To many novice farmers, it may seem that growing calves for meat - too troublesome and costly, but with proper organization of this process, in compliance with the requirements for the conditions of detention and the diet of animals, breeding bulls for meat at home will be very beneficial from an economic point of view. What is required for this and what conditions are necessary to get the maximum profit, we will describe below.
Growing bulls for meat: studying the diet
If there are pastures near the farm, then it is more rational to buy young stock in April, although even in the absence of such a territory for a new animal, you can make a special pen, simply by fencing a plot at the rate of 8-12 m² per head. At this time, just appears a young grass, which contains a lot of vitamins that are useful for the growing body of a bull.
Important! It is more profitable to grow bulls, as they are faster than cows gaining the necessary weight and by the first year can weigh up to 400 kg.
Bull food plays a huge role in the success of the business, and if you optimize the diet of animals, you will get excellent dietary meat, not only for sale, but also for your own consumption. Young males are quite picky in terms of food, and everything that comes to them in the trough is usually eaten without residue. Nevertheless, the fattening of the bulls in a fast way still has its own characteristics, which should not be forgotten.
In winter, the diet of animals should consist of hay, root crops and animal feed, and in summer dry grass will be replaced by fresh. The average daily rate per bull is 3 kg of hay, 2-4 kg of root crops, 1.5 kg of concentrates. Closer to the year, the number of succulent feeds should be doubled, while the amount of feed reduced by 1 kg. The approximate feeding order is as follows: drink from concentrate (it is very important to add special vitamins for calves, as they are an indispensable component for their rapid growth), then succulent feed and finally grass or hay.
Crushed grain can be given in both dry and liquid form (swipes), but, in addition, calves need plenty of fresh water or whey. Vegetables (feed watermelons, potatoes, squash and pumpkin) should be well washed and cut before serving, carefully separating rotten or moldy foods from good specimens.
Starting from six months, food waste is introduced into the diet of bulls, only potatoes must be boiled beforehand and well kneaded. When growing bulls for meat at home, green fodder starts to be introduced gradually, as an abrupt change in the usual diet will cause a breakdown of the digestive processes, and the animal will only lose weight. At the initial stages, they feed 10–15 kg per day (per head), and bring the rate up to 70 kg per week, feeding calves with concentrates and separately giving 50–100 g of salt.
Important! Green feed is better to give after roughage.
Very well the young grow weight on legumes, cereals and hard-to-color crops, where the leaves are the most valuable part. They contain fiber, vitamins and a huge amount of essential nutrients.
Technology fattening calves for meat: how to feed the young
There are three main ways of fattening bulls for meat (the diet may have some differences):
- Short - growing young stock up to the age of one and a half years and a mass of about 400 kg (provides for intensive feeding).
- Long - provides 7-8 months of moderate feeding, during which the bulls reach 500 kg. In this case, the meat is fat and juicy.
- Medium (or intermediate type) - characterized by a moderately abundant diet for 5-6 months and a maximum weight of calves up to 400-450 kg.
From the age of two months, calves are thrown out to pasture, where they usually spend up to 16 hours a day. The main condition - the presence of shaded areas and a sufficient amount of water. Young bulls age 1 year (period of active maturation) must be kept on a leash, because so they become much calmer and eat better. With proper care and a sufficient amount of feed, a one-year-old bull-calf can weigh up to 500 kg, although on average this indicator does not exceed 400 kg.
Feed the young should be three times a day, and preferably at the same time. Each farm uses its own power scheme and a developed diet for fattening steers. In most cases, the animal should gain about 600 grams of live weight per day. When growing calves at home, this option is most appropriate, since it allows you to avoid extremes: overfeeding or staining animals with hunger.
In the first months after birth (1-2 months), the calf is fed only dairy products, gradually adding a small amount of high-quality hay, wheat groats or dried grass to the diet. Such a menu will contribute to the rapid growth of bulls and the development of their stomach. From three months to six months, calves that are raised for fattening need enough protein. Therefore it is good if you prepare in advance the crushed grain, hay and clean cut vegetables.
As a result of the use of these products, bulls will begin to gain muscle mass, and from seven to nine months grass or hay will be introduced into the diet (depending on the time of year). In the last three months before slaughter, the number of products in the menu is gradually increased, as this contributes to even greater growth. Observing this technology, you will not only get an answer to the question “How to feed the bulls correctly?”, But also achieve the normal weight of the animal, which, as we already mentioned, should be within 400 kg. In this case, the meat is tender and non-fat. The optimal age for slaughtering calves is 15-18 months, although in some cases, for various reasons, animals are sent to the slaughterhouse earlier.
Did you know? Proper feeding of calves is not the only factor that affects the amount of meat produced. An important role is played by the breed of the animal, the most famous of which is Hereford.
