Livestock Husbandry and Management Systems
Systems compared
Extensive (free range, ranching), semi-intensive and intensive (zero grazing, feedlot, battery cage) systems differ in land use, capital, labour, disease risk and welfare. Candidates should be able to state advantages and disadvantages of each and match a system to climate, market and land availability.
Routine husbandry operations
Identify animals (ear tag, notch, brand, microchip), record births and weights, castrate, dehorn, dock tails where legal, trim hooves, shear, dip, vaccinate and wean. Know the age at which each is normally done and the welfare rules attached - for example, castration and dehorning should use analgesia and be done at the youngest practical age.
Stockmanship
Handling facilities, flight zones, low-stress movement, culling decisions and body condition scoring. Body condition score is a hands-on tool: cattle are scored 1–5, sheep and goats 1–5, pigs 1–5; a score of 2.5–3 is generally ideal, with targets adjusted for stage of production.
Traps
- Confusing weaning with separation for sale.
- Assuming intensive systems are always more profitable - feed and health costs can erode margins.
- Ignoring that body condition, not live weight, is the better guide to nutritional status.
- Overlooking that castration before puberty is simpler but must respect animal welfare codes.
Worked rule of thumb
For a smallholder cattle herd, plan one adult livestock unit (about 250 kg) per hectare on unimproved pasture, and double or triple that only with improved pasture, fertiliser and rotational grazing. Stocking rate above carrying capacity causes overgrazing and parasite build-up.
Planning cycle
Set goals, choose the system, plan breeding and feeding calendars, schedule health routines, then monitor weights, condition and mortality monthly.