Farming in Britain

What is farming?
It is the growing of crops and the rearing of animals.
Farming contributed £5.6 billion to the UK economy in 2006. The total area of agricultural land in
2006 was 18.7 million hectares, about 77 per cent of the total land area in the United Kingdom
(excluding inland water).
Farming in Britain has changed a great deal in the last 30 years. Farming used to employ a great
many people in Britain but nowadays, with machinery, a few people can run a huge farm of thousands
of hectares.
Agriculture provides around 60 per cent of Britain's food needs even though it employs just 1.4
per cent of the country's labour force. Britain's agriculture is under pressure to change at the moment.
Farmers are under pressure to adopt more environmentally friendly methods such as organic
farming. Organic farming does not use artificial chemicals that can damage the environment and
human health. Its popularity has grown rapidly in recent years.
Agriculture Products
cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish
There are many types of farming in Britain.
Different types of farming occur in different regions of Britain. This is due to the influence of
relief, climate (especially precipitation and temperature), soil type and to an extent closeness to the
market. Upland areas generally lend themselves to sheep farming. Flat areas to crop production
and wet/warm areas to milk and beef production.
Some parts of Britain have excellent soil for crops, while others are used for cattle, sheep, pigs
and poultry.
In the north-west of England, Wales and Scotland, farmers keep cattle and sheep. Sheep can
survive the cold winters on the hills and moors.
In the south-west of England, the rich grass is ideal for feeding dairy cows.
In the south-east of England and the lowlands of Scotland, grain, potatoes and sugar beet are
grown.
In the east of England (East Anglia), wheat, barley and vegetables grow in enormous fields.
Types of Farming:
• arable (growing of crops and cereals)
The UK is the fourth largest producer of cereal and oilseed crops in the EU (after France,
Germany and Poland) accounting for about 8% of total EU production.
• pastoral (rearing and production of animals including pigs, chickens, hill farming sheep, beef
and dairy cattle)
• mixed farming (combination of arable and pastoral)
• horticulture (production of flowers, fruit, vegetables or ornamental plants)
• market gardening (production of fruit and vegetables)
• viticulture (grapes).
Principal crops:
• wheat, (the most widely grown arable crop in the UK)
• barley,
• oats,
• potatoes,
• sugar beet, (The UK is the fifth largest producer of sugar beet)
• vegetables,
• oil seed rape,
• fruits.
Livestock products:
• poultry,
• sheep,
• cattle,
• milk,
• meat,
• eggs,
• wool.
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/farming.html
 farming ['fɑːmɪŋ] занятие сельским [фермерским] хозяйством, ведение сельского
[фермерского] хозяйства
rearing [ˈrɪərɪŋ] разведение; выращивание; выведение; культивирование
hectare ['hekteə], [-tɑː] / гектар - A hectare is a measurement of an area of land which is equal
to 10,000 square metres, or 100 ares [[ɑː(r)] - ар (мера земельной площади = 100 м2)]
environmentally friendly - не наносящий ущерба окружающей среде, не загрязняющий
окружающую среду
