Farrer Stock Farms of Royal Center, Indiana, is a cattle breeder that offers livestock sales. With an emphasis on customer service and hard work as traditional values, Farrer Stock Farms sells a wide range of cattle and pigs that they buy to breed themselves. Their buying strategies reflect this core belief system.
Buying Pigs
Pig producers wishing to improve the genetics of their herd typically purchase breeding stock as one method. Primary considerations when selecting such animals will include being available when needed and within budget; more importantly, though, is making sure they do not introduce disease into the recipient herd through introduction methods that should be carefully considered.
One option would be to quarantine the new arrivals at an independent site from your herd, though this is unlikely in most circumstances. Isolation premises that fall short of quarantine but are still located a reasonable distance away can still prove helpful, provided they do not share drainage pipes with the herd building and they use separate sets of boots and coveralls when handling these animals.
Another approach involves purchasing sows and their offspring who have already been exposed to the enzootic pathogens you want to eliminate from your herd through medicated early weaning (MEW). Such animals will have already developed immunity against said pathogens, passing it along if they do not contract the disease themselves; otherwise, it will pass onto their offspring through natural selection. If purchasing from lower health status herds than your recipient herd, this can be overcome using SEW or hysterectomy techniques and giving antibiotics as needed in order to prevent illness from spreading infections directly.
Buying Sheep
Sheep are widely used to produce dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. Sheep milk contains more solids than cow milk and has twice as much cheese per fluid ounce. They can also produce meat like lamb chops, steak, and ground meat, which make them a popular food staple worldwide and require much less land than cattle for farming.
Sheep are known to graze extensively, so using a rotational system to protect biodiversity and increase carbon sequestration compared with extensive sheep farming can help preserve natural areas while increasing carbon sequestration [106]. While intensive rotational stocking may work better in areas with higher rainfall, frequent livestock movements may result in soil compaction or degraded water quality in irrigated pastures requiring irrigation systems. A more sustainable and effective means of shepherded grazing (involving shepherds guiding flocks back periodically onto previously grazed areas) can manage the movement of sheep flocks more effectively [107].
Hay is a popular feed choice for sheep, cut and dried, to be consumed as food. Each sheep consumes various pounds of hay at a cost calculated on an hourly rate; its value to farmers includes opportunity costs – for instance, they might pay $1 for it but receive $2 in return from selling it to feed dealers or brokers. Other expenses involved with running sheep operations can include health care costs, electricity usage fees, and insurance premiums.
Buying Goats
The purchase of goats is an investment of time and equipment necessary for their care, so it’s wise to ask prospective breeders questions about them. A reliable breeder won’t take offense at your inquiries and will gladly respond with answers. Consider whether or not the goats of interest are registered, their pedigree, and whether there are vaccination or deworming programs in place for herd health status evaluation and vaccination/deworming programs offered.
If you plan on using your goat for milk production, select a doe that has already given birth or is already milking. When selecting bucks or doeling kids (kids who haven’t yet been sexed), ensure it has either already been castrated prior to purchase; wethers do not produce milk.
Buck selection is an integral component of meat-goat operations, and selecting the ideal one can significantly boost herd genetics. Producers analyze doe herds to identify desired traits for a new buck before comparing performance data such as EBVs or adjusted weaning weights to choose the ideal choice for their operation.
Find someone with a strong head featuring a slightly curved nose with wide nostrils, good depth of body, and firm, tight muscles. Ears should be broad, smooth, and medium long, hanging downward from their heads with good shaping and dark coloration.
When selecting a meat goat, please take into account both its bone structure and muscularity. A goat with a strong neck and shoulders makes for easier pick up and handling for slaughtering; look out for a nice chest, forearms, and rump. Additionally, disease resistance and parasite resistance should be significant considerations; resistant herds won’t need as frequent worming sessions and, therefore, have lower veterinarian bills.