Basic Livestock Needs In Tennessee Beginning Farmer Workshop
Live where you farm Not farm where you Live!
Basic Livestock Needs The animals of the farm should be regarded as living factories that are continuously converting their feed into products useful to man. Henry and Morrison In Feeds and Feeding
Basic Livestock Needs Whether or not to keep livestock Most animals require space that can usually be more profitably utilized by other means Will livestock benefit my overall farm business objectives Do I have the financial resources to devote to developing livestock production
Basic Livestock Needs Can livestock be kept on my property. Review property deed Check with city and county zoning ordinances Does the community/development I live in have livestock restrictions Do I have enough land to adequately raise livestock
Basic Livestock Needs Get to know your livestock needs Land/fencing requirements www.tnfarmbureau.org/.../2016/05/tn-fence</ Shelter requirements Handling equipment requirements Feed/water
Basic Livestock Needs Get to know your livestock needs.. Feed/Water Gestation Birth to market time frame How different animals are priced
Cattle Needs Land Fencing Shelter Feed 2.5 acres per 1000 pound animal Perimeter and cross-fencing Some maybe needed for young or sick animals Consume 2.5% of body weight daily on dry matter basis
Cattle Needs Water Handling Equipment Consume 5-15 gallons per day per animal (must be clean and easily accessible) Must have for safety of animals and handlers, easier to maintain herd health with the right equipment
Cattle Needs Gestation Length 283 days (9 months) Birth to weaning 7 to 8 months (500-600 lbs.) Weaning to finish 18 to 22 months of age (1200-1400 lbs.)
Cattle Needs Additional Beef Cattle Resources UT Cow/Calf Budgets UT Fencing Budgets UT Beef and Forage Center http://utbfc.utk.edu/
Horse Needs Land Fence Shelter 2.5 acres per 1000 pound animal Safe perimeter and crossfencing (for optimal pasture utilization) Structure will vary on price and design (protection from the weather elements)
Horse Needs Feed Water Handling Equipment Consume 2.5% of body weight daily on dry matter basis Consume 5-15 gallons per day (easily available and clean) Vary with breed and how the horse will be used (pleasure/work)
Horse Needs Gestation Length Approximately 11 months Birth to Weaning Approximately 6 months Typically 17 months between breeding and sale of foal
Horse Needs Additional Horse Resources https://extension.tennessee.edu/pages/anr- CED-Livestock-and-Forage-Systems-Horse- Programs.aspx
Sheep and Goats
Sheep and Goats Sheep Wool Sheep Haired Sheep Sheep and Goats Require intense management to be successful Learn the markets and ethnic holidays to take advantage of the best marketing opportunities
Sheep and Goats Needs Land Fence Guard Dogs Approximately 5 animals per 2.5 acres of pasture Quality perimeter and crossfencing (promotes better pasture management) Maybe needed to protect sheep and goats from wild predators
Sheep and Goat Needs Shelter Feed Water Needs vary, lambing/kidding season, protection from inclement weather Consume 2.5% of body weight per day based on dry matter Range of 1-2 gallons per day need fresh clean water
Sheep and Goat Needs Gestation Length Approximately 150 days, twins are common Weaning Age 3 months Lambs and Kids will be marketed at vary weights and age depending on the end user needs
Sheep and Goat Needs Additional Resources for Small Ruminants https://extension.tennessee.edu/pages/anr- CED-Livestock-and-Forage-Systems-Small- Ruminant-Progrms.aspx http://www.tnstate.edu/extension/goat landing.aspx UT Beef and Forage Center http://utbfc.utk.edu
Poultry Chickens, Ducks, Geese and Turkeys Offer a great way to introduce yourself to raising livestock Minimal financial investment Minimal time investment Smaller land and shelter requirements verse other livestock alternatives Marketing alternatives for both meat and eggs
Poultry Needs Land Fencing and Shelter Varies with the species Need to be protected from a variety of predators and weather elements Feed Chickens are very efficient consumers of feed (can be as low as two lbs of feed for every lbs of gain
Poultry Needs Water Consume 6 gals/day/100birds Need access to clean fresh water Handling Equipment Egg laying Meat production
Poultry Needs Addition Resources for Poultry http://poultry.ces.ncsu.edu/small-flockmanagement-resources/
Requirements of Swine
Requirements of Swine Hog production is well adapted to specialized or diversified types of farming. Hogs can be raised on small or large farms, in small or large numbers. They make excellent use of pasture, but can be produced profitably in confinement.
Requirements of Swine Land-Pasture raised growing hogs: Pen raised growing hogs: Fencing: 20-30 Growing hogs per acre on full feed Growing hogs require 10-15 square feet of space per animal Fencing requirements will vary depending on the type of confinement practice
Requirements of Swine Water: Feed: Hogs will drink about two times as much water as feed, (Water weighs 8.3 lb./gal). Finishing hogs will consume approximately eight lbs. of feed per day
Hog Production Phases Production Phase Breeding and gestation of producing female: Birth to breeding age: Gestation: Birth-Litter size: Length of Time 15 Weeks 32 Weeks 16 Weeks 8-9 Newborn pigs every 6 months
Hog Production Phases Production Phase Weaning: Nursery-Growing- Backgrounding: Finishing Length of Time 2-3 Weeks 6 Weeks 16-20 Weeks, Reaching the desired weight, from 240-270 pounds
Resources Resource: Rebekah Norman, Montgomery Extension Director Bundy, C., Diggins, R., & Christenson, V. Livestock and Poultry Production. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc.,