organic farming [ɔː'gænɪk 'fɑːmɪŋ] - органическое земледелие / экологическое сельское
хозяйство
cereals ['sɪərɪəlz] зерновые, злаки
oilseed ['ɔɪlsiːd] масличное семя / семя масличной культуры [any of a number of seeds from
cultivated crops yielding oil]
cattle ['kætl] крупный рогатый скот
sheep [ʃiːp] овца; баран The meat of the sheep is mutton. — Мясо овцы - баранина. A young
sheep is a lamb. — Детёныш овцы - ягнёнок.
poultry ['pəultrɪ] домашняя птица; мясо домашней птицы
precipitation [prɪsɪpɪ'teɪʃn] осадки; выпадение осадков; атмосферные осадки; осаждение
(твёрдых частиц)
lend oneself to - приспосабливаться, прилаживаться к (чему-л.), годиться для (чего-л.)
crop [krɔp] 1) сельскохозяйственная культура - a cultivated plant that is grown on a large
scale commercially, especially a cereal, fruit, or vegetable 2) урожай; хлеб на корню harvest (plants
or their produce [сельскохозяйственные продукты]) from a particular area
crop production - растениеводство (отрасль народного хозяйства, подсектор экономики, в
который включены организации, занимающиеся растениеводством, напр., фермы, фруктовые
сады, теплицы и питомники, выращивающие зерно, саженцы, виноград, деревья, семена и др.)
moor [muə ], [mɔː] вересковая пустошь A moor is an area of open and usually high land with
poor soil that is covered mainly with grass and heather. [heather ['heðə] вереск]
dairy cow дойная корова
grain [greɪn] зерно; хлебные злаки Syn: edible seed plants, cereal, wheat, rye, barley, oat,
corn, maize, millet [['mɪlɪt] просо]
East Anglia [,iːst'æŋglɪə] Восточная Англия (королевство на востоке Англии. Существовало
в 6-8 вв., на его территории ныне находятся графства Норфолк и Суффолк - a region in eastern
England that consists of the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk ['sʌfək], as well as parts of Essex ['esɪks]
and Cambridgeshire counties. [Cambridgeshire ['keɪmbrɪdʒʃɪə] - Кембридж(шир) (графство Англии)]
wheat [wiːt] пшеница winter wheat — озимая пшеница, spring / summer wheat — яровая
пшеница
barley ['bɑːlɪ] ячмень malting barley – пивоваренный ячмень
arable ['ærəbl] пахотный arable land — пахотная земля, arable farming — земледелие
pastoral [пастушеский] farming ['pɑːstərəl] скотоводство = cattle-breeding, cattle-raising,
cattle-rearing, stock-breeding; cattle husbandry
dairy cattle молочный скот
beef cattle мясной скот
mixed farming смешанное (неспециализированное / многоотраслевое) сельское хозяйство
horticulture ['hɔːtɪkʌlʧə] садоводство
ornamental plant [ˌɔːnə'mentəl plɑːnt] декоративное растение
market gardening овощи, фрукты, цветы, выращиваемые для продажи - the business of
growing fruit and vegetables on a commercial scale
viticulture ['vɪtɪˌkʌlʧə] виноградарство, витикультура - the science, art, or process of
cultivating grapevines
oat [əut] овёс - a cereal plant cultivated chiefly in cool climates and widely used for animal feed
as well as human consumption = oats - Oats are a cereal crop or its grains, used for making biscuits
or a food called porridge, or for feeding animals.
sugar beet ['ʃugə biːt] сахарная свёкла
rape [reɪp] рапс — вид травянистых растений рода Капуста семейства Капустные
(Крестоцветные). Важное масличное растение; экономическое значение рапса к концу XX века
существенно выросло в связи с тем, что он начал использоваться для получения биодизеля.
 UK Agriculture - an introduction

