Animal Production

1. Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Animal Production Small Acreage Animal Production Overview Adapted version of presentation by R. Battaglia AVS, University of Idaho

2. Small Acreage Animal Management Considerations • Marketing • Animal of choice • Temperament choice • Site suitability • Zoning restrictions • Facilities required • Intent of enterprise • Source of animals • Nutrition • Feeds and Feeding

3. Considerations continued… • Pasture & grazing system • Animal health • Reproduction • Transport requirements • Legal issues • Waste management • Dead animal disposal • Financial planning • Capital budget • Operating cash • Time commitment

4. Types of Livestock Enterprises • True “production” operation • Service operation • Boarding • Pheasant hunting • Horse drawn sleighrides

5. Temperament Match • Type “A” or type “B” • Large stature or small stature • Physical or cerebral • Young or more mature

6. Site Type/Suitability & Zoning Restrictions • Site size • Animal requirements • Site suitability • Zone class/restrictions

7. Intent of Enterprise • Is it a “hobby”? • Can be a wonderful idea, great pastime • Is it “for profit”? • Can take all the fun out of it • Tax ramifications are complex! • Tax preparers will make a profit

8. Marketing Sine qua non That which without there is nothing else

9. Source of Animals • Private treaty breeders • Established • Short-term • Production sales • Liquidation sales • Sale barns • Livestock markets

10. Nutritional Requirements • One of the operational cornerstones • Documented requirements • Energy – total digestible nutrients • Protein – total and digestible • Minerals – macro & micro • Vitamins • Water

11. Feedstuffs • Cereals (grains) • Milling by-products • Liquids (i.e. molasses) • Roots and tubers • Fats and oils • Miscellaneous plant and animal products

12. Feeds and Feeding • Forages – fresh, dry, ensiled • Concentrates – grains, supplements • Minerals – salt/mineral mix • Vitamins – not always necessary to add • Water • Some good “rules of thumb”

13. Feeds and FeedingRules of Thumb • Pasture, hays, silages, aftermath • When green and growing, can provide it all • When mature and dry, some energy - filler • 2 to 50 ac pasture/A UM, depending… • Legume pasture will provide carbohydrates and protein • Grass pasture will provide CHO, but will short CHON earlier • Provide plenty of water

14. continued… • Legume and grass hays @ 50-55% TDN • Legume hays @ 14-22% TP • Grass hays @ 10-14% TP • Grass and legume hays are calcium sources • Provide 2-3% BW with no concern

15. continued… • Grains provide 75-85 TDN • Most grains will provide 8-10%TP • Grains are good sources of phosphorus • Non-lactating animals – ½% BW • Can overfeed grains • Founder, enterotoxemia

16. Animal of Choice • Type • Are you going to be traditional or “exotic” • Breed • Networking or stand-alone • Product Marketability

17. Diet and Nutrition - Swine • Naturally omnivorous • Monogastric – less ability to digest complex carbohydrates and fiber • Require certain essential amino acids • Large operations – highly fortified grain based diets

18. Diet and Nutrition - Poultry • Lots of variations due to types of poultry • Limiting essential amino acids • Essential vitamins • Corn and soybeans are the major source of protein, U.S.

19. Diet and Nutrition - Beef Cattle • Ruminants • Grazed forages • Hay • Supplemental grains

20. Diet and Nutrition - Sheep • Ruminants • Grazed forages • Hay • Fat lambs – supplemental grains/feeds MAY be supplied

21. Diet and Nutrition - Goats • Ruminants • Prefer fresh, clean, and previously untouched feed. • Eat a better balanced diet if offered better feed to select from. • Browsers, not grazers • Can utilize grain

22. Animal Health Program • No short cuts • Driven by region and locale • Veterinary assisted • Preventative and emergency

23. Health Concerns • Size of area – proper spacing for animals • Health care may be proportionally more costly due to smaller number of animals • Preventative health care is key • Healthy living conditions – access to appropriate feed, water, exercise and fresh air is critical.

24. Common concerns for all animals • Confinement or free range • Organic, natural or conventional • Availability of vaccines or medicines (also effective preventative medicines) • Management can make a big difference • Veterinarian relationship

25. Specific health concerns • Poultry • Coccidiosis • Dietary diseases • Sheep • Not a lot of sheep specific medications/vaccines

26. Reproduction • Makes or breaks a production unit • Livestock “cycle” through periods of estrus or “heat • Mostly, livestock are seasonally polyestrus • You must learn to manage this phenomenon

27. Transportation Requirements • Can be a huge investment • Cannot be “borrowed” every time

28. Legal Issues – Selling, Processing, Butchering • As hard as it is to accept, you may be told what you can and cannot do, at your own operation

29. Waste Management and Dead Animal Disposal • These must be done promptly and to the letter of the law

30. Manure Management Concerns • Contamination, especially of water (surface and ground) • Odor • Pests • Disease concerns – i.e. pneumonia in confinement pigs due to high levels of ammonia

31. Manure Management • Application to fields • Spreading on fields • Irrigation application • Avoid spreading unwanted organisms, weeds, etc. • Composting

32. Financial Planning, Capital Budget, Operating Cash • Great idea, if hobby enterprise; essential, if this is “for profit” • Lifestyle decision are being made… • The operating “line” will be greater than you think…

33. Time Commitment • Think “24-7, 365 days a year…” • Labor of love… • Lifestyle commitment…