Growing bulls for meat: choice of breed, living conditions, diet, sales, business profitability

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Today, the process of reverse urbanization is noticeable in our country - we althy people move from stuffy, noisy, bustling cities to small villages and even villages. Many of them have their own businesses. For example, some are engaged in growing bulls for meat at home. This is hard work, but you can always provide yourself and your loved ones with high-quality, clean products, at the same time making a good profit.

Which breeds to choose

In many ways, the profitability and success of breeding depends on how correctly the breed was chosen. After all, they differ significantly in a number of important factors: the rate of weight gain, maximum weight, resistance to diseases and climatic features of the region. According to experts, the taste of meat even depends on the breed! So, if you are interested in raising bulls for meat as a business,such an important factor cannot be ignored.

In general, the following breeds can be called a good choice: Hereford, Charolais, Simmental. However, this is only a rough recommendation. It would be useful to learn about the features of each of the listed breeds before buying, to think about whether you can provide them with suitable conditions of detention, whether they are suitable for growing in a particular area and climate. Only a serious approach and a well-thought-out strategy will make it possible to make a profit, and not lose all the money invested in an expensive project.

Where to buy calves

When you have decided which breed is best for you, you can proceed to the next step - the purchase. It is also a very serious decision. You should not buy juveniles from private and even more so unfamiliar persons - there is a high probability of buying not only non-pedigreed, but also sick animals. The best solution would be to use the services of large farmers whose farms have existed for more than one year. At the same time, you can get advice from them, learn more about the pros and cons of specific breeds that are of most interest to you.

Of course, in this case, you may have to pay a little more. But it is better to spend a few extra tens of thousands of rubles, but it is guaranteed to get high-quality, he althy young animals. After all, with good care, you can count on a profit of hundreds of thousands of rubles. Well, trying to save a relatively small amount, you seriously risk all investments - animals can become seriously ill, slowly gain weight orjust die, leaving the novice farmer without capital.

Another important question is the optimal age. This is where experts differ. Some recommend purchasing young animals at the age of 1-2 weeks, citing the fact that this option is the cheapest, but reducing financial investments is an extremely important step in the development of any business. But keep in mind: at this age, calves need milk. If you do not have your own dairy farm, then such maintenance will be very expensive. Therefore, other experts advise buying bulls that have already switched to grass. Yes, you will have to pay. But later you can save a lot on feed. In addition, stronger bulls get sick less often.

Where to keep bulls

If you are interested in growing bulls for meat at home, you should definitely think about the place where they are kept. And before the juveniles are purchased.

In some regions of our country, where the climate is quite mild, you can get by with temporary light buildings that protect animals from rain and wind. Alas, there are relatively few such places. A harsh climate dominates over a large area of the country - in winter, animals need to be provided with comfortable conditions for survival, perhaps even heating. It is not worth it to build your own complex at first. Even the most budgetary standard project for growing bulls for meat will cost several hundred thousand rubles. Therefore, even with a good scenario, it is not always possible to compensate for financial costs.

Much better to find a ready-made farm orcomplex that can be rented - these can be found in many areas. In extreme cases, you can even rent a part of a large farm, sufficient to keep your animals. This will significantly reduce costs. If the business brings enough profit, you decide to expand, then you can consider buying or building your own farm with a well-equipped barn in order to be as independent as possible.

Stalled or free range?

It is not the first year that the stall method of growing bulls for meat has been very popular. Almost all agricultural corporations choose this option. Its essence is as simple as possible: animals are sent to a stall, where they spend the rest of their lives. They are fed, watered, waste products are removed.

What are the advantages of this technology of growing bulls for meat? First of all, simplicity and convenience. You do not need to have vast fields to drive animals there. In our climate, in any case, we need high-quality, reliable barns to protect bulls (especially young ones) from cold weather and precipitation. So why not use them for a year and a half in a row, until it's time to send the animals to slaughter?

It would seem that everything is reasonable and balanced. However, as practice shows, this option cannot be called ideal. Yes, the content in this case becomes as simple as possible. But animals that do not leave the stall, do not have the opportunity to move freely, get sick much more often. Whatit is especially dangerous - it is enough for one bull to catch an infectious disease, as all the inhabitants of the barn become infected from it in a matter of days. Even a quick quarantine does not always save. Accordingly, you will have to spend a lot of money on medicines, veterinarian services.

On the one hand, this raises costs, which is already quite unpleasant. On the other hand, the meat of an animal stuffed with antibiotics cannot be called environmentally friendly. But for many people, raising bulls for meat at home is a business and an opportunity to provide themselves with a quality product.

In addition, bulls that have spent their whole lives in a stall become more aggressive - the risk of injury when working with them increases. Finally, animals that cannot go out into the fresh air, actively move, are in the worst physical shape, which means that the taste of the meat will suffer.

Therefore, small farmers prefer free range. Yes, for this you need to have a large pasture and daily drive animals from the barn to the field and back. But this approach avoids many of the problems mentioned above.

Containment conditions

People who are interested in raising bulls for meat as a business need to learn a lot of important nuances.

For example, when purchasing young animals, it is imperative to vaccinate the animals, and then regularly show them to the veterinarian. Moreover, the larger the farm, the more often inspections should be carried out - after all, the risk of disease in a large herd is always higher.

The room,where they are kept during the cold season, should be well insulated, and also have a heating system for the most frosty winter days. The temperature here should not fall below +10 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, there is a high risk of colds, which will quickly cover the entire herd.

Of course, the floors must be thoroughly cleaned, washed. By leaving leftover food and manure in the barn, the owner encourages the development of dangerous infectious diseases that can cause serious harm to the farm.

