lakenvelder cattle

Lakenvelder Cattle ~ Everything You Need to Know

Also known as Dutch Belted cattle, Lakenvelder cattle are a highly-prized breed of cattle raised mainly for its milk production but can also double as a dual-purpose breed for meat. Lakenvelder cattle are believed to be the only belted cattle breed that traces directly back to the original canvassed or belted cattle described in Switzerland and Austria. This is a majestic creature that has a rich history of nobility. It’s well sought after today, and … Read more

gold star chickens

Gold Star Chickens ~ Everything You Need to Know

Gold Star chickens go by several names. They are typically referred to as the Golden Sex Link, Red Sex Link, or the Gold Star, among many other similar names. This type of chicken is a breed hybrid designed for increased egg production. It has many positive characteristics, chief among them being that its cold hardy. As a chicken keeper, the Gold Star chicken would make a wonderful addition to your backyard flock if you are … Read more

Do Chickens Need a Rooster to Lay Eggs

Do Chickens Need a Rooster to Lay Eggs ~ What to Know About Egg-Laying

Do chickens need a rooster to lay eggs? No, hens don’t need a rooster to lay eggs. Female chickens will lay regardless. However, hens need a rooster to lay fertile eggs. If you want to hatch chicks from the eggs, your chickens need a rooster. If your goal in raising chickens is for eggs and/or meat, a rooster isn’t necessary. Without roosters, chickens lay unfertilized eggs.  While the answer is simple, many other factors come … Read more

protein tubs for cattle

Protein Tubs for Cattle ~ Purpose, Pros and Cons, and More

Your cattle can’t tell you what is lacking in their diet, so it’s up to you to figure it out. While you can ideally monitor nutrition factors using protein and calorie intake calculators, some nutrients must come from supplements. And this is where protein tubs for cattle come in. Just like humans, cows also need their recommended daily protein intake to help their bodies develop. And at times, they need more nourishment than they can … Read more

how much space do goats need

How Much Space Do Goats Need and What to Consider

There are a few pertinent questions that anyone looking to raise goats or go into goat farming needs to ask themselves. One of the most important ones is how much space do goats need? While there are some adorably miniature goat breeds, such as the Pygmy goats and Nigerian dwarf goats, all goats need enough space and land to browse and play. For your goats to thrive, they need pasture and as much open space … Read more

vietnamese potbelly pig

Vietnamese Potbelly Pig ~ Facts About Raising These Small Pigs

Pig lovers around the world keep pigs for several reasons. The reasons often vary depending on the pig breed. For instance, some people love keeping small pig breeds, such as the Vietnamese potbelly pig, as pets. Other than that, keep feeder pigs for the pork and commercial value. Many still keep pigs, mostly because they want a variety of farm animals on their property. Whatever your reason for keeping pigs, the breed or type of … Read more

how long is a cow pregnant

How Long Is a Cow Pregnant ~ Pregnancy in Heifers and Cows

Few things are quite as exciting to most cow breeders as having pregnant cows in the herd. This often means that, with the right management, the herd size will increase as soon as the cows give birth. But how long are cows pregnant, and what kind of complications can you expect during this gestation period? In months, a cow is pregnant for 9 months. Note, a heifer is a female bovine who has not given birth … Read more

Ossabaw Pigs

Ossabaw Pigs ~ Everything You Need to Know

Ossabaw pigs come from a breed of feral pigs that were originally found on Ossabow Island in Georgia. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy recognizes this breed of pigs as a heritage breed since they were originally found and bred on farms around Ossabow Island. These are extremely hardy pigs that are descendants of feral hogs. Even though it’s smaller than most pig breeds, such as the Idaho Pasture pigs, they are quite tenacious and provide … Read more

hog vs pig

Hog vs Pig ~ What’s the Difference?

Pigs are known by various names, from hog to boar and swine. In fact, in many places, these names are interchangeable. However, you will most likely come across the name pig more often than not. So, what is the difference between a hog vs pig? Hog vs Pig On the face of it, there isn’t much of a difference between these animals. After all, they all like wallowing in the mud, and the sows (female … Read more

small breeds of pigs

Small Breeds of Pigs ~ All You Need to Know

Small breeds of pigs have existed for about as long as any breeds of pigs have existed. As you can imagine, these miniature pigs don’t get the same treatment as most other hogs. This is mostly on account of being exceptionally tiny and cute. Paris Hilton once made headlines for ordering a Royal Dandle miniature pig which cost her an astounding $4,500 at the time. While most breeds of small pigs aren’t that expensive, they … Read more

how to breed pigs

How to Breed Pigs ~ Breeding Pigs the Right Way

Genetics plays an important role in a pig’s meat quality and overall performance. That’s one of the main reasons commercial and private pig farmers pay close attention to their breeding stock. As a pig producer, learning how to breed pigs is a skill that will go a long way towards improving the caliber of animals on your farm. While breeding pigs is relatively easy, the trick is in the specifics. The kind of boar you … Read more

fencing for pigs

Fencing for Pigs ~ Which Type Is Best for Your Farm?