Concentrated feed (their mass portion in the diet can reach 20% of the total), oats or barley, immense amount of chopped vegetables and hay, the constant availability of water (even better - whey), as well as providing animals with all the necessary elements and a clean stall are basic factors affecting the success of the process of growing calves for meat. Nevertheless, the use of growth stimulants for cattle plays an important role. At a time when some farmers refused to use such additives, others actively use them, which is not always bad.
In fact, preparations for cattle growth are divided into two main groups: those that help the body to use its own capabilities at 100%, and those that contribute to the abnormal acceleration of growth and weight gain of animals. Of course, in the latter case, if you want to get a quality product, you don’t have to talk about the rationality of this option, since you can only accelerate the growth of bulls by reducing the quality of the meat, which can remain particles of chemicals. In any case, given that stimulants are drugs that enhance the growth and weight gain of calves, only you decide whether foreign chemical compounds are needed in the body of animals raised.
Proper care for meat breeds
So, we have already figured out what and how to feed the bulls for fattening, but good and regular food is only half the success. The second half is to create optimal conditions for the housing and to ensure proper care for the calves. Particular attention should be paid to the room in which there are bulls, because their stall must be dry. To do this, it is necessary to remove the top contaminated layer every day, and once a month to completely replace the litter.
Proper care of the bulls at home will relieve them from diseases and will allow you to quickly gain weight, because no fattening technology can work normally in dirty barns. Manure should be cleaned three times a day, after each feeding of calves. If you do not have the opportunity to perform the procedure as often, then try to clean the stall well, at least for the night.
Meals by bulls should be carried out every 8 hours, and the veterinarian will calculate the daily rate of certain products without any problems, starting from the calf breed and initial data. Do not neglect the advice of a doctor, because animals should receive the optimal amount of food, not overeating and not starving. A good menu is the basis for fast weight gain, free of disease and obesity.
Did you know? Some experienced farmers recommend using cereal fodder as an ideal feed, which will save you money and reduce the cost of meat.
Unlike cows, young bulls are better kept in pens, and some individuals due to their uneasy nature are tied to a stall with chains or ropes. Only in this way is it possible to limit the movement of aggressive animals and to avoid their hassles with other inhabitants of the farmstead. Moreover, the restriction of movement allows you to gain weight faster, which cannot be said about pasture maintenance. However, in order for the calf to maintain a good appetite, it must be taken out every day to fresh air, and after the walk he is offered swill and hay.
There are several simple rules that any novice farmer must follow when deciding to breed calves for meat.
These include:
- mandatory examination of calves at the vet before buying;
- the implementation of all vaccinations according to the age of the animals;
- training for walking from the first months of life (but only after the dew has come down);
- content in the shade during hot weather;
- compliance with sanitary standards in pens (the floor must always be clean and dry);
- organization of regular walking of young stock, as otherwise the bulls will be aggressive and painful;
- observance of temperature in the stall (the temperature in the room should not fall below +10 ° C);
- stopping the walking of calves during puberty, since at this time they become very aggressive and can cripple their fellow tribesmen.
Only if you take into account all these nuances you will be able to achieve the most effective results in fattening bulls that will provide the desired income.
How does castration of gobies affect the amount of meat
"How to fatten a bull?" and "What calf food to use for better weight gain?" - very important questions, but often farmers are asked by others: “Is it worth it to castrate young bulls?”. First of all, this is a fairly common way to pacify the animal, which in the future will allow to avoid problems with the aggressive nature of the male. Simply put, in this way, you will be able to reduce the number of injuries that animals inflict on each other during puberty.
At the same time, the appetite of castrated individuals increases significantly, but the muscle mass gains much slower than that of non-castrated bulls (on average, such an animal weighs several tens of kilograms less). Therefore, deciding to castrate calves, you should understand that they will need more food to gain weight, and since muscle tissue develops poorly, most of these bulls are obese, which negatively affects lean meat. As a possible solution to this problem, castration is carried out at the age of one. 
The meat of neutered bulls contains 1.5-2 times more fat than meat of untrimmed individuals, but at the same time it is tender and very juicy, with pronounced taste characteristics. In addition, after castration, the torso of animals develops more proportionally, and the backbone is easier. From a medical point of view, the process of castration consists in the surgical removal of the sex glands, as a result of which a change in the hormonal background takes place with a possible delay in growth.
If you decide that castration is a compulsory procedure, then it should be carried out before the sexual maturity of the animal, but not earlier than at the age of 6-6.5 months. Excessive rush will lead to a slowdown in the growth of bulls in the phase of rapid muscle building. However, it is not worth while to delay too, since it will be more difficult to cope with the older bull (especially during puberty).
Young bulls are castrated in the spring before they can go out to pastures. If by this time the age of the animal does not exceed two months, the procedure is delayed until the next year.
Growing bulls at home to get meat can be called a fairly simple process, especially if you clearly understand what is required of you, and follow all the recommendations unswervingly. The main thing in this business is proper care, timely veterinary service and high-quality food. Only by adhering to these requirements, you can get a good result when raising animals.
