Quick Review on Livestock Management

Vetnepal Review Note 2019-03-15
Quick Review on Livestock Management

ZOOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION

  1. Hierarchy of taxonomy: The system of classification by Linnaeus (1707-1798), a Swedish botanist
  2. Kingdom: Animalia,    
  3. Phylum: Chordata (with back bone or spinal cord)
  4. Class:  Mammalia (Worm blooded, hairy animal, suckle milk for their babies)
  5. Sub-class: Eutheria (Female possess placenta), 
  6. Order: Ungulata (Hoofed animal)
  7. Sub order- 1. Artiodactyla (even toed animals)        e.g. cow, buffalo, sheep, goat
  8. Sub order- 2. Parissodactyla  (odd toed animals)      e.g. Horse, Zebra, Ass                                    
  9. Family- Bovidae (all ruminants): Have permanent and hollow type horn: 4-Chambered stomach
  • Bos indicus-                                                                 Humped cattle
  • Bos Taurus-                                                                 Humpless, cattle         
  • Bos Mutus grunaiens,                                                Domesic Yak 
  • Bubalus bubalis                                                           Water buffalo
  • Bubalus carabanesis                                                  Swamp buffalo                                  

Family- Equidae: (Horse family) Single stomach, large cecum                    

  • Equauus caballus-                                                       Horse
  • Equauus asinus                                                           Ass (donkey)
  • Equauus zebra                                                            Zebra
  • Genus- Capra hircus                                                   Goat   

Sub family -ovidae,  Genus-ovis aries  Sheep                                                               

Family- Suidae (Pig family):- Genus- Sus, Species - Scrofa,  Sus scrofa - Wild , Sus domestics - Domesticated   

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

CATTLE

  • Baby Beef - slaughter cattle weighing 700 to 1000 lbs (approx 315 to 450 kgs) at 9 to 15 months of age grading good or better for quality.
  • Beast - general descriptive term for an adult bovine.
  • Beefling - a fat young cattle beast weighing 500 kg (approx. 1100 lbs) at one and a half to two years of age.
  • Bob veal calf one to three weeks old, sold for baby veal, often the male calves from dairy farms, average weight 150 lbs (68 kgs).
  • 'Bobby' calf - calf slaughtered whilst only a few days old.
  • Brahmini bull: The bull that are left in the name of dead person which is a practice reviling in certain parts of country.
  • Bull - Entire male bovine animal of breeding age, usually over one year old.
  • Bull beef - from entire animals instead of the fatter steer or bullock.
  • Bull calf - entire male young animal up to stage of yearling.
  • Bullock - Mature castrated male cattle destined for meat production.
  • Calf - bovine animal less than a year old. (In some legislation six months old or even less).
  • Cow - mature female bovine after having had one calf. The term is also used to describe mature females of some other species, eg elk, moose, reindeer etc.
  • Cull Cow - Cow slaughtered out of herd for variety of reasons, eg age (over thirty months scheme), end of productive span, illness etc.
  • Dairy Calf - calf of a mating between a bull and a cow both of dairy breeds.
  • Dairy Cow - cow of a breed specifically defined as being for milk production, as distinct from beef or dual purpose breeds.
  • Dry Cow - a cow in the two - three month period between the end of lactation and the subsequent calving. Also refers to a mature cow that is not lactating whatever the reason.
  • Fat stock/Finished Stock - beef animals that are ready for slaughter
  • Free-Marten - a female born with a male twin, usually infertile.
  • Heifer - young female bovine animal up to birth of first calf or in lactation following the first calving. After second calving known as a cow (also second calver)
  • Hybridization::Cross of animals of two different species such as (i) Male horse X Female ass > Hinny (ii) Male ass X Mare --> Mule
  • Maiden - a female, eg ewe, gilt, heifer, bitch, mare, of breeding age but not yet mated.
  • Maiden Heifer/Bulling Heifer - heifer before going the bull
  • Multiparous - female animal that has had two or more pregnancies resulting in viable offspring.
  • Pedigree bull: Whose ancestral record is known
  • Primiparous - general term for any female animal that has had one pregnancy that resulted in viable offspring.
  • Pure breed: Breed for a number of generation among closely related individuals to attain purity
  • Scrub bull: A non-descript type of strong village bull
  • Steer - castrated male animal over one year of age.
  • Stirk - regional term for a half grown animal, heifer or bullock, six to 12 months of age.
  • Store Cattle - animals for beef which have been reared on one or more farms, and then are sold, either to dealers or other farmers.
  • Stud bull or breeding bull: The bull that is used for breeding purpose.
  • Veal Calf - Specially reared, grown quickly and fed on special food aged up to three months.
  • Yearling - an animal in its second year of age, eg yearling cattle, yearling filly, yearling colt.

