raising
How to Tube Feed a Calf
Add to Favorites By Heather Smith Thomas – There are times you must get fluid into a newborn calf that needs colostrum or a sick calf that needs fluid and …
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Dairy Sheep – Consider Icelandic Sheep
What struck me right away when my first Icelandic sheep lambed were the similarities that these sheep had with dairy goats. I had a commercial goat dairy in years past and these ewe lamb mothers had udders that would be respectable for a good milking dairy goat.
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Cold Weather Tips for Raising Hogs for Meat
Cold weather requires some planning for any homesteader raising hogs for meat. In the area of proper nutrition, thought and extra effort must be given to available supplies of fresh ice-free water at all times for all classes of hogs—the piglet, the weanling, growing/finishing, gestating and the lactating sow.
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7 Pasture Pig Breeds for the Small Farm
Add to Favorites Raising pasture pig breeds is talked about frequently in farming discussions. Not too far back in agrarian history, pasture pig breeds were more common. Keeping a few …
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Straw Vs Hay: What’s the Difference?
Add to Favorites When it comes to straw vs hay for your backyard chickens and livestock, there are definite advantages to each. We raise horses and ducks on our small …
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Valais Blacknose Coming to the U.S.
Add to Favorites By Alan Harman Originating from Switzerland, Valais Blacknose are a world heritage breed with an estimated global population of just 13,000 or 14,000, verging on an endangered …
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Finnsheep are the Perfect Fiber Animals
Add to Favorites By Mary O’Malley, Honeysuckle Farm johnandmaryomalley@yahoo.com An ancient variety, Finnsheep are both meat- and wool-yielding animals. Finnish sheep characteristics have been bred for thousands of years. Stentorp—the farm …
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Cattle Handling 101: Play it Safe
Add to Favorites By Heather Smith Thomas – Most accidents with cattle handling occur when people don’t understand cattle behavior and are in the wrong place at the wrong time, …
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Dairy Farming Project Advice from Dairy Farm Owners
What makes a farmer decide to begin a dairy farming project? For some, it is a strong history. The early mornings milking the herd, processing the milk for sale, and cleaning the barn lend a known rhythm to daily life.
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Ballast: The Tractor Tire Fluids Rundown
Add to Favorites Since the day tractor manufacturers moved from steel wheel traction to tire on wheel configurations, farmers have added tractor tire fluids to their equipment to add traction …
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Raising Sheep for Meat – Flavor-Based Success
Add to Favorites By Alan Harman – Raising sheep for meat that are from the “land of fire and ice,” Barb Gunness’ flock of Icelandic sheep are right at home …
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14 Ways to Cut Costs on the Sheep Farm
Here are 14 cost-cutting and time-saving suggestions for the sheep farm. With spiraling feed costs and unpredictable fuel prices, flockmasters raising sheep for profit are seeking ways to operate their flocks more profitably and efficiently.
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Pack Conflicts: Causes and Solutions
Add to Favorites By Brenda M. Negri, Cinco Deseos Ranch LGD’s – Running a very large (20+) pack of livestock guardian dDogs (LGD) for several years now, I’ve observed and learned what …
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Natural Pest Control for Gardens and Farmsteads
Add to Favorites By John Blum – An “ecosystem” can be very large or very small. The (ecological) system needed to support a colony of bacteria may be a pound of …
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How to Get Rid of Rats
Add to Favorites By Cynthia Smith (Veterinarian in Washington) – I hate rats. I hate the way they dig dirty holes in my nice clean barns. I hate the squishy way …
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