon is meat from goats 55-80 pounds or 6-9 months old. These animals are on pasture or fed grain until they reach the slaughter weight. Fiber or Hair Goats: A goat designated as a fiber goat is a goat whose fleece can produce cashmere or mohair fibers. Sometimes, people refer to a fiber goat as a hair goat. Mohair is coarse and has long fibers. It is used for knitted garments. Cashmere is used in woven garments as the fibers are shorter. The raw fiber harvested from a fiber goat is either the sheared Mohair from an Angora goat or the combed Cashmere from a Cashmere goat (or crossbreed) with the guard hairs removed. Sheep! Why do we raise sheep? Meat - Hair (wool) - Milk Gestation Length: 5 months Common breeds: Southdown, Suffolk, Cheviot, Rambouillet, Hampshire, and Dorset Milk or Dairy Sheep: Dairy sheep produce milk as the essential ingredient in various specialty cheeses such as Feta and Roquefort. Other products, including ice cream and yogurt, are made from sheep milk. Using sheep milk to produce cheese is an ancient practice developed in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. It is a relatively new niche industry in the United States. The market for these specialty cheese products is primarily located on the East and West coasts of the United States. In addition, sheep milk has a lower lactose content than ordinary milk, which makes it more palatable for lactose-intolerant consumers. Specific breeds of dairy sheep include British Milk sheep, East Friesian, Lacaune, and Sarda. The actual number of sheep dairies in the United States is unknown, but estimates range from 75 to 100 producers. Most producers brand their products and market them to meet niche consumer demands. Meat Sheep: Lambs can be marketed at any age and often vary in weight from 120 to 160 pounds depending on the time of year and market conditions. Although the vast majority of ewes lamb in the spring, lambs can be born from September through May. These lambs are usually sold at around 110 pounds and marketed through local auctions, slaughterhouses, brokers, and individuals. Wool Sheep: Raising sheep and lambs and shearing them at least once per year to harvest their wool is a minor part of the industry. The wool is then sold to someone to spin into a usable material or used to make something. Poultry Production: Why do we raise poultry? Meat - Eggs Hatching time: 21 days - chickens Common breeds: New Hampshire Red, Rhode Island Red, Australorp, Leghorn, Orpington, Barred Rock & Silkie Layer chicken house: A laying house is a building for maintaining laying flocks of chickens, containing nests, lighting, roosting space, waterers, and feed troughs. Feeders and waterers may be automatic. Feed storage, egg room, and utility space may be in the largest houses in a center section, with laying-house wings in both directions. Broiler chicken production: A broiler is any chicken bred and raised specifically for meat production. Most commercial broilers reach slaughter weight between four and seven weeks, although slower-growing breeds reach slaughter weight at approximately 14 weeks. Typical broilers have white feathers and yellowish skin. Hatchery operation: A hatchery is a place where bird eggs are hatched. Small poultry hatcheries produce chicks that are usually sold to backyard farmers. Larger poultry hatcheries are on a larger scale, supplying chickens for meat or eggs to larger farms. Horses Why do we raise horses? Pleasure - Race - Work Common breeds: Quarterhorse, Throughourbred, Percharon, Clysedale and Abrian Gestation length: 11 months Pleasure horses: A pleasure horse is a privately kept horse maintained for pleasure or casual riding rather than competition or work. Some horse owners choose to show their pleasure horses in competitions that showcase their good manners and gaits, typically in a division with other pleasure horses, such as Western Pleasure or English Pleasure. Racing horses: These are high-quality genetic horses that are raised specifically for running races. They are trained and have special diets to help them win or reach their goals. The racehorse industry is complex to get into and requires a lot of money to be involved in. Draft Horses: Draft horse breeds are bred to be strong enough to pull heavy loads, such as those used for logging, plowing, and hauling hitches.