CALF rearing is often seen as a cheap and easy way into the beef industry. But only happy healthy calves achieve their target growth rates. Without a good start in life, all of the hard work during the rearing period (and later) can be wasted.
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!
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.
