Backyard Cattle Fattening

How to Raise Cattle in the Backyard
BDPH February 1, 2017

Backyard cattle fattening has gained popularity as an important business project of the livestock
industry in the Philippines. Raising cattle in the backyard gives the farmer year-round work and
provides him with extra income.
How to Raise Cattle

Types of Cattle Raising
1. Cow-Calf Operation
2. Breeder Farm Operation
3. Growing-Fattening Operation
Cow-calf Operation
Cows and bulls are raised to produce calves in this type of operation. Calves are then raised
until they are weaned from their dams at seven to eight months of age. After weaning, they can
be sold immediately, or raised for a few more months for use as replacement stocks or sold for
fattening.
The cow-calf operation is considered most challenging because the producer needs to be
familiar with the reproductive
phenomena, as well as the breeding and feeding systems. He should also be knowledgeable on
the management practices involved in the production and maintenance of cows, bulls, and
calves. A good animal health program should also be observed to minimize mortality and ensure
the productivity of the animals.
Breeder Farm Operation
The main interest of the raisers is to produce animals for breeding purposes. Thus, the calves
are raised until they are ready for breeding, provided they passed the selection criteria.
Since the main output of a breeder farm is quality breeding animals, a large herd is necessary
for the selection of the replacement stocks. Purebred animals are usually utilized in this project.
The breeder farm can be maintained in the ranch, in complete confinement, or integrated with
plantation and forest trees. The farm requires a number of animal stock, a big farm, and a big
capital.
Growing-Fattening Operation
Growing-fattening operation is the most popular type of cattle raising in the Philippines. It
requires simple facilities and level of management. The project is also shorter and the return of
investment is relatively higher than the cow-calf operation.
Growing cattle can be raised through grazing or cut-and-carry feeding. Thus, it needs little
capital so it can be managed by small-hold cattle raisers.
On the other hand, the fattening or finishing stage is usually done intensively or in confinement.
The animals are kept within an area so that the feeds given to them are utilized to develop their
tissues.
Guide in Selecting Stocks Based on Physical Appearance

