Books and Articles by Nikki Royer

Whether you’re new to raising cattle or have questions about your current herd, there is a lot to learn and remember about these amazing four-legged (and four-stomached) creatures. This cheat sheet focuses on some of the key areas that are part of a successful and enjoyable cattle rearing experience, including Determining what you want to accomplish by raising cattle Deciding whether you have what is needed to safely and humanely raise cattle Preparing your farm and facilities for cattle Caring for your cattle’s behavioral, nutritional, and health needs Evaluating ways to make money with cattle Know Why You Want to Raise Cattle Why do you want to raise cattle?

Sure, you can provide your beef cattle with medical care when it gets sick or hurt, but preventing disease and injury in the first place is even better. Practice the following measures to keep niggling beef cattle concerns from morphing into big problems: Provide a stress-free environment for your animals. Stress makes any living creature more susceptible to disease, and beef cattle are no exception.

When raising beef cattle, you want to start off on the right hoof by selecting healthy animals and by making their transition to their new home as smooth as possible. Consider these pointers when getting started on your bovine adventure: Prepare your facilities before bringing home your first beef cattle. Your cattle need grazing areas with a good perimeter fence (either six-strand high-tensile or, at minimum, a 4-foot high woven wire), a strong pen or corral, a shelter, and clean loafing and eating areas.