7630_NewLivestockFarmer

Contents Foreword ix Acknowledgments xiii Introduction 1 1: The Meat Landscape 5 2: Poultry Production 19 3: Sheep and Goat Production 51 4: Pig Production 75 5: Cattle Production 103 6: Exotics: Rabbits, Bison, Elk, and Deer 129 7: Regulations 151 8: Sales Outlets and Market Options 165 9: Slaughtering and Butchering Logistics 209 10: On-Farm and Mobile Processing 229 11: Packaging, Labeling, and Cold Storage 241 12: Principled Marketing 255 13: Financial Management, Pricing, and Other Business Essentials 273 Appendix A: Simple Farm Biosecurity Tips Appendix B: Meat and Poultry Processing Rules Appendix C: Sample Cutting Instructions References Index

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The New Livestock Farmer

The brooder setup at Afton Field Farm. Courtesy of Alicia Jones

Dry bedding and warm lights in the brooder at Afton Field Farm. Courtesy of Alicia Jones �1�

The New Livestock Farmer A grassfed Beefmaster cow showing excellent body condition on Lasater Ranch, Colorado. Courtesy of Kendra Kimbirauskas

Grassfed cows with their calves at Afton Field Farm. Courtesy of Alicia Jones

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C h a p t e r 3 ……

Sheep and Goat Production Sheep and goats can benefit the farm by harvesting weeds and clearing brush. They can add diversity to your existing markets, and they are easy to sell direct because of their small carcass

size, although not necessarily for a good price.

They can also be really fun and entertaining or a total pain in the rear depending on your personality and patience and how well you set up your

D e f i n i t ions AI artificial insemination of semen into the oviduct of an animal; used in lieu of natural breeding for a variety of reasons Anthelmintics drugs or plants that stun or kill worms, commonly referred to as a “dewormer” Buck a male goat over 1 year of age Buckling a male goat less than a year old Caprids mammals in the Caprinae subfamily, which includes goats and sheep Doe a female goat over 1 year of age Doeling a female goat less than a year old Ewe a female sheep at least a year old Ewe lamb a female sheep less than one year old, sometimes called a “eweling”

Flock a group of goats or sheep Jug small pens to temporarily confine a ewe and her lambs to facilitate bonding Kid a baby goat of either sex Lamb a young sheep (usually less than 14 months old) Ram an intact male sheep at least a year old Ram lamb an intact male sheep less than a year old, sometimes called a “ramling” Sheep a mature ovine of at least 1 year of age, either sex Wether a castrated male (sheep or goat) Yearling a sheep between 1 and 2 years of age, still used for meat

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The New Livestock Farmer Table 3.1. Characteristics of Different Sheep and Goat Breeds Breed

Size, Optimal finish weight

Production model Strengths most suited for

Challenges

Kiko goat

large, 100 lbs

meat

• low maintenance • fast growth • good mothers • performance-based breed

• hard to find genetics • expensive

Boer goat

large, 100–120 lbs

meat

• fast-growing • good for cross-breeding

• low parasite resistance • more seasonal breeders

Spanish goat

medium, 60 lbs

meat

• hardy • can be raised on poor-quality rangelands

• can be scrawny • large variability in size

Myotonic or Fainting goat

medium, 60 lbs

meat, but also pet trade

• easier on fences • can fall over (“faint”) • extended breeding season when stressed

Savanna goat

large, 100–120 lbs

meat

• hardy • harder to find genetics • more parasite resistant than Boer goats than Boers • can be expensive • extended breeding season • prolific

Dorper (hair sheep)

medium, 100 lbs

meat

• polled • mild flavor • don’t need to dock tails, no shearing needed

• slower growing than wool breeds

Katahdin (hair sheep)

medium, 100 lbs

meat

• normally polled • high parasite resistance • less seasonal for breeding • good mothering abilities • don’t need to dock tails • no shearing needed

• slower growing than wool breeds • low flocking instinct, so not well suited to extensive production

farm to deal with their behavior. From a consumer standpoint, buying an entire lamb or goat is not as cumbersome, nor as expensive, as an entire pig or steer. They are also a great standalone enterprise for smaller farms because they require less land, infrastructure, and investment while producing a variety of products such as meat, wool, hides, milk, and grazing services.

Goats and sheep are easy to haul and don’t require a lot of equipment to get started. Because they usually have multiple births they offer a

fast return on investment and a ewe can raise lambs whose weaning weight will equal her own within a year. Goats and sheep grow, mature, and reproduce quickly. For cattle ranchers interested in multi-species grazing, one ewe and her offspring can be added for every cow without lowering the stocking rate.

We will discuss sheep and goats together since they are very similar and belong to the same subfamily, the Caprinae. Where there are differences, though, we will point them out.

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