Dairy and Animal Science Publications

This 24-page analysis provides summary information for various categories of dairy farms and is intended for more general use as an aid to decision making on Pennsylvania dairy farms. As such, the report should be useful to extension agents, individual dairy farmers, and a variety of business, government, and educational professionals.

Goat is the most highly consumed meat in the world; andmore goat?s milk is consumed worldwide than cow?s milk.In the United States, meat goat production is increasingbecause of goats? economic value as efficient converters oflow-quality forages into quality meat, milk, and hideproducts for specialty markets.

Rabbit farming has grown from raising a few rabbits forfamily consumption to large commercial operations withhundreds of rabbits. Approximately 200,000 producersmarket 6 to 8 million rabbits annually in the United States,where 8 to 10 million pounds of rabbit meat are consumedeach year. Laboratories use nearly 600,000 rabbits a year for medical experiments and new product testing. On theinternational market, nearly 10,000 tons of Angora wool areconsumed annually.

Learn about the pieces that comprise a business plan and how a plan can assist in the success of an agribusiness.

The equine industry in Pennsylvania has doubled in sizesince 1967 and continues to expand and diversify. As aresult, the demand for horse boarding services has increased. Many Pennsylvanians enjoy a variety of recreational activities involving horses, such as trail riding, participating in horse and pony clubs, and competing in shows and other events. Horses contribute to the state?s economy by creating a market for feed, supplies, and the services of boarders, veterinarians, trainers, breeders, and farriers.

An effective method for increasing revenue from a lambproduction enterprise is to increase the number of lambsproduced per ewe each year. With high-level managementand production skills, it is possible to produce three lambcrops per ewe every two years. This technique is calledaccelerated lambing. It combines spring, off-season, andholiday lamb production into one enterprise. It also allowsfor increased efficiency in use of labor, land, equipment, and buildings.

The term ?backgrounding? may be relatively new to some.However, this management system is well known to bothcow-calf producers and cattle feeders. Backgrounding is abeef production system that uses pasture and other foragesfrom the time calves are weaned until they are placed in afeedlot. Calves generally gain from 100 to 400 pounds,depending on the available forages, ration fed, and length of time involved. The weight gain comes primarily frommuscle and frame development, with little from fattening.These gains are accomplished as economically as possibleby making maximum use of forages such as pasture, hay,and silage. Little, if any, grain is used in mostbackgrounding programs.

The United States is the leading beef producer in the world. Almost 26.9 billion pounds of beef were produced in the United States in 2000 and per capita consumption totaled 78 pounds. The cattle cycle currently is in a declining phase. A smaller calf crop, a slight decline in cattle feeding, small decline in slaughter rates, and stable consumption rates will be evident for several years. Profitability in the cattle business usually increases as production declines.

Dairy goat production is an alternative livestock enterprisesuitable for many small-scale or part-time livestock operations.Some dairy goat producers have been successful inpasteurizing goat milk and building an on-farm juggingbusiness; others have ventured into processed milk productsfor retail distribution. The potential also exists for selling milk to processors, usually on a regional basis. Although fluid milk and processed products are important markets, dairy goat producers should also consider the potential for selling animals to hobbyists and youth involved in vocational agriculture livestock projects.

This publication has been revised. It contains budget information to evaluate the costs related to raising heifers. There are 3 budgets in an Excel template which examine the costs involved in raising large and small breed heifers and large breed heifers that utilize pasture.

Heifers are the foundation of any dairy enterprise. Farmerscan improve their herds by replacing culled cows with wellfed, healthy, genetically superior 2-year-old heifers. In most herds, dairy farmers replace 25 to 30 percent of the herd each year. These replacements represent a significant financial investment.Dairy heifer production in the Northeast and the Midwesthas typically been the responsibility of dairy farmers.However, milk producers in other parts of the country oftenbuy bred replacement heifers or contract their own heifersout to other growers.

Feeder lamb production is a livestock enterprise adaptableto small-scale and part-time farms in Pennsylvania. Feederlambs are purchased as premarket-weight lambs, fed to adesirable market weight, and then sold. When purchased,lambs can weigh as little as 35 pounds or less and as muchas 60 pounds. These lambs are usually marketed at 110pounds through local auctions, slaughterhouses, brokers,and individuals. In recent years, direct markets, nichemarkets, tel-a-auctions, and marketing cooperatives havebecome popular for selling lambs. The wool is sold throughlocal and national markets, brokers, and wool cooperatives.

The United States is the leading beef producer in the world.Almost 26.9 billion pounds of beef were produced in theUnited States in 2000 and per capita consumption totaled 78pounds. The cattle cycle currently is in a declining phase,and several more years are expected of smaller calf crops, a slight decline in cattle feeding, small decline in slaughter rates, and stable consumption rates. Profitability in the cattle business usually increases as production declines.

Sheep products in Pennsylvania do not have to be limited tomeat and wool. There is a growing interest in milking sheepand sheep milk products. In Europe, sheep dairying is afairly common enterprise, and sheep breeds have beendeveloped specifically for milk production. It is not unusual for these breeds to average four to seven pounds of milk daily. The European breeds, however, are not available in the United States because of import restrictions. Sheep breeds common to Pennsylvania average between .75 and 2.0 pounds of milk daily. This requires U.S. sheep producers interested in dairying to carefully select ewes based on milk production and durability. Crossbred ewes produce more milk and are more durable than some purebreds.

Of the approximately 160,000 Pennsylvania lambs marketedeach year, 30 percent are sold as off-season and holidaylambs. These lambs are marketed using both conventional(auctions, slaughterhouses, and brokers) and nonconventional(niche markets, specialty stores, and direct marketing)methods. The ideal market weight is 110 pounds for offseasonlambs and 40 to 45 pounds for holiday lambs.

Technological change and vertical integration in the swineindustry have resulted in fewer farms producing recordamounts of pork. The number of operators involved in swineproduction in Pennsylvania fell from 20,000 at the beginningof 1981 to 3,456 in 1997. Pennsylvania remains animportant swine producer with market value of sales rankingit 12th in the country. Approximately 70 percent of Pennsylvania swine operations produce less than 100 head per year, and only 2.8 percent produce more than 1,000 head per year. While the trend in the swine industry continues towards larger farms, opportunities remain to make money by raising hogs in a part-time enterprise.

Special-fed veal producers place 750,000 to 800,000 bobcalves, animals less than 7 days old, annually for vealproduction. Most of these calves are bull calves fromHolstein herds. There are approximately 1,400 veal producersin the United States, where production is concentrated inIndiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, andWisconsin. The largest demand for veal is in the Northeast,but most large cities have markets.

One of the main expenses in owning a horse is feed. This four-page fact sheet explains how horses naturally use forages as a primary component of their diets and how these requirements can be supplied by pasture and hay. It also covers pasture and hay production and management, as well as forage concerns related to horses.

Nitrogen is as important as phosphorus in environmental regulations, and maybe even more so, because water and air quality issues are strongly influenced by this element. Odor problems are moving to the forefront of public concerns.