Thinking of raising a few ducks but would like a little bit more information about what you are getting into? In this article I will share with you my experience with raising ducks and give you the straight story on what you should (and should not) expect. The cost to raise a Pekin duck from…
The use of growth promoting implants in cattle is a hot topic. Anytime a topic with this much energy behind it comes up there will be tons of emotion and not too much in the way of facts. This article will give you some of the facts surrounding cattle implants so you can decide to…
Thinking about getting into raising your own cattle? Super! Cattle are wonderful animals. A farm, especially our farm, just isn’t complete with out a few cows. But how do you know if cattle are a good idea for you? Before deciding to raise cattle, you should know the upfront costs, the ongoing costs, where they…
Need a gate across your driveway to keep your cattle off the road? We do. The gates work fine, but also require seemingly constant opening and shutting. Options? There a few choices: getting rid of the livestock (No Way!), automatic gates (pricey) or the old school answer-a cattle guard. A cattle guard (also called grid…
Sheep bells are something that I think of from movies like Heidi or videos of festivals, including traditional dress and activities, from villages in the mountains of Europe. What about here, for everyday sheep owners? Are there practical reasons to have bells on your sheep? The main benefits of sheep bells are that they provide…
Do you have a good sized yard and are wondering “why do I keep mowing this thing?” Maybe you’ve seen other people with grass to spare get some livestock and start using their grass as a resource. Why not you? Sheep could be just what you are looking for! Sheep require food, which consists of…
How should you feed your small herd of cattle? Let’s look into feedlot vs pasture fed: why you would choose one over the other and what are the results of that choice. The main difference between feedlot cattle and pasture raised cattle is the feedlot cattle have their food brought to them, whereas, the pastured…
After you have purchased a set of clippers, now you are ready to get started shearing your own sheep! How to work the clipper is easy, plug it in and turn it on. But yikes! How do you set those combs and cutters? The blades, the comb and cutter, must be set to the correct…
Thinking about shearing your own sheep? What equipment do you need to buy and why? Let’s dig into what you need to shear your sheep and why you would need it. Sheep are shorn with a hand held machine called a clipper that has two blades, a comb and a cutter, which move horizontally to…
Many flock owners have wool producing sheep, but not many shear their own animals. It does take some practice and some equipment but it is within reach of most any interested person. Even if you are not very strong or agile there are many different approaches to shearing so you can experiment and see which…