Growing Your Agricultural Business With the Right Tools

Raising Cattle: Five Tips

12 July 2018 by Clayton James

Raising cattle is an unusual but rewarding pasttime or income-producing activity. As you acclimate to this new aspect of farming, use these cattle-raising suggestions.

Get Livestock Panels

Panels will be necessary for letting your cattle outdoors. Whether you separate them in any way or allow them all to graze together, ensuring they're enclosed and can't wander off the property is important. See-through steel panels are best, as you can clearly see the animals, and they're not as affected by weather conditions as lumber panels can be. 

Unlike fences, portable livestock panels can be moved. Therefore, if a grassy area starts to look too well-traveled, you can move grazing grounds to another location.

Once you've got the panels, consider applying a sealant and painting them. Sealants can slow corrosion so that the panels don't rust over and break down prematurely, while paint can liven up the panels and make them look more attractive.

Try Solar Pumps

The existing water supply may work for the basics, but if you'd like to build a shed for cattle in a new place or would rather not have to carry water buckets over long distances, solar pumps make life easier. They can be set at different points throughout the property, such as in a pond, and water can be pumped into enclosures and other places.

Hire Experienced Workers

While you're new to raising cattle, your workers should absolutely not be until you've been in business a while. Experienced workers can teach you and have ideas for better animal care that they've learned over the years.

Schedule Vet Care

Don't wait until cows are pregnant or sick to monitor their health. Scheduled vet visits are vital to the good spirits of the cattle and your own livestock investments. Even if vets don't find anything wrong, making sure the vet is familiar to your cattle will put the animals at ease when they see the vet for vaccinations, illnesses or other reasons.

Plan for Emergencies

When you've got a family emergency or a natural disaster happens, where will your cows go? This should be a primary concern, even if you don't anticipate those problems. Workers might be available to take charge when you can't do cattle duties, but if a hurricane or another weather event happens, a real plan is essential. Check with other farmers about how these situations are typically handled.

Raising cattle takes some learning, but these livestock suggestions make it simpler. Talk with equipment suppliers like Big Springs Equipment, vets and other farmers for more help.

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