SHEEP

  • Cade lamb - regional term for an orphan lamb.
  • Cull Ewe - finished ewes culled out for slaughter.
  • Ewe - female sheep of breeding age may be qualified as maiden ewes, not yet bred, or ewe lambs, up to one year.
  • Fat Lambs - finished ready for slaughter from approx four months old onwards.
  • Gimmer - regional term for a young ewe that has not yet born a lamb.
  • Hogget - castrated male sheep usually 10 to 14 months old. Also used to describe an uncastrated male pig.
  • Lambs - young sheep still with its dam (mother) or up to five months of age. Qualified as ewe lamb or ram lamb.
  • Mutton - the meat of older sheep, including cull ewes.
  • Ram - entire male animal that has reached sexual maturity at around six months.
  • Shearling - regional term for sheep up to first shearing.
  • Store Lambs - lambs not sold during the summer for slaughter may be kept for sale or feeding on as store lambs.
  • Tegs - regional term for fat lamb in second season.
  • Theaves - another regional term for a young ewe up to first lambing.
  • Tup - male sheep, usually an entire breeding male ram.
  • Wether - male sheep castrated at an early age before secondary sexual characters have developed

PIGS

  • Bacon - pigmeat that is factory processed and cured after grading to very strict standards.
  • Boar - entire male pig over six months of age destined as a sire.
  • Gilt - Young female pig, has not produced first litter (up to first farrowing).
  • Hog - castrated male pig.
  • Manufacturing - pigs are processed in the factory to provide pork, bacon, hams, pies, sausages, tinned and other meat products. The modern quality type of pig, formerly called the bacon type, is suited to all purposes, is long, lean and fast growing. The main breeds are Large White, Landrace and Welsh.
  • Piglet - Young pig.
  • Pork - Fresh pig meat
  • Porker - breed of pig breed for good pork meat cuts. Lightweight Porkers are about 60kg live weight. Heavy Porkers or Cutters are around 80kg live weight.
  • Sow - female pig after she has had her first litter.
  • Stores - 10-12 weeks old
  • Weaner - five-eight weeks old

GOAT

  • Billy Goat - male animal.
  • Kid - youngster.
  • Nanny Goat - female animal.

HORSE

  • Cob - short-legged thickset horse usually 13.2 to 14.2 hands high but not more than 15.2.
  • Colt - young male horse.
  • Filly - young mare up to first foal.
  • Foal - young horse.
  • Gelding - castrated male horse.
  • Hand - unit of measurement for horses. one hand = four inches or 10.16 cm.
  • Mare - adult female horse.
  • Pony - an equine animal of about 14 hands high. Breed definitions vary from 14 to 14.2 hands high.
  • Stallion - entire adult male horse.

DONKEY

  • Ass - donkey.
  • Hinny - offspring of a female donkey and a male horse.
  • Jack - male.
  • Jennet - female donkey, also known as a jenny.
  • Jenny - female.
  • Mule - sterile offspring of a mating between a jack and a mare.

Red Deer

  • Calf - youngster
  • Fawn - a deer in its first year
  • Hind - female
  • Stag - male

Fallow Deer/Roe Deer:-    Buck - male,  Doe - female

Rabbits

  • Buck - male rabbit
  • Doe - female
  • 'In kimble' - pregnant female rabbit
  • Kit - baby rabbit

ROUTINE MANAGEMENTAL PRACTICES

  • Castration: Process of rendering the animal sterile
  • Clipping: Process of removal of hair of animals
  • Dehorning: Process of removal of horns
  • Dipping: Carried out for the removal of external parasites especially in sheep and goat
  • Docking: Process of removal of tail (Usually sheep and dog)
  • Drenching: Oral administration of liquid medicine. It is done for removal of internal parasites
  • Grooming: Brushing of the hair coat of animals
  • Heeding: Day to day management
  • Hoof trimming: Mostly done in show animals
  • Shearing: Process of removal of wool in sheep
  • Weaning: Culling of unusual

IDENTIFICATION OF DIFFERENT FARM ANIMALS

  • Branding: Most suited for marking cattle, buffaloes, horses and camels. It is of two types: Hot (Branding carried out by the use of heat) and Cold (Branding done by the use of liquid N2 or dry ice
  • Tagging: Mostly used for marking sheep and goats, though pigs and young calves also to tagged. These are two types of ear tags (I) Self-piercing type and (ii) non-piercing types (tags that require a hole in the ear made with an ear punch). Generally on the upper edge of the ear with number on top
  • Tattooing: Done in all animals. Tattooing is most suited for marking new-born calves and pigs.
  • Ear notching: Mostly used to mark pigs. It comprises cutting V-shaped or 0 shaped notches at specified places along the borders of ears by means of a pair of sharp scissors or notcher
  • Poultry: Light aluminum wing tag. leg band may be used when the birds are mature. 
  • Colouring: In all animals