On hot summer days, you need to take care that the bulls do not overheat. Therefore, pasture is carried out mainly in the morning, and also in the afternoon, when the heat subsides a little. Gobies should be in the shade from 12:00 to 16:00.

It is very important to remember that grazing should only begin after the dew has dried. Eating grass with a lot of water often results in tympania (acute swelling of the scar). Yes, this disease is easily cured if there is an experienced veterinarian nearby. But if you delay, the animal may well die from suffocation.

Optimal Diet

In order for animals to grow actively, be he althy, gain weight well, and their meat has a great taste, you need to take the issue of compiling a diet very seriously. Coping with the task is much more difficult than it might seem at first glance to an inexperienced beginner. Yes, most of the diet is grass or hay. But even different herbs contain different substances and trace elements.

Until 1 month of age, calves need to be fed with milk -about 8-10 liters per day. After that, they are gradually transferred to the grass.

The best combination: meadow hay, corn silage and wheat straw. You can also supplement the diet with pulp, fish or bone meal, as well as potatoes, carrots. Of course, we must not forget about s alt - this is an extremely important food additive. Equally important is water. The cow should get enough clean drinking water, especially in winter when she eats a lot of dry food.

It depends on the correctness and sufficiency of the diet how fast the bull will grow, how long it will take to gain the optimal weight. But it is very difficult to specifically name the right amount of food and proportion - it depends both on the breed, and on the climate, age. Therefore, it would be useful to consult with specialists to help them draw up a suitable schedule and diet.

How old to raise?

In most cases, steers are allowed for meat at the age of one and a half years - plus or minus a couple of months, depending on the breed and conditions of detention.

Why this age? It is the best in terms of economy. It is up to 18 months that bulls gain weight the fastest, reaching about 400-500 kilograms. After that, the growth rate slows down significantly. Of course, with good nutrition, a thoroughbred bull can reach a weight of 800 kilograms, and sometimes tons. But for this you have to keep it for 4-5 years. That is, in each subsequent year, it will gain less mass. And eat more food. So this approach can be called irrational and wasteful.

Besides, in a year and a half, the meat of a castrated bull remains tender, soft and therefore especially tasty.

How to implement steers

Another extremely important point is the sale of finished products. After all, the profitability of growing bulls for meat depends on it. Feedback on implementation methods can be found very different - a lot depends on the region, the farmer's ability to find the right people and just some luck.

Judging by the reviews, the easiest and easiest way to sell is to hand over live bulls or carcasses to sausage shops. However, in this case, the profit will be relatively small - when buying in bulk, you have to significantly reduce the price. And not a single enterprise will agree to buy two dozen carcasses at a retail price.

Another option is to sign a contract with a restaurant or other catering establishment. This usually takes weeks or even months. When the restaurant runs out of meat, they inform the farmer, and he brings the butchered carcass or most of it - by agreement. According to experienced businessmen, this is quite a profitable option, but the meat must be of high quality - otherwise, a serious restaurant that values its reputation will most likely refuse to cooperate.

Finally, the third option is to sell on the market. Perhaps it can be called the most profitable. Indeed, in this case, the meat is sold at retail. Therefore, the profit will be maximum. But there is a minus here - you have to spend a lot of time on implementation. It will be necessary to spend whole days in the market either by the farmer himself or by a hired person whose services must be paid.

Which option is best for you - decide for yourself.

We draw up a business plan: briefly about the main thing

Now let's draw up a rough business plan so that each reader can estimate the approximate costs and income, deciding whether such a business suits him. After all, although the reviews about the business of growing bulls for meat are mostly positive, it is hard and costly work.

The biggest one-time cost, according to farmers, is buying young animals. Alas, it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer here - the cost of a bull depends on age, breed, even just the relationship with the seller. Therefore, the price can range from 5 to several tens of thousands. For example, let's take the figure of 10 thousand - the cost of a strong, he althy, thoroughbred bull. Buying 20 heads, you will spend 200 thousand rubles.

Renting land and building a barn for the acquired herd will cost about 300-400 thousand rubles more. The spread can be even more - a lot depends on the region and the specific place. For example, somewhere near Tambov, land will cost much less than in the Moscow region. Keep in mind that one bull should have at least 10-12 square meters of area.

Alas, the costs don't end there. After all, you also need to provide livestock with food. True, these costs can be stretched over time, but it is advisable to buy in bulk during the harvest period - people say this can save a decent amount. The main thing is to take care of the availability of a suitablestorage space. For an annual supply of feed, you will have to pay about 15 thousand rubles - again, it depends heavily on the region. Consequently, in a year and a half it will take about 22 thousand, and for the whole herd - about 440 thousand.

The total cost will be about 1-1, 1 million rubles. Keep in mind that you may also need veterinary services.

In a year and a half, bulls will reach an average weight of 450 kilograms each - plus or minus 100 kg, depending on the breed, conditions of detention, and diet. In total, the herd weighs 9,000 kilograms. Approximate meat yield - 60% (also highly dependent on the breed). In a good scenario, beef will be sold at a price of 300 rubles per kilogram. But it is better to count on 250 rubles - if you rent in bulk. Total total profit will be 1,250,000 rubles. Of these, net profit is about 150-250 thousand rubles. Yes, not too much. But keep in mind that in a year and a half you also fully compensated for the costs of renting land and construction. Accordingly, next season the profit will increase by 300-400 thousand rubles. And this is already a very good indicator, especially if we manage to expand over time.

Having at hand a well-written business plan for growing bulls for meat, you can estimate expenses and incomes, make appropriate adjustments to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Conclusion

This concludes our article. Now you know enough about a business like raising bulls for meat: what costs await you, how long the whole cycle will take, what profit you can count on, and much more.other. Of course, when raising bulls, you also need to have some serious patience, endurance and a willingness to work long and hard.