Small-Scale Livestock Farming
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negative impact of, 7–8
nonbrittle environments, 12–13, 12–14, 13, 20, 137, 163
photosynthesis, 10, 26
precipitation amount and distribution, 12–13, 12–14, 13
reasons for, 5
resources, 206–9
water cycle, 10, 11
whole-farm planning, 8
Living organisms, holistic management tool, 24
Llamas, exotic animal, 45
Location and niche marketing, 106
Long-term monitoring, 185–87, 187
Magnetic declination, 169
Magnetic north, 169
Magnets for catching hardware, 91, 93
Mail order, 109
Maintenance rations, 67
Male reproduction, 94, 95, 96
Managed grazing, 8–9, 21
Management holistic guidelines, 25
Maps (topographic), reading, 168–69
Marginal reaction, holistic guideline, 139, 154
Marketing. See Butchering and processing; Legalities; Niche marketing
Marking up prices, 116
Martsof, Ed, 17
Masson, Jeffrey Moussaieff, 50
Mastitis, 88, 93
Matrix analysis, 111–13, 112, 115
Mcal (megacalories), 159
Mechanical clipping pastures, 31
Megacalories (Mcal), 159
Mendel, Gregor, 47, 48
Mesophytic plants, 28
Mettler, John M., 128
Milking operation, 140–41
Milk replacers, 70
Miller, Gary and Michele (example farm)
balance sheet, 146
carrying capacity, 168
description, 143
financial planning worksheets, 149, 152–53, 156–57
intake factor example, 179, 179–80
opportunity cost, 148
paddock design, 174
Mind, holistic management tool, 19
Mineral cycle, 11, 11
Mineral matter (ash) of feed, 60, 62, 63
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA), 117
Minor breeds and small-scale farms, 44, 46–47, 58
MISA (Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture), 117
Mixing feed, square method, 203–4, 203–4
Mob grazing, 39, 40
Moldy feed, 68, 70, 78
Money, holistic management tool, 19
Money/energy source and use, holistic guideline, 139–40
Monitoring
available forage (AF), 177, 178, 183
correction factor, 178
daily intake (DI), 183
daily records (journal), 176–77
destocking, 181
droughts, 181
dry-matter disappearance (DMD), 180
erosion condition, 186
forage quality, 159–60, 178
forage quantity, 177–78
grass length (GL) of sward for intake, 179–80
grazing period (GP), 172, 174, 180, 183
ground cover, 186
herd weight (HW) for intake, 24, 179–80
intake factor (IF), 165, 166–67, 178–80, 179
long-term monitoring, 185–87, 187
money, 154, 156–57
organisms, 186
paddock size (PS), 179, 185, 210
photo records for, 185–86
plant numbers and types, 186
pounds (kg) of dry matter for intake, 179
rain, heavy, 180–81
resources, 206–9
samples, collecting and evaluating, 177–78
soil capping or plugging, 186
stock density (SD), 24, 24, 183, 210
utilization rate (UR), 183
weather trouble, 180–83, 182–83
Monocotyledons (single-leaf) plants, 27, 27
Monofocal vision in animals, 51, 51
Monogastric fermenters, 64, 64
Moon, Roger, 75
Mother animal’s biocycle, 160–61, 161, 162
Moving group forward, 57
Muir, John, 7–8
Mulefoot hogs, 53, 208
Multiple births, 95
Multispecies grazing, 39–40
Mycotoxins, 70
Nation, Allan, 104
National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), 18
Natural defenses, 84–86, 85
“Natural” niche, 104
Nature, working with, 8, 8–9
Nature of Horses, The (Budiansky), 42
Needles and syringes, 91
Negative equity, 146
Negative impact of livestock, 7–8
Newborn animals
care of, 87, 90, 91, 96–97, 97
feeding, 70, 70–71
Newsletter advertising, 108–9, 109
Niche marketing. See also Legalities
advertising, 107, 113
alternative marketing, 102–4
bonus points, 113
brainstorming, 110
brochures, 108, 109
butcher market and pricing, 116
by-products and profits, 101
certification for organic products, 104
channels, criteria for in matrix analysis, 111
classified advertisements, 108
clientele, developing and maintaining, 107–10, 108–10
Coleman Natural Beef, 103, 105
community outreach advertising, 109
competition, understanding, 111, 113
computers for advertising, 108–9, 109
concentration marketing, 101, 102
consumer education for, 105
Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA), 6, 107, 126
conventional markets, 101–2, 102
current status, criteria for in matrix analysis, 111
customers, criteria for in matrix analysis, 111
ethnic markets, 108
exotic animals, 109, 122
family farm niche, 105
from farm, 105–6
farmers’ disadvantage in conventional markets, 101–2
from farmers’ markets, 106–7
farm visits, 108–9, 109
from flea markets, 106–7
flyer advertising, 108, 108, 109
futures markets, 102, 102
“green and humane” niche, 105
group marketing, 103–4
home delivery services, 109
image, importance of, 107
Internet advertising, 108
labor criteria, 113
Laura’s Lean Beef, 103, 105
“lean” niche, 105
legal issues, 110
limitations/concerns criteria, 113
and location, 106
mail order, 109
marketing plan, developing, 110–13, 112, 115
marking up prices, 116
matrix analysis, 111–13, 112, 115
“natural” niche, 104
need for, 100–101
newsletter advertising, 108–9, 109
Oregon Country Beef, 103, 105, 106, 114–15
“organic” niche, 104