Agriculture is typically defined as the science or business of cultivating the soil, growing crops
and rearing livestock. Farming is the skill of practising agriculture. The purpose of agriculture is to
provide planned food utilisation for its dependant societies and although growing crops and rearing
livestock are fundamental to this, it is the storage of produce that makes this possible.
Agriculture originated in the near east over 10,000 years ago before spreading across Europe to
reach the UK around 6500 years ago. We cannot be certain how agriculture arrived in the UK but it is
likely that it was a result of both "idea transfer" and the arrival of new settlers from the continent. The
first farmers began by clearing the native wildwood and converting the land to agriculture in a "slash
and burn" style. The new land that was cleared was farmed until fertility was exhausted (after about
20 years) at which point the land was abandoned and the farmers moved to start afresh. Meanwhile
the abandoned land reverted to scrub and then woodland, later being returned to agriculture.
Since then agriculture has continued to develop, often in phases lasting many centuries, but all
having a signifcant impact on the UK countryside.
The Bronze and Iron ages, dating from around 2500 BC until the arrival of the Romans, saw the
removal of most of the wildwood that covered the countryside and its conversion to agriculture.
Sophisticated farming systems developed and trade (through barter) was widespread both locally and
internationally. Exported corn and cattle hides, for example, being exchanged with wine and olive oil.
The Romans introduced many technical innovations to agriculture but these were secondary to
the creation of a demand led economy that helped drive agricultural output and efficiency. Food
followed the army and was either grown locally or transported, being produced to order and paid for in
cash.
In the Saxon period agriculture reverted to a subsistence form and so it was not until the Middle
Ages that population growth and trade encouraged further development. Agriculture expanded to bring
every possible acre under management with moorland and high ground being converted. Wool was
produced and exported in great quantities and became the UK's most important industry. Horses
started to replace oxen and new approaches were adopted to raise output, all of which helped feed a
population increasingly involved in trade and the professions.
However, in 1315 the start of adverse climatic conditions saw the failure of five harvests and led
to the great famine, many starved to death. In 1348 the Black Death swept the UK and the
population fell by over a third. Farmland was abandoned and peasants who had previously been
bound to their lords suddenly found that they were in demand to take on land and farm on their own
account. Over time they consolidated and enclosed their land forming the farmsteads that still
dominate the countryside today.
Consolidation continued until the eighteenth century when UK agriculture underwent a new
revolution based on the adoption of science and technology and yields rose.
The advent of the industrial revolution further transformed the landscape and led to the UK
becoming the world's first urban nation. Railways, new roads and an improving transport infrastructure
provided fresh food for fast growing towns while imported produce from around the world provided a
greatly more diverse diet. In 1850 agriculture accounted for 20% of national income; by 1900 this had
fallen to just 6%.
After the Second World War a new agricultural revolution began. Driven by agrochemicals,
mechanisation and government support, production rose and for a short period overlooked the long
run requirements for the balanced management of the countryside. This led to much soul searching
as to the role of agriculture with calls for it to act with greater environmental responsibility. But just as
the debate between food production and the environment was beginning to settle, the challenge of
global warming emerged. A new role for agriculture is developing with energy production and carbon
absorption perhaps, the story of the forthcoming century.

