GUIDELINE IN REARING BEEF CATTLE

PURPOSE

• To produce meat

• To increase the income either main income or additional income

Rearing of beef cattle is much easier if compare with dairy cattle. Income will be produced if the cattle were sold, slaughtered or for breeding purposes.

BREED

The types of breed that usually reared are:-

• Kedah Kelantan (K-K)

• Friesian-Sahiwal Cross (Mafriwal)

• Local Indian Dairy (LID)

• Droughtmaster

• Brahman

MANAGEMENT

• Free Grazing
  The cattle are free to graze in their own grazing area or along the roadside.   This type of management are not advisable.

• Intensive or feedlotting
  The cattle are always in the barns and provided with sufficient of quality food and clean water. The feed are either grass or pellet or mixed of this two. The amount given every day are at the rate of 3 - 5 % dry matter of the cattle body weight.   Grass will be given during the day and at night pellet will be given.

• Semi Intensive
  This type of management is suitable and practical in Malaysia.. The cattle are free to graze during the fixed period. The cattle will be driven away to their pen where additional feed will be given.  The farmers should have sufficient grazing area and barn for the cattle.

• Integrated with plantation
  In Malaysia, areas where oil palm, rubber, coconut and orchard plantation are wide. Under this plantation there are a lot of grass. If this system is used it can cut the cost of weeding and fertilizing. 1 hectare of grazing area under the oil palm plantation can accommodate 1 cattle.

HOUSING

• Building of barn
  (Area for 1 cattle = 30 square foot. If 10 heads = 20 feet x 15 feet and the height 8 - 10 feet)

• Feeding trough and drinkers
  (feeding area = 1.5 feet/head . Drinking area 1 feet/head)

• Trevis
  (as big as the size of the cattle so that it cannot struggle)

FEEDS

A cattle needs 20 -30 kg of grass every day.. Only quality cattle can survive with grass. If not supplement feed and mineral salt should be given. Cheap agriculture by product can become supplement feed for the cattle For example: Cocoa skin, oil palm dregs, skin and pineapple core, sugar cane shoot, maize shoot, sago scrum and others.

HEALTH CONTROL

The proper way in controlling the diseases is by having a good management system which include the cleanliness of the barn and feed with sufficient of quality feed.

Common diseases:-

• Cut

• Worm, outer parasite and parasite in the blood

• Calves are easily bacteria contagious at the navel.

Ways to overcome:-

• Avoid the cattle from sharp things.

• Deworm 2 - 3 times per year and deticking 2 months once.

• Always treat the newly borne calves navel.

Contact the nearest District Veterinary Office for further actions.  

BREEDING

Only matured heifers which comes into estrus can be bred. Breeding can be done by:-

• Naturally (using the bull)

• Artificial Insemination

Rebreeding of calving cow can only be done after 40-60 days later. A cow which has calve for 5 - 6 times is not suitable for breeding or if the age is 8 - 10 years..

MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANT COW

• Gestation period of a cow is about 283 days.

• Sufficient of quality feed and clean water should be provided and it should be place in a special pen.

MANAGEMENT OF CALF

• Newly borne calf should be given colostrum milk at least for the first four days after calving.

• Milk should be given until the age of 3 months, then only it can be weaned  from the mother.

• Grass and pellet should be slowly introduced to the calf before weaning.

MANAGEMENT OF WEANER

• Male calf which to be selected to become a bull should be castrated so that it will not disturb the female cattle.

• The horn should be cut for easy controlling or management.

• Breeding of female calf only at the age of 2 years and above.

SALES

Incomes can be produced from :-

• Slaughtering

• Breeding

• Young calves for replacement

Farmers are advisable to market their own livestock by:-

• Selling their own livestock
  Sell to those whose offer good price and profitable.

• Auction
  Sell to those whose offer good price.

• Sell the meat at the farmer's market
  Those farmers who have the privilege of having stall at the farmer's market or Main Market can sell their own product . By using this system farmers can get good profit.

FINANCIAL PROJECT

Example of Cash Flow:

Following are the cash flow of a semi intensive fattening and grazing project.  It reared 10 head of cattle.

Assume: Initial body weight of cattle 150 kg @ RM3.30/kg. Final body weight of cattle 300 kg @ RM 3.30/kg PKC Feed @ 2 kg per day @ RM 0.25/kg Income Sale of cattle 300 kg x RM 3.30/kg x 10 RM 9,900.00 Expenditure a. Purchasing of calves 150 kg x RM 3.30/kg x 10 RM 4,950.00 b. Barn 30 feet x 10 feet (depreciation for  5 years) RM 100.00 c. Feed, PKC 600 kg x RM 0.25/kg x 10 RM 1,500.00 d. Mineral Salt RM 50.00 e. Water, Electric and others RM 300.00 f. Bank Interest @ 10 % RM 690.00 Total Expenditure RM 7,590.00 Net Income = RM 9,900.00 - RM 7,590.00 = RM 2,310.00