Getting started with cattle - Jo Rowland takes a look at the rules and regulations involved with cattle-keeping

WHEN I was growing up in the fifties and sixties, starting any small farming enterprise was a simple matter of visiting your local auction market and bidding for whatever took your fancy. The only paper work involved was a receipt for the cash you handed over, often directly to the auctioneer! Many was the time I'd shared the back seat of my father's van with a couple of calves imprisoned in sack bags with just their heads protruding!

	Ruminating over breed choices - Tom Chapman gives some practical guidance on the merits of different breeds of cattle
	FANCY rearing something different? Kobe beef, from the Wagyu breed of cattle in Japan is reputed to be the most expensive beef in the world, selling for upwards of £200 per kilogramme.

Starting out with sucklers - Jo Rowland explores the options when setting up a small-scale beef enterprise

A FULL-BLOWN beef-rearing system usually involves breeding and raising beef calves and seeing them finished as the Sunday joint. This may be a bit ambitious for the beginner, both in terms of time and cost, but there are plenty of alternatives to suit all pockets and abilities. In spite of their size, cattle are surprisingly easy to look after, which makes them worth considering by any smallholder with a few of acres of grassland.

Important changes at BCMS - Jim Webster reveals that a DNA test can now be used to prove the identity of cattle

THERE have been a couple of important changes in BCMS procedure that will affect those of us who keep cattle.

	The bull in the bowler hat - Sue Kendrick explains the role of the artificial insemination technician in cattle breeding
	THERE'S no doubt about it, the easiest way to get any animal pregnant is to introduce it to a member of the opposite sex! Unfortunately, as far as cattle are concerned, this isn't always an option.