IMPORTANCE OF LIVESTOCK FARMING IN NEPAL

  • Milk Production,            •Meat Production
  • Protein supply,               •Wool production
  • Egg Production,             •Organic manure supply
  • Draft power,                   •Industrial values
  • Social values,                  •Religious values
  • Efficient converter of feed and fodder into valuable products

CONSTRAINTS/PROBLEMS OF LIVESTOCK FARMING IN NEPAL

  • Economic condition of farmers          •Lack of basic data
  • Poor animal Husbandry                       •Religion and food habit
  • Lack of marketing facility                    •Poor transportation facility
  • Lack of co-ordination between different agencies
  • Lack of knowledge about breeding facilities/lack of illiteracy
  • High cost of feed/limitation of feed stuff
  • Lack of proper facility for disease and parasite control/High mortality

Policies changes needed: 

In order to achieve the desired growth in the livestock sector, the following policies changes are essential.

  • Increased investment in all weather roads.
  • Eliminate all subsidies for livestock processing and marketing in order to provide free entry for the private sectors. Thus public sector institutions would prioritize or remain as free standing units with no subsidy and raising all capital themselves.
  • Remove government rules and regulations, which inhibit free markets and private activity (e.g.-restriction on movement of livestock commodities across the district lines).
  • Considering the importance of livestock, climatic condition, topography, economic condition of farmers there are vast scope for the improvement and development of livestock production in Nepal.

FUNCTIONS AND TOOLS OF FARM MANAGEMENT

Management is the art or science of combining ideas, facilities, processes, materials and labor to produce & market a worthwhile product or service successfully.

Functions:/Management process/Manager role

Five major functions= Planning, Organizing, Coordinating, Directing and controlling

  • Observation: Gather information about all resources available and new technology
  • Establish goal: Clearly setout the objectives he wants to achieve
  • Identify problems: Find the Obstacles
  • Analysis: Compare alternative methods of reaching goal
  • Decide: Choose the plan of action and setout the procedure
  • Action: Plan into operation
  • Be responsible: Responsible for the time of action taken
  • Evaluate: Measure the results and compare with goal
  • Control: Keep careful check at operation level
  • Adjust: Keep the operating system fixable to take advantages

Tools:

  • Farm records: No business or any consequence can be operated successfully with a good system of accounting, so in dairy farm we should have minimum;
  • Complete inventories
  • Production records
  • Current expenditures and receipts
  • An annual production and financial summary
  • Analysis of year
  • Comparative budgeting: Required in alternative system of organizing the overall business
  • Annual budgeting: Required in year to year adjusting
  • Partial budgeting: Shorter process of comparing the cost and return of alternative adjustments

TYPES OF MARKET FOR LIVESTOCK AND PRODUCTS

There are different types of livestock marketing in Nepal.

  • Sale of Livestock & Livestock products to village traders      •Selling at Haats
  • Primary market- often regulated by public agencies              •Wholesale markets

Marketing of different class of animals

  1. Draught Animals: These are generally sold after castration and trained in drafting. Pairing is done keeping in view breed, color, feature, size wt. etc. A month before selling, they are allowed complete rest and ad. libitum feeding. They are groomed by giving them hand massage.
  2. Dairy cows: Milk animals are properly feed before putting them in sale. They are fed with ‘galactogen’ like groom molasses a few days before sale so that daily milk yields is improved. Both cow and buffalo are washed, cleaned and oil massages which give glassy skin in appearance.
  3. Slaughtered stocks: Slaughtered animals should look mlike healthy and free from any ailments.

Agencies and methods of assembling & distribution

  • Breeders: Professional breeder with principal occupation is breeding & rearing of cattle cultivars- who keep primarily agricultural operation but do breeding as side occupation. The animal are generally sold in cattle fair, negotiation is done through brokers. If no fair or haat cattle are sold by individual contact.
  • Itinerant (Roaming) Traders: classified as;
  1. ​ Cattle dealers: Who is from village, cities or town and having made their purchases in one area sell them in another?
  2.   Nomadic: Who buy and sell animals in the course of their movement from one place to another
  • Wholesale Merchants: Wholesaler get their supplies from itinerant traders, sometimes wholesaler visit villages and buy on their own
  • Butchers, milkman, & cart drivers: Butchers get their requirement from itinerant traders, wholesaler directly & a few visit stock raising areas themselves and make their haat and fairs. The butcher sometimes gets their purchases of unusual stock from the milkman and cart drivers.

Methods of Business: Per head; Milch animals,    Per pairs: Draft animals,   Per group: Merchant goods

FACTORS AFFECTING THE LIVESTOCK MARKETING

  • Supply                          •Demand                            •Pricing policy                     •Free trade
  • Transportation           •Marketing amiability     •Government policy           •Religious belief
  • Marketing channel    •Spatial price variations  •Free border                        •Season
  • Qualit                           •Market information availability
  • Comparativeness (Sheep & Goat for meat)