“pasture finished” niche, 104–5
potential markets, surveying, 110–11
preliminary research, 110–11
and presentation, 106
pricing, 113, 115, 115–16
processing products and profits, 101
production costs and prices, 116
promotions, 108
resources, 206–9
from restaurants, 107
sales, 116
samples for advertising, 106–7, 109
speciality markets, 108, 109
standardization in markets, 102
from storefront, 106
from stores, 107
success story, 154–55
targeting criteria, 113
“tear-offs,” 108, 108
time criteria, 113
uniqueness of product and pricing, 116
“value-added” cooperatives, 103
“value-added” products, 101
venues, 105–7
vertical integration marketing, 101
volume, criteria for in matrix analysis, 111
word of mouth advertising, 107–8
yields, 105, 128–29
Nipple barrels, 70
Nitrogen fixation, 27
Nonagricultural pressures and land prices, 147
Nonbrittle environments, 12–13, 12–14, 13, 20, 137, 163
Normal flora, 82, 85
North, Karl and Jane, 160
North Penn Holistic Management Network, 17
NRCS (National Resources Conservation Service), 18
Number, thickness, packaging (butchering), 130
Nursing, 97
OCIA (Organic Crop Improvement Association), 103
O’Donnell, Sherry, 19, 108
Olson, Erik and Heather, 33, 106
On the hoof, selling beef, 119–20
Opportunity cost of assets, 148, 210
Oregon Country Beef, 103, 105, 106, 114–15
Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA), 103
Organic matter of feed, 60, 62, 62
“Organic” niche, 104
Organisms, monitoring, 186
Osborne, Cyd, 134
Overgrazing (overbrowsing), 21, 21
Owning versus renting land, 147, 184
Packaged meat, selling, 120–21, 120–21
Paddocks
design, 172, 174–75, 175
fencing designs for, 174–75, 175
grazing period (GP) of, 172, 174, 180, 183
number of, 164, 210
recovery periods (RP) of, 172, 174
total paddock numbers (TP), 172, 174
water systems for, 175, 175
Paddock size (PS), 179, 185, 210
Papered (registered) animals, 44
Parasite control, 84, 86–87, 163
Pastured poultry group, 22
“Pasture finished” niche, 104–5
Pasture raised pigs, 46
Pastures. See also Grass-based farming
clipping for growth maintenance, 28–29, 29, 30, 30, 31
cultivating, 31, 31–32
fertilizing, 28, 162–63
from fields, conversion, 32, 205
frost seeding, 31, 31
rejuvenating old, 29, 31, 31–32
Pathogens, 82
Pest control tips, 75
Phenotype, 162
Pheromones, 52
Phillips, Linda, 86–87
pH of soil, 28
Photo records for monitoring, 185–86
Photosynthesis, 10, 26
Phytotoxins, 70
Pigs
animal units (AU), 24
butchering and processing, 128, 129, 129, 130
digestion, 64, 64
overview, 98, 197, 197–98
pasture-raised pigs, 46
reproductive information, 95, 96
temperature ranges, normal, 88
Planned grazing (managed grazing), 8–9, 21
Planning. See Biological planning; Farm planning; Financial planning; Monitoring; Niche marketing
Plants
choosing, 32, 205
monitoring numbers and types, 186
poisonous, 68–70, 69
Pneumonia, 93
Point of balance of animal, 56, 56
Poisonous plants, 68–70, 69
Pork carcass/cuts, 128, 129, 129, 130
Postgastric fermenters, 64, 64
Posts for fences, 36–37
Potential markets, surveying, 110–11
Poultry butchering, 131–33, 131–33
Pounds (kg) of dry matter, 179
Powell, Kevin and Marcia, 53, 208
Precipitation amount and distribution, 12–13, 12–14, 13
Pregastric fermenters (ruminants), 64, 64–65, 65–66, 92
Presentation and niche marketing, 106
Pressure zone of animal, 55–56, 56
Prey species, 50–52, 51
Pricing, 113, 115, 115–16
Processing, 101, 128. See also Butchering and processing
Product conversion, 138
Production costs and prices, 116
Production form, holistic management goal, 18
Profit
anticipation of future profits, 147
financial planning, 5, 150, 150, 210
gross profit analysis, 139, 139, 151, 154
processing products and profits, 101
Promotions as advertising, 108
Proteins from feed, 61, 62–63, 63, 159
Przewalski’s horse, 43, 43
PS (paddock size), 179, 185, 210
Pseudoruminants fermenters, 64
Purchasing livestock, 57–58. See also Health and reproduction
Purebred animals, 44
Quality of life, holistic management goal, 18
Rain (heavy) monitoring, 180–81
Rathke, Don, 106
Ration of feed, 61
Recessive alleles, 47
Red deer, exotic animal, 122
Reference, adopting laws by, 118–19
Registered (papered) animals, 44
Regulations, challenging, 123–26
Rejuvenating old pastures, 29, 31, 31–32
Renting
equipment, 25
land versus owning land, 147, 184
Replanning. See Monitoring
Reproduction of animals, 94–97, 95, 96, 97. See also Health and reproduction
Reproduction of grass, 27, 27
Reputable farmers, buying livestock from, 58
Reserving extra carrying capacity, 167
Resources for small-scale livestock farming, 206–9
Respiratory disorders, 93
Rest, holistic management tool, 20
Restaurants, niche marketing from, 107
Restraint of animals, 98
Retail Food Handler’s License, 121
Reticulum, 65
Rhizobium, 27
Rights and responsibilities. See Legalities Rombauer, Irma S., 131
Rotational grazing (managed grazing), 8–9, 21
Roughage. See Forage
Ruminants (pregastric fermenters), 64, 64–65, 65–66, 92
Sacrifice areas, 77