Roberts: $9 billion for livestock producers

With spring upon us, many hobby farms are already seeing new arrivals. Be it calvings, foalings or other four-legged deliveries, here are some basics to help you prepare for the Big Event. What to Look For The most consistent sign that cattle, sheep, goats, camelids and horses are getting close to delivery is when they’ve “bagged up.” This means the udder has filled with milk in preparation for the neonate. However, “getting close” is just as vague as it sounds. Some a

We all know how difficult it can be to keep animals happy and healthy on the farm. Constant diligence and vigilance on their well-being is key, but here are a few other best practices that you will need to keep in mind on your hobby farm this summer: Dont crowd the animals: Of course, you want your livestock to be as comfortable as possible. This means not packing too many of them into a small area, where they will be uncomfortable and more likely to act up. There should be enough room on the fa

Thinking of getting into livestock? Maybe you are looking to purchase a small starter herd and are searching for some guidance? This is great news! Let’s get started on the basics! When purchasing livestock, look for animals with clear eyes and nose, shiny hair or feathers, appropriate body condition, good manure consistency and that the animals act like they are part of the group. I have to say getting new animals is always a big day for me. It’s exciting t

It’s easy to see why folks are looking into electric fence for their livestock, especially for anyone who is new. Electric fences definitely have a few advantages over permanent fence, two examples are portability and up front cost. At first glance, electric fencing looks good, but there are a few things that still need to be figured out, the big one being how do you power that fence and what, if any, are your options? Electric fences for livestock need to be powered with an