If you intend to raise pigs, you will need fencing for pigs on your farm. There are several reasons why this is important. For starters, even the most domesticated pig breeds can go feral when left to roam freely on the land. Another, and more important reason, is that some states forbid free-ranging pigs. Even though states like California have strict laws on just how much space you can designate for your pigs, letting them … Read more

bearded goat

Bearded Goat ~ All You Need to Know

Certain goat breeds, such as the Alpine goat, have distinctive beards on their faces. Going by traditional gender rules, it would be natural to assume that the bearded goats in any breed would most likely be male goats. Strangely enough, this doesn’t hold true for all goat breeds. It’s also not uncommon to find a female bearded goat.  So, why do goats have facial hair, and what do they do with those awesome beards? Let’s … Read more

how much does a goat cost

How Much Does a Goat Cost? Factors Affecting the Price

How much does a goat cost? The answer to this question depends on several things. For one thing, it depends on the breed of goat you want to buy and whether or not it’s registered with a governing body like the American Boer Goat Association — like if you are looking to buy a Boer goat, for example. Another key factor to consider would be the age and size of the goat. What about how … Read more

ram vs goat

Ram vs Goat ~ Key Differences and Fun Facts

In a ram vs goat fight, there’s a good chance that the ram comes out on top. This is because rams tend to be bulkier in size and, in many cases, stronger. These are just some of the many differences between rams and goats. In many places, the two names may be used interchangeably, albeit incorrectly. For clarification, let’s look closely at both a ram and goat. Here, we will highlight all the key differences … Read more

Why do goats faint

Why Do Goats Faint? Fun Facts About Myotonic Goats

Why do goats faint when they are startled? As you can imagine, every animal is born with a fight or flight instinct, and for prey animals like goats, the flight instinct is often stronger than the fight. However, some goats don’t run away when they are startled. Instead, these goats start running, and then, somewhere along the way, they stiffen up and fall over, with their legs remaining rigid for a little while. They look … Read more

how to milk a sheep

How to Milk a Sheep ~ A Step-by-Step Guide

It might sound strange to many city folks, but learning how to milk a sheep can be a highly profitable skill to acquire. While there are many different kinds of milk today, from almond milk to hemp milk and even coconut milk, the original milk trio came from cows, goats, and dairy sheep.  For about 10,000 years, people have been milking sheep, goats, and cows. Out of these three, sheep’s milk is the most nutritious. … Read more

how to shear a sheep

How to Shear a Sheep with Best Tips for Beginners

It’s important to learn how to sheer a sheep properly. Not only do the sheep need it to survive through the summer heat, but the resulting wool could be a good source of income for the farm. Sheep farmers with high-quality wool breeds such as Merino and Rambouillet should consider selling their wool.  Make no mistake about it; sheep shearing is hard work. No matter how skilled you are at shearing sheep, the entire process … Read more

Ouessant sheep

Ouessant Sheep ~ Small Sheep for Your Farm

Ouessant sheep, known by many other names, including Ushant, Mouton d’Ouessant, and Breton Island Dwarf, is a dwarf sheep breed originating from the Ile d’Ouessant, which is a small island just off the coast of Brittany, France. The Ouessant sheep are believed to be one of the smallest sheep breeds in the world. They were only found on the island of Ouessant until the early 20th century. This breed of sheep is now found almost … Read more

Cheviot sheep

Cheviot Sheep ~ Resourceful Sheep Breed for Meat and Wool

There’s a hardy breed of white-faced sheep known for their tenacity, alertness, friendliness, and, best of all, their wool and meat production. The Cheviot sheep is a sheep breed like no other. Not only does it have a host of distinctive characteristics, but it also looks quite different from any other sheep breed. The first thing you will notice about the North Country Cheviot sheep is that it has ears that stand out straight like … Read more