Most times, ruminant farmers will always want to find out which is better between allowing the ruminant animals to graze on their own and providing feeds for them in a confinement. This depends on the purpose for which you are raising them, ruminants which are raised for fattening purposes only are hardly allowed to graze because it is believed that the energy used in grazing will be conserved and converted to muscles. Also, some farmers do not allow their animals to graze in an attempt to avoid the risks involved…
In order to get the most out of livestock you must always give animals enough good feed and clean water. Good feed is high in nutrients and provides everything that the body needs in order for the animal to grow and reproduce. Inadequate nutrition is a major cause of low live-weight gains, infertility and low milk yields and other health issues in animals. Ruminant animals have a stomach that is composed of four compartments – reticulum, rumen, omasum and abomasum. The rumen serves as a large fermentation vat in which…
From a vacant plot in a blighted neighborhood springs neatly combed rows of plants put in by the neighbors. They meticulously care for this small piece of land and among the drab looking buildings sprouts a patch of green. Cultivating the land may have started as a way to unite a neighborhood; to give pride to place, or it might be the project of a local high school to teach land stewardship. The urban agriculture phenomenon has grown over the years for many reasons, each specific to the plot of…
The average lactation period for a dairy goat is 290-305 days. The full sized breeds can produce 6-8 pounds or 3 to 4 quarts of milk per day during their lactation. Dwarf breeds, such as the Nigerian Dwarf produce around 1 to 2 quarts per day if they are from good milking lines. Fat in goat milk tends to be higher than that of cow milk depending on the breed. Saanens generally produce a milk with 3-4% butter fat, similar to cow’s milk. Dwarfs produce a milk with a higher…
Spacing, pollination, training, pruning and fertilizing fruit trees give fruit trees the best chance to produce a bountiful crop. Flower buds form one season, then result in a fruit crop the following season. So, everything you do to care for your fruit trees will effect next year’s crop. Sunlight will encourage optimal fruit flavor and quality, as well as bud development. The correct training will open up a tree canopy to sunlight and air circulation, both of which are essential to making fruit trees produce. Plant fruit trees in the…