http://www.ukagriculture.com/uk_agriculture.cfm
 agriculture ['ægrɪkʌlʧə] сельское хозяйство; земледелие; агрономия
cultivating возделывание; культивация; культивирование
livestock ['laɪvstɔk] домашний скот, поголовье скота (общее количество каких-л. животных
на определенной территории или в определенном хозяйстве)
utilization = utilization [juːtɪlaɪ'zeɪʃən] использование, употребление, применение;
утилизация
growing ['grəuɪŋ] выращивание
Near East Ближний Восток (название территории на западе Азии и северо-востоке
Африки) The Near East is the same as the Middle East.
wildwood - an uncultivated wood or forest that has been allowed to grow naturally [forest = large
wood, jungle = dense, impenetrable forest]
slash and burn = slash-and-burn подсечно-огневое земледелие - a method of farming that
involves clearing land by destroying and burning all the trees and plants on it, farming there for a short
time, and then moving on to clear a new piece of land. Traditional slash and burn farming methods
have exhausted the soil. [slash [slæʃ] вырубка (леса)]
revert [rɪ'vɜːt] возвращаться (в прежнее состояние)
scrub [skrʌb] а) невысокий кустарник, низкая поросль; низкорослая растительность б)
местность, покрытая такой растительностью
woodland ['wudlənd] лесистая местность
barter ['bɑːtə] бартер, меновая торговля; товарообмен
hides кожсырье - taking-up of hides — первичная обработка кож
Saxons - a people that inhabited parts of central and northern Germany from Roman times,
many of whom conquered and settled in much of southern England in the 5th–6th centuries
subsistence [səb'sɪstəns] продовольственная самообеспеченность - production at a level
sufficient only for one's own use or consumption, without any surplus for trade - the action or fact of
maintaining or supporting oneself, especially at a minimal level
acre ['eɪkə] акр (единица площади; = 0,4 га или 4047 м2)
wool [wul] шерсть
adverse ['ædvɜːs] 1) враждебный 2) неблагоприятный, неблаготворный; вредный
famine ['fæmɪn] голод (стихийное бедствие)
starve [stɑːv] голодать, умирать от голода to starve to death — умирать голодной смертью
Black Death [,blæk'deθ] Чёрная смерть (название чумы в Европе в 14 в) - the great epidemic
of a disease thought to be bubonic plague, which killed a large proportion of the population of Europe
in the mid 14th century. It originated in central Asia and China and spread rapidly through Europe,
carried by the fleas of black rats, reaching England in 1348 and killing between one third and one half
of the population in a matter of months
farmland ['fɑːmlænd] земля, пригодная для обработки; обрабатываемая земля - to cultivate /
work farmland — обрабатывать землю
lord [lɔːd] господин, феодал, сеньор
take on 1) принимать на службу 2) брать (работу); браться (за дело) - to take on extra work
— брать (браться за) дополнительную работу
on (one's) own account 1) в своих собственных интересах 2) на свой страх и риск
farmstead ['fɑːmsted] a farm and its buildings - усадьба
yield [jiːld] а) плоды, урожай - good yield of wheat — хороший урожай пшеницы б) сбор
урожая в) прибыль, доход (от финансовой деятельности, от сбора налогов и т. п.) г) размер
выработки; количество добытого или произведённого продукта; выход (продукции) milk yield —
надой молока
advent ['ædvənt] наступление (эпохи, события), прибытие, приход
diet ['daɪət] 1) питание, пища; еда, корм; стол 2) диета, режим питания
agrochemicals агрохимикаты
overlook 1. [ˌəuvə'luk] = to rise above
long run длительный период
environmental [ɪnˌvaɪərən'mentəl ], [en-] экологический, относящийся к окружающей среде;
относящийся к борьбе с загрязнением окружающей среды
carbon ['kɑːbən] 1) углерод 2) химически чистый уголь
absorption [əb'zɔːpʃən] всасывание, впитывание; абсорбция, поглощение
 UK Farming - an introduction
Types of farming:
The climate and topography of the UK lends itself to two distinct types of farming.
Pastoral farming (the use of grass pasture for livestock rearing) is found in areas of higher
rainfall and among the hills, predominantly to the north and west of the UK.
Arable farming (land that can be ploughed to grow crops) is concentrated in the south and east
of the UK where the climate is drier and soils are deeper.
Farming systems:
In the UK there are three main approaches adopted by farmers in their farming system. These
are defined as organic, conventional and integrated. Organic farming represents around 4% of the
farmed area and is based upon the concept of sustainability utilising the farm's own resources.
Conventional farming adopts modern technology and utilises other inputs such as pesticides and
artificial fertilisers while integrated farming makes the conventional approach sustainable. Most
conventional farmers practice integrated farming.
Media characterisation of the UK's farming systems has widely depicted organic farming as good
with conventional as bad. This simplification misses the point as in practice a cross over of
approaches exist on most farms.
Farms, farmers and the workforce:
In the UK there are approximately 300,000 active farms with an average size of around 57
hectares, much larger than the European average size of approximately 20 hectares.
In 2006 the UK farming employed workforce (full-time, part-time and casual employees)
amounted to 184,000 persons.
Farming and the environment:
Farmers are responsible for managing around 75% of the UK's surface area and for maintaining
many features that are inherrently perceived as "countryside". Whether they be, hedges, ditches,
meadows or copses, all have resulted from centuries of farming activity and today they are closely
integrated into farming practice. Regretably this has not always been the case. In the 1970's and 80's
farmers responded to government incentives to become more efficient often destroying habitats and
countryside features in the process.

