What you need/need to know before you start
- Brand and Property Identification Code (PIC) — all cattle owners must be registered and have a current PIC. Identification of livestock is required by law under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (Identification and Movement of Stock and Apiaries) Regulations 2013. Cattle must have the correct National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) identification and their movements from property to property recorded on the NLIS database.
- Waybill/National Vendor Declaration (NVD) — it is required by law that all movement of cattle from a property is to be recorded in a waybill and accompany the consignment. Cattle arriving on a property/PIC must have their NLIS device scanned and transferred to the new PIC on the NLIS database within 48 hours of arrival. This is the responsibility of the receiver of the stock.
- Pasture — poisonous plants, knowledge of grazing capabilities.
- Supplementary feeding — knowledge of seasonal pasture growth and quality and ensure adequate supplementary feeding occurs at times of low growth.
- Water — low salt levels, less than 8.53g/L water. Dry cattle need up to 50L of water/day, lactating up to 80–100L/day.
- Correct infrastructure — cattle yards need to be solid and sturdy, along with strong perimeter and internal fencing.
- Time/labour — regular inspection for general wellbeing of cattle is needed, especially at calving with 2 or more checks per day.
- Knowledge of diseases, parasites and outbreaks in your area — annual vaccinations/treatments may be necessary for the health of your herd. That is, Clostridial diseases, reproductive diseases, pink eye, leptosporosis (zoonotic) along with althlemintic drenches for parasites.
- Important to recognise when an animal is healthy and when it is unwell and needing attention.
- Experience with cattle — know how to work with cattle, low stress handling, along with the dangers associated with cattle.
- Understand digestive system of ruminants — a ruminant will spend between 3–13 hours/day grazing and between 7–8 hours/day ruminating (chewing it’s cud). The ruminant system uses microbes to help break down feed; sudden changes in diet can cause fatal digestive disorders.
Cattle facts
- Gestation length — 283 days (9 months)
- Duration of oestrus — 1 day
- Oestrus cycle — every 21 days
- Return after parturition — 3–6 weeks
- Body temperature — 38.3–38.8ᵒC
- Weaning — early wean 6 months, late wean 9 months
- Heifer joining — at 15 months of age if heifers weigh 55–65% of their mature weight
- Joining period — 6 weeks with maximum 9 weeks
- Marking — a procedure which includes tagging, castration, branding/marking. Refer to Model Code of Practice for the welfare of animals - Cattle, on performing these tasks and ages by which the procedures need to be carried out by.
Meaning of ‘ruminant’
Cattle are unique in that they have four stomachs in the respective order of rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum. In the rumen the breakdown of plant material or grains is achieved through microbial fermentation, supplying about 60% of the animal’s energy requirements.
For effective microbial breakdown of food, the material must be finely chopped and this is why you see cattle regurgitate and re-chew their feed after several hours of grazing.
The feed continues to breakdown throughout the stomachs until the material progresses to the abomasum, where acidic breakdown occurs (monogastrics).
What breed is best suited
Knowing the breeds available is very important in consideration to size, feed consumption, maturity, temperament, and carcase attributes.
It would be beneficial to talk with breed representatives to ensure the breed you are interested in is best suitable for your property, production system/market, lifestyle and district.
Cattle can be classified into three breed types.
Speciality breeds
These breeds are typically smaller breeds suited to smaller property owners due to their size, low feed consumption, easier handling and docile temperaments. For example Dexter, Lowline, minature Herefords, Galloways and Square Meaters.
Bos taurus
Are bred in the cooler (temperate) regions of the world. They can be classified as:
British breeds
Such as Angus, Hereford, Sussex, Red Angus, Shorthorn and Red Poll.
These breeds are associated with early maturing, a docile temperament, medium size and lower feed consumption with good carcase attributes displaying elevated fat levels.
European breeds
Such as Limousin, Simmental, Charolais, Blonde d’Aqutaine, Gelvieh and Salers.
These breeds display characteristic traits of later maturing, larger size, higher feed demand cattle with excellent carcase attributes, exhibiting a leaner, more muscular carcase.
Bos indicus
Bos indicus are well suited to the hotter climates throughout the world.
Noticeable characteristics include humps on necks, loose skin, floppy ears and very soft coats. They are well adapted to the harsh conditions.
Breeds include Brahman, Santa Gertrudis and Droughtmaster.
Types of production and markets
The type of production system you wish to embark on will decide what breed of cattle you will purchase and manage, the labour associated with the type of production and ultimately the markets you will be selling to.
Cow and calf production
This production system will require the largest input costs and labour due to:
- buying/hiring bulls
- equipment for marking and castration
- NLIS tagging
- veterinarian costs
- extra paddocks needed to keep bull/s separate, for weaning and for rotating cows and calves through paddocks to reduce incidence of diseases and parasites.
In addition to this system lactating cows require more feed and water than dry, non-lactating cows. The labour needed will be high due to constant checking of cows at calving, marking and weaning.
There is also a significant increase in danger due to handling bulls, protective cows with young calves and marking.
Veterinarian costs may rise due to calving difficulties, scours, metabolic disorders at calving, reduced immune system when cows are pregnant becoming more susceptible to parasites and diseases and vaccinating cows and neonates against reproductive disorders.
Fattening steers and heifers
This is a more straightforward form of cattle production if you are small scale.
The costs and labour associated should be reduced due to no reproduction and therefore no calving and marking.
Calves are generally weaned between 6–9 months of age and then ‘fattened’.
The drawback to this production system is lowered immunity to diseases and parasites as the immune system of the animal develops with age.
As the young cattle are still rapidly growing an elevated level of protein and metabolisable energy will need to be included in their diet.
It is important to plan feed management for the road ahead and know the weights of cattle and the growth rate you would like to achieve. In this case weigh scales should be used to monitor growth.
Cattle identification
All cattle in Western Australia (WA) require an accredited National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) electronic device. NLIS tags must be applied to cattle:
- in the south west land division: by 6 months of age or before they first leave the property, whichever occurs first
- in pastoral areas: by 18 months of age or before they first leave the property, whichever occurs first.
The NLIS provides for individual traceability of cattle and buffalo from the property of birth to slaughter or export.
The movements of each animal must be updated on a national database when they arrrive at a new destination.
Earmarking and branding of cattle are optional.
For more information on cattle identification requirements see the NLIS and cattle webpage.
Are you ready to checklist yourself for cattle husbandry?
- Are you registered as an owner of livestock and have your PIC, brand, NLIS and waybills organised?
- Do you have sound cattle yard facilities, crush, and loading race?
- Do you have a secure perimeter and internal fencing — electric fencing?
- Is there plentiful clean, fresh water available?
- Is someone available to check cattle all year round?
- Do you have knowledge of acreage and ‘food on offer’ to estimate how many cattle you can manage?
- Do you have knowledge of dry season and short feed supply — pasture growth?
- Are you able to provide a level of nutrition from feed available in the paddocks plus supplementation if needed?
- Are you aware of what is acquired for breeding — a bull is required and therefore will need a separate paddock?
- Do you understand the health risks associated with cattle?
- Are you familiar with the cattle code of practice?
- Do you know the stocking rate of your property?
- Do you have plenty of time for the enterprise?
- Do you know how to work with cattle to minimise stress?
- Are you familiar with cattle breeds, production systems and markets?
- Do you have knowledge of the diseases and parasites that can affect your cattle and the associated symptoms?
For best advice and knowledge contact your local beef producers, veterinarian, rural supply store or industry representative to understand cattle farming in your area.