Selecting Cows and Heifers for Breeding
* Milking ability and feminity
Mild maternal face with bright and alert eyes, good disposition, and quiet temperament.
An udder of good size and shape. An udder that is soft, flexible, and spongy to the touch, not
fleshlike and hard, is expected to secrete more milk.
* Age
In general, beef cows remain productive for 13 years if they start calving at three years of age.
They are most productive from four to eight years of age.
* Breeding ability and ancestry
Cows that calve regularly are desirable. Calves from cows that do not take on flesh readily do
not give much profit. In buying heifers for foundation stock, select those which belong to
families which have regularly produced outstanding calves.
* Types and conformation
An ideal cow has a rectangular frame. Should be of medium width between the thurls and pins
to have necessary frame on which to hang profitable beef. The rump must be long and smooth.
Selecting a Bull
* Physical appearance
A fairly good middle or barrel indicates a well-developed digestive system and healthy vital
organs such as the heart, liver, and lungs. Likewise, a full heart girth, broad muzzle, large
nostrils, muscular checks and jaw, well-rounded thighs, and a full loin, make up a good
constitution. A bull with these qualities is desirable.
The legs of a bull should be strong enough to carry its own weight and to carry him around to
look for cows that are in heat and to search for food when necessary. Successful mating of
cows is insured when a bull has strong legs.
* Sex character
Well-developed sex organs are characterized by fully descended testicles, deep wide chest, and
broad head. These qualities indicate virility and good reproduction.
Selecting Cattle for Fattening
* Age
Young animals have striking advantages over older cattle. They need less feed for every unit
gain in weight because they can masticate and ruminate thoroughly and can consume more
feed in proportion to their body weight. Their increase in weight is due partly to the growth of
muscles and vital organs. In older cattle the increase is largely due to fat deposits.
On the other hand, older animals as feeder stock also have advantages. Generally, a two-year
old steer will require a shorter feeding period than a calf or a yearling because the latter grows
while it fattens. Calves are choosy when given coarse and stemmy roughage, while two-year
old steers utilize large quantities of roughage to produce fat primarily because they have a
better capacity to digest. In most cases, they readily relish the feeds ordinarily rejected by the
calves.
*Disposition
An active yet mild, quiet, and easily-handled steer usually grows fast and fattens easily.
Restless, nervous, and erratic cattle waste too much energy when they panic even at the
slightest provocation.
* Constitution and vigor
These are determined by the size and quality of the vital organs. A large feeding capacity,
strong appetite; a large heart girth; well-sprung ribs; and a wide, deep, and full chest show
good constitution and vigor.
*Sex
Generally, more steers than heifers are available for fattening because some heifers must be
retained as herd replacements. If fed for the same period of time, steers gain about 10 percent
faster than heifers and require 10 to 15 percent less feeds with equal weight gain. On the other
hand, young bulls have 20 percent greater gain in live-weight and require 22 percent less feed
to produce a leaner carcass which is nearly of the same quality as
that of steers.
* Health considerations
A healthy animal is active and has a soft and smooth hair-coat. The eyes are bright and the
muzzle is usually moist. Special attention should be given to unsoundness and defects in
conformation when selecting feeders. Animals that are blind, lame, or with crooked legs should
be avoided. Those with rough skin and evidence of ectoparasite should also be avoided.
Feeding Management Practices
* Feed animals daily with concentrate one to two kilograms per day during fattening period.
Give roughage daily at 3% of body weight if given air dry or 14% if given fresh.
* Give clean water without limit or ad libitum. Provide ordinary table salt about 30-50 grams per
head per day.
* Give the animals fresh, palatable feed and clean water at all times. Reduction of feed intake
by 5 percent will reduce weight gain by 10 percent. Do not overstock feeds in the feedbunk
since the bottom portion will develop heat and make the feed stale.
* Mix feed properly. Have at least 15-20 percent roughage in feed to prevent bloat and other
digestive disorders.
* During rainy days, cattle will eat more during the daytime. During summer, they will eat more
at night and during the cooler hours. Provide enough feeds during these periods.
* Digestion will be more efficient if roughage is eaten separately from concentrates. Roughage
consumption tends to stimulate saliva secretion up to as much as 80-120 liters per day.
* Providing 12-14 inches of bunk space per head will allow cattle to eat slowly.
* Schedule manure removal. If allowed to remain with the animals, deep, wet manure will
reduce both feed intake and weight gain.
Management of Calves, Growers, and Fatteners
Calves
Calves should suckle colostrum milk from their mother within three hours after calving. A calf
that has not suckled five to six hours after calving should be led to his mother’s udder. During
bad weathers, weak calves should be taken to the barn with the mother. However, orphaned
calves may be raised to cow’s milk or milk replacers. Calves should be given concentrates at an
early age for faster growth.
Growers
Growers are weaned yearlings which are not to be fattened immediately. They are handled in
such a way that maximum growth is achieved at the lowest possible cost. The growing period
starts from weaning to fattening or replacement stage. Growers are usually maintained in the
pasture with very little attention; they are given salt and mineral supplements. If raised in
confinement, concentrates should be given in addition to grass or roughage.
Fatteners
Fatteners require a shorter period to reach slaughter weight. They are generally bigger, mature,
or nearing maturity. However, one and a half to two year-old animals weighing 200 to 300 kg
are preferred. They may be fattened either in feedlot, on pasture, or in both areas.
Cattle Housing System
Proper housing is important in successful cattle fattening operation. Adequately protect animals
against the adverse effects of weather when they are raised in relatively small areas. Animals in
backyard cattle farms are usually tethered along roadsides and in backyards during the day and
confined in a shed or corral at night. The permanent type of housing consisting of GI roofing,
timber frames, concrete floor, feed trough and water troughs are used in most farms. The
shelter is open-sided and is located near the farmer’s house or under the shade trees. Building
height ranges from 1.79 to 1.9 meters while the width varies from 2.1 to 2.7 meters. Each
animal can be allocated with 1.5 to 4.5 sq. meters.
A fenced loafing area beside the goat house must be provided (100 to 150 sqm/250 head),
complete with feeding racks and water troughs to allow animals to loaf freely. Flooring of the
area must be cemented to facilitate drying. Cogon and nipa as roof materials are preferred in
hot and humid areas.
Ventilation is of outmost importance. Majority of pneumonia cases can be traced to excessively
warm and humid interior and sudden changes in temperature. Allow a 0.5 to 1 feet clearance
between floor to wall and wall to beam to create an adequate circulation and to lower draft. It
is desirable to maintain an interior temperature of 28 to 30°C. It has been established that
above 30°C ruminants are inhibited from eating.
Lighting may also be provided in the barns during the night. Goats consume up to 30% of the
day’s intake during the night when light is provided.
Other Options:
Cow-Calf Operation
Cow-calf operation in small-hold farms is usually done using simple methods and facilities. The
animals are usually tethered during the day and kept inside the shed during the night. The shed
is built from native materials like wood and bamboo for frames and enclosures; nipa and cogon
for roofings. Feeding and watering troughs can also be made out of locally available materials
such as used tires, used and halved drums. The shed is usually built near the house of the
farmer.
Fattening Operation
In this type of operation, the animals are raised in individual stalls with a space about 1.5 m x 4
m/head. Each stall can accommodate one animal during the entire fattening period. The shed is
built three meters high to allow good ventilation. Bamboo, lumber, or ipil-ipil poles can be used
for frames; nipa or cogon for roofing materials although galvanized iron roofing may be used
for durability.
Concrete and sand should be used as flooring to prevent mud from accumulating. This will
facilitate cleaning.
Marketing
Current marketing system of beef cattle is now becoming efficient especially in areas where
there is a livestock auction market.
However, a number of middlemen are still involved in the system, thus creating a little
complex marketing channel. In areas where there is no livestock auction market, the usual
channel of distribution is set up in this order: barrio agents, shippers, Manila-based buyers, and
meat retailers.
Marketing efficiency can be improved by reducing the number of stages in market channels.
This can done by encouraging direct selling from producers to butcher-retailers or processors.
Some marketing tips:
* Be aware of the current market price of livestock.
* Do not let buyers into your herd and do their picking. Select marketable animals and let the
buyers choose from them.
* Sell your animals on a per-weight basis rather than on a per head basis.
* Dispose all marketable animals readily. There is no advantage in keeping disposable animals.
They will just compete with other fatteners and feeders for available feed supply and other
facilities on the farm.
* Do not market sick animals.
Sources: bar.gov.ph, DA–ATI
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How to Raise Cattle in the Backyard

BDPH February 1, 2017

How to Raise Cattle

Guide in Selecting Stocks Based on Physical Appearance

Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/2386/how-to-raise-cattle-in-

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