Cattle Management and Feeding

Cattle Management and Feeding

India has largest number (227 million) of cattle in the world and stands 2nd in milk production. Its management includes feed, keep up (medical care) and breeding.

Feeding

Except some managed farm most livestock feed by grazing on open land. Prepared feeds are of various categories:

• Roughages : fodder, silage, hay and straw with high fibre content.
• Concenterates : preparations of cereals, millets, forage crops with high leaf proteins, oil seeds, cakes, animal byproducts have high nutrient value. Minerals and vitamins are also added for high yielders. Ratio of these differs for calf, adult and the milking mothers etc.

Management of cattle

The following precautions should be taken during the management of cattle.

• Milch cattle are often dehorned for easy handling.
• Cattle should be kept in a well-ventilated shed with a pucca floor and a proper drain channel. The cattle dung should be stored in a pit. Maintain sanitary conditions in and around the cattle shed.
• Cow should be milked gently, quickly and fully.
• Castration of Bull calves (which are not needed for breeding) should be done before the age of 15 to 18 months which grows into a bullock.
• The drought cattle should be properly shoed before using them on hard ground or road to prevent injury to the feet.