Farm Animals

Raising dairy goats is an enjoyable way to start a small farm. Depending on the number of animals, a good deal of milk can be supplied for sale or perhaps making into cheese. With simple farming...

Branding cattle is a practical and cost effective way to identify your cattle. A recognizable, registered brand keeps cattle thieves at bay and is instrumental in proving ownership. Here are...

Donkeys have a friendly nature and usually get along with other animals and humans. They also can be good for riding, as is evident in places like Santorini. If you've ever wanted to ride a...

Muskrats are prized for their dense fur. They were so named because of the musk gland near the base of the tail, and live in wetlands, where they play a very important role of balancing the food...

A good breeding program is essential to any dairy farm for the simple reason that milk production is dependent on how many cows you have lactating at one time. Remember, too, that although people...

Pork is a worldwide commodity, and you can find people on every continent who eat it, even though some major religions restrict its consumption. Swine operations vary from very large producers to...

Pheasants are a game bird present in most of North America. They are a popular game bird in the United States and are not currently an endangered species. They dwell at ground level but are able...

The term "peacock" refers to the male of one of two species of peafowl widely known for its lavish tail plumage. The female, or peahen, is brown and doesn't display the courtship feathers like her...

Pheasants are game birds that are often bred to be hunted on preserves or for wholesale or retail sale to restaurants and consumers. You can buy eggs for hatching from pheasant farmers and...

If you want to raise geese, you can buy goslings or start with eggs. Eggs are cheaper than goslings, and you can hatch them yourself in an incubator. It takes about 30 days of incubation, some...

Turkeys are usually raised for consumption on large farms, but if you are just starting out as a turkey farmer, or if you would like to keep them as pets, you can buy turkey eggs and hatch them...

A male peafowl is termed a peacock; while a female is called a peahen. Like any species, there are some signs to look for when determining gender in these birds. Being able to determine the...

Peafowl, considered domesticated birds, are one of the most beautiful species of birds in the world. The India Blue Peafowl is the heartier of the peafowl species and lends itself well to domestic...

A male guinea fowl is termed a cock, while a female is called a hen. Like any species, there are some signs to look for when determining gender. The ability to determine sex aids the local...

A lot of factors go into breeding goats and there is no foolproof formula for success. Breeding and raising goats takes time, dedication and knowledge. Whether you decide to breed goats as a...

Whether you're a junior competitor showing your dairy goat for the first time, an amateur goat enthusiast or a professional breeder, taking your goat to show is an exciting way to evaluate the...

Whether you have pigs as pets or as livestock, they must be vaccinated against potential diseases. Pig herds are extremely vulnerable to contagious diseases, which can spread rapidly among the...

Many settlers and companies used sure-footed and hardy burros as pack animals when they made their way West. Today descendants of those burros that escaped or were released by settlers run the...

When the West was wild, cowboys didn't just live by the gun, they also lived by the lariat. Most people know a lariat as a lasso, but the word lasso actually refers to the act of throwing the...

The ability to determine gender and species of waterfowl depends on a few key characteristics. Whether a hunter, tracker or a casual nature observer, the ability to distinguish the mallard from...

Burros have been living in the Southwest deserts since a few escaped from Spanish explorers in the 1500s. Today, up to 20,000 burros roam the deserts. Each year, the Bureau of Land Management...

Everyone knows not to count chickens before they are hatched, but surely there is a way to do it without getting jinxed or by unwittingly causing the death or destruction of one of your chickens....

Low in fat and calories, yet high in protein, goat is becoming a popular, healthy alternative to pork and beef. Follow these steps to a delicious roast goat.

Emu farmers have learned that since the breeders market has dropped so drastically, they must process their birds into other products to earn a living. One market that is slowly growing in...

Second only to the ostrich in size, the emu, like other livestock, requires its own unique feed. There are several routes you can take to ensure a balanced diet for your birds, but there are pros...

Whether you're looking to supplement your income or provide a tasty home grown meal for the family, you'll profit either way raising turkeys. The benefits are widespread and include a built- in...

Because they are not true domestic animals, they rely on humans a little less than most livestock. But doing your part to keep your reindeer healthy and fed will pay off in the end with bigger,...

Guinea fowl pens can be small or large and as simple or complex as you like. Pens for a guinea fowl need to include an enclosed house and a wire surrounded run. You can utilize an existing shed or...

If you have decided to raise your own Thanksgiving turkey, there are a few things to keep in mind. One of the most important is that turkeys are friendly animals. If you are sure your dinner won't...

Caring for a large herd of goats can be expensive and having to call a vet to give every vaccination can run even a well off farmer into bankruptcy. Knowing how to give your goat a shot is...

Vaccinating cows can keep them healthy and less likely to become infected with dangerous diseases. Whether you have only one cow or an entire herd, properly vaccinating your animals is crucial....

Goats serve many purposes, whether they are used for meat, as pets, show animals and working animals. No matter what you use goats for, they must be vaccinated and cared for properly. Vaccines can...

Raising chickens is a simple hobby that provides eggs and meat for you and fertilizer for your garden. Like all animals, chickens require suitable housing. You can build a coop for your chickens...

There comes a time in everyone's life when they must ask the question, "What am I going to do with all these guinea fowl eggs?". Well, probably not. However, if you happen to like guinea fowl and...

Guineas make a good addition to your farm for several reasons. The meat is especially good because only turkey meat has more calories. They make good watch animals and give a loud call whenever...

If you plan to sex turkey chicks at a very young age, know that they must either have been bred in a specific cross-mating or the handler must have extensive experience with turkey physiology....

There are several breeds of ducks. Each duck egg may hatch in different timeframes. The following steps will show you how to hatch eggs from the most common variety of duck, which is the Peking...

They flounce, they bounce and they cuddle. There is no doubt that baby goats, or kids as they are officially known, are cute. Like all kids, they grow up fast and taking care of a baby goat can be...

Like the llama, the alpaca is a South American animal that has recently seen a strong increase in interest in the United States. Raising alpacas has given new life to family farms and has also...

you will learn some basic steps for taking care of your goat

Killing a chicken is not a difficult task, provided you have the stomach for it. Follow these steps to slaughter a chicken humanely and without making a mess.

Hatching chicken eggs is a common science experiment in classrooms or at home. Children can learn a lot about nature and the growth process by watching chicken eggs hatch. If you are interested in...

Many people breed alpacas for the sheer enjoyment of having a herd around. Be cautious, however, if you intend to breed these intelligent, sociable animals for profit; it often costs more to feed...

Ostrich farming is becoming popular in the United States. Some people raise ostriches for the meat while other people raise ostriches for the oil that is used in cosmetics or for the feathers. If...

Ostrich farming has been popular in other countries for years, and is recently becoming popular in the United States. Ostriches are farmed for their meat, feathers and a hide that is similar to...

Starting an emu ranch can be a profitable venture. Once the fences and shelters are built, the food stocked and all the basic needs of the emus met, there are some everyday factors to be aware of...

Once you've established your emu farm, keeping your birds healthy is of utmost importance. Learning about the diseases that affect emus and the early warning signs of these diseases can help you...

Ostriches reach sexual maturity at about 2 years old and then are able to start laying eggs. Adult ostriches can lay up to fifty eggs per year, as long as the eggs are removed from the nest. It...

Anyone can train a dog to fetch a stick, but it takes a special kind of person to hypnotize a chicken. You must be strong of will and pure of heart. You must have nerves of steel and be able to...

Hatching duck eggs can be a wonderful and rewarding experience. Although this task is a relatively simple one, care must be taken throughout the process to ensure a safe transition from egg to...