Guide to Profitable cattle Fattening Farming
What is Cattle Fattening
Cattle fattening is the feeding of measured amounts of feed to young bulls for 90-120 days. In cattle fattening the animals aren't moving around, practically all their requirements are brought to them. It's different from a Ranch system where you breed cows and wait to sell off their offspring.
Why Cattle Fattening or Feedlot?
Cattle fattening which is also called feedlot is necessary to shorten the time it takes to put enough quality beef on the table. Compared to the cattle ranch system, you do not need to have a large expanse of land to be able to produce beef.
Also as an example in Nigeria, perish the thought that only a certain tribe up North can keep cattle. It is possible to keep cattle ANYWHERE in NIGERIA.
How to Start a Cattle Fattening Business
Keep in mind that it is not a business you can just dabble into without prerequisite knowledge. If you are interested, enrolling in online training may give you theoretical knowledge, it is highly recommended and preferable to have practical training - because you learn more by doing.
Cattle fattening business can be divided into five stages or process
The business can be planned under the following stages
- Housing and Structure
- Animal Selection and Purchase
- Health Management
- Feeds and Feeding
- Costs, Revenue, and Profits
Housing and Structures
The following are needed to get started in cattle fattening:
- Housing and structure: A plot of land can be used to house 50 bulls conveniently
- Fencing: A very strong barricade to contain them, a barbed wire and live fence, or galvanized iron poles
- Watering and feeding troughs: To provide safe drinking water for them
- Sheltered Area: For the animals to rest and feed
- Weight Scale: To monitor their progress
- Knapsack sprayer for fumigation etc
Animal Selection and Purchase
How successful or otherwise your business is dependent on buying the right animal for cattle fattening purposes - For example in Nigeria, it is highly recommended to buy
- White Fulani or
- Sokoto Gudali
Either of the two Should be bought at Weight: 200kg or 220kg and or, Age: Two years(2) - two and a half (2 and 1/2 years old). Animals bought for this purpose should be LEAN, CHEAP but NOT SICK. It is very important to take note of those three words.
Health Management
Health management is very vital to the success of your investment. This is purely professional - you are strongly advised to consult a practicing Animal husbandry Officer or a Veterinary Doctor.
Major health regimes must include the following:
- Antibiotic cover
- Control of Ectoparasites
- Deworming
- Antitrypsin
- Multivitamin supplements
- Footrot and Diarrhoea must be managed promptly
Feeds and Feeding
Feeding is another crucial part of Feedlot, To achieve the desired results, you need to feed the cattle properly. Pay special attention to the following:
* Provide cut grasses as much as possible
* Concentrate should be fed at 2-3% of the body weight of the animal daily
* Vitamins and Minerals (Salt lick)
Minerals blocks can be purchased or you can prepare an on-farm mix as follows:
- Bonemeal-5kg,
- Limestone-3kg,
- Salt- 2kg
Concentrates:
- Maize-60kg,
- Sdpl:19kg,
- CSC-19kg,
- Salt- 1kg,
- Bonemeal- 1kg.
NOTE: This is the National Formular from NAPRI, Zaria
The Southern Zone can be modified as follows:
- Wheatmeal Offall - 25kg,
- Maize Offall - 30kg,
- Sdpl- 20kg, PKC- 25kg
Costs, Revenue, and Profits
Due to the initial cost of acquiring land, putting structure in place, and cost of day-to-day running... You shouldn't expect much profit in the first business cycle.
Cost of Cattle purchase: Depending on the economic situation, the cost of the specification of the animal to be purchased should range from 150-250k
Cost of feeding: With that simple food formular, expect to spend #800/animal/day on concentrates and #200/day/animal on grasses. You will spend 10% of the feeding costs on health management.
Revenue: Selling live animals, all things being equal, the selling price should double if not triple. Another option to earn more profits is to slaughter the animal and sell it to end consumers if you understand the trade.
Can you carry out cattle fattening in a residential area? The answer is negative because of health concerns and hazards. To pevent the limitation, if want to do a real cattle fattening business, Go off residential areas
CEO of Biscomroyal Agro Allied Services. Principal Partner BISOJID Farms Ltd. A serial entrepreneur since 2007. Having lost his first investment in agriculture as his cultivated farmland was turned into a quarry in 2010. Ismail's focus is on helping established and aspiring farmers avoid the traps that most farmers get into with their investment when starting farming. So that they can reap the fruits of their labour with bounty harvest, with a big smile to the bank.