Rearing young stock for replacement heifers is probably one of the least well understood and practiced aspects of herd and feeding management on dairy farms throughout the world, particularly on smallholder dairy farms in the tropics. This book addresses all the major concerns of the small holder dairy farmer in Asia. It shows how to attain optimal growth in young stock, so that as cows, they can calve at an appropriate early age at the lowest cost and promptly substitute for any cows culled from the milking herd. This provides continuing returns on the investments of feed, labor and other farm resources. Low reproductive rates and high calf mortality are the major causes of reproductive wastage. This has a direct bearing on culling and replacement strategies and on genetic improvement. In many tropical countries, calf mortality can be as high as 50%. In some areas this can be due to climatic stress on temperate or crossbred stock. While climatic stress compounds the other hazards of calf life, high calf mortality is usually due to diseases and poor feeding management. Rearing Young Stock on Tropical Dairy Farms in Asiaencourages the smallholder dairy farmer to maintain their investment in replacement heifers and gives them the tools necessary to achieve realistic targets for mortalities, live weight gain, mating age and age and live weight at first calving. - Shows how to reduce mortality rates of milk fed and weaned heifer replacements in the tropics. - Covers disease prevention and treatment to ensure a longer lifespan of the milking herd. - Companion volume to three previous manuals written by John Moran: Tropical Dairy Farming, Business Management for Tropical Dairy Farmersand Managing High Grade Dairy Cows in the Tropics.

The tools you need to raise and care for beef cattle Beef cattle farming is a business that continues to grow in the United States and around the world, and it will only grow larger as the demand for beef continues to increase. Raising Beef Cattle For Dummies provides you with an introduction to all aspects of raising beef cattle. Packed with expert tips from experienced farmers, it gives any level of cattle-raiser the tools needed to increase the quantity and quality of your farm's output and maintain a healthy herd. Raising Beef Cattle For Dummies is the go-to resource for aspiring cattle farmers. With important information on health, handling, and breeding, and detailed coverage of equipment and supplies, it is teeming with useful information that anyone interested in raising cattle should have. Advice on which beef cattle breeds to rear The prevention and treatment of common diseases Caring for pregnant heifers and calving procedures Dietary specifications dependent on breed Guidance on humane management Creating an open and safe pasture habitat If you're an aspiring cattle farmer looking to begin raising cattle or an established raiser interested in expanding your herd, Raising Beef Cattle For Dummies has you covered.

Four years ago, journalist Peter Lovenheim was standing in a long line at McDonald’s to buy a Happy Meal for his little daughter, which would come with a much-desired Teenie Beanie Baby—either a black-and-white cow named “Daisy” or an adorable red bull named “Snort.” Finding it rather strange that young children were being offered cuddly toy cows one minute and eating the grilled remains of real ones the next, Lovenheim suddenly saw clearly the great disconnect between what we eat and our knowledge of where it comes from. Determined to understand the process by which living animals become food, Lovenheim did the only thing he could think of: He bought a calf—make that twin calves, number 7 and number 8—from the dairy farm where they were born and asked for permission to spend as much time as necessary hanging around and observing everything that happened in the lives of these farm animals. Portrait of a Burger as a Young Calf is the provocative true story of Peter Lovenheim’s hands-on journey into the dairy and beef industries as he follows his calves from conception to possible consumption. In the process, he gets to know the good, hard-working people who raise our cattle and make milk products, beef, and veal available to consumers like you and me. He supplies us with a “fly on the wall” view of how these animals are used to put food on America’s very abundant tables. Constantly vigilant about wanting to be an observer who never interferes, Lovenheim allows the reader to see every aspect of a cow’s life, without passing judgment. Reading this book will forever change the way you think about food and the people and animals who provide it for us. From the Hardcover edition.

An indispensable resource for the dairy farmer or veterinarian, the researcher, teacher, or advanced student, this book puts the cutting–edge science of raising dairy calves into an accessible, usable form. Geared to those with a basic understanding of principles of animal nutrition and husbandry, the volume gives a comprehensive account of all aspects of calf rearing, from the rudiments of anatomy and development through the practicalities of feeding and housing. The Development, Nutrition and Management of the Young Calf begins with an overview of how the calf′s digestive system develops, highlighting the period of transition from preruminant to ruminant digestion. Here the authors provide information essential to understanding nutritional needs and restrictions during the liquid–feeding phase in the young calf as well as those factors that govern the development of a functional rumen. Major emphasis is given to the energy and protein requirements of the young calf, with attention to the effects of environmental temperature on energy requirements. The authors also review the adequacy of current National Research Council recommendations on the energy and protein requirements of young calves. They discuss the management, nutrition, and care of the pregnant cow as well as calving management necessary to deliver a healthy calf. Other topics include liquid–feeding systems, formulation and use of milk replacers and starter feeds, the weaning process, housing principles, and the interactions of nutrition and disease

This volume considers every aspect of calf rearing, from physiological principles to practical systems. Topics include physiology of growth and digestion, nutrient requirements, health and welfare, and lifetime performance. More than half the authors are from outside the UK and all are acknowledged as international experts in their field. This book is aimed at technical advisers, researchers, extension workers, veterinary practitioners, progressive farmers, academics and students.