http://www.ukagriculture.com/uk_farming.cfm

rainfall ['reɪnfɔːl] осадки, количество осадков - to measure rainfall — измерять количество

осадков annual / yearly rainfall — годовое количество осадков average rainfall — среднее
количество осадков
plough [plau] плуг; вспахивать, пахать
soil [sɔɪl] почва, грунт, земля - the upper layer of earth in which plants grow, a black or dark
brown material typically consisting of a mixture of organic remains, clay, and rock particles
conventional [kən'venʃnəl] обычный, обыкновенный, традиционный; общепринятый
integrated ['ɪntɪgreɪtɪd] объединенный; комплексный; единый
sustainability [səˌsteɪnə'bɪlətɪ] устойчивость; устойчивое развитие
input ['ɪnput] (обычно inputs) вложения, затраты, инвестиции
pesticide ['pestɪsaɪd] пестицид, средство для борьбы с вредителями [pest - вредитель,
паразит]
casual employment временная [непостоянная] занятость (форма занятности, для которой
характерна нерегулярная работа, как правило периодами до нескольких недель) Syn:
ditch [dɪʧ] канава, ров - deep ditch — глубокая канава 2) канал
meadow ['medəu] луг, луговина; низина, пойменная земля
copse [kɔps] молодой лесок, поросль - A copse is a small group of trees growing very close to
each other.
habitat ['hæbɪtæt] место обитания, местообитание, ареал (животного, растения) natural
habitat — естественная среда обитания
 Basic Beef Production Guidelines

by Melanie Barkley, Bedford county extension agent.

Basic Beef Production Guidelines

Raising beef cattle for profit can be a satisfying enterprise. However, there are several
management skills that each beef producer should have to be successful. Each beef cattle enterprise
has different resources: land, labor, capital, feed and management. To raise beef cattle profitably, you
must manage these resources to maximize returns. Below are some other guidelines to make this
enterprise successful.

What Type of Cattle Should I Raise?

Normally, the sole source of your income from a beef operation will come from the calves
produced each year. So, it is important that your cows produce a calf at least every 12 months. Be
conscious of selecting as well as keeping good productive cows who will produce a calf every year
without assistance, maintain their body condition without becoming overly thin or fat, and raise a calf
with an average weaning weight that meets your goals. Other considerations to make when choosing
cows are the breed and what type of operation (purebred vs. commercial).

Breeds of Beef Cattle

Beef cattle are generally divided into two different groups: maternal breeds vs. terminal breeds.
Generally, maternal breeds are known for their milk production and mothering ability while terminal
breeds are known for their growth and meat producing ability.

As with anything in life, there are some exceptions to this rule. Some breeds are also known as
dual purpose breeds because they combine muscling for meat production with excellent maternal
characteristics. For more information on breeds of beef cattle, visit the Oklahoma State Beef Breeds
Directory at www.ansi.okstate.edu/BREEDS/cattle. Crossbreeding can help you to combine the best
attributes of individual breeds into one package. Choose traits that are important to you and then seek
a breed or a crossbred that exhibits those traits.

Type of Operation
Before you get started in the beef business, you will need to ask yourself what type of operation
you would like to run. Some of the typical options are cow/calf, backgrounding feeder calves, or
feedlot. The cow/calf producer keeps a herd of cows to produce calves. The backgrounder buys
weaned calves and turns them out on pastures until they reach 800 to 900 pounds. The feedlot
operator purchases weaned calves or backgrounded calves and feeds them to market weight.

If you choose to become a cow/calf oepration, you will also need to decide whether you would
like to run a purebred or a commercial operation. A purebred operation typically raises cattle of one
breed. Often a purebred operation will have all registered cattle that can also be sold through purebred
sales. A commercial operation may have unregistered purebred cattle or they may have crossbred
cattle. Commercial producers can have the benefit of hybrid vigor which is simply the ability of
crossbred offspring to increase in productivity over the average of the breeds that were part of the
cross. This means that a crossbred calf could grow faster and thus weigh more at a certain age than
either of its parents.

Many purebred sales are held across the country throughout the year. Sales may offer only one
breed or they may offer a large variety of breeds for sale. Also, you may want to become familiar with
trends in the beef industry when choosing breeding stock. Choose bulls that will compliment the
outstanding traits in your cows and improve their weaknesses.

Cows for a commercial operation can be bought at a purebred sale and then used in a
crossbreeding program or you can contact individual producers to buy larger numbers of heifers that
could be purebreds or crossbreds. Another option is to buy animals through an auction barn. Be aware
however, that you are more likely to buy problem cattle through an auction barn. Unless a producer
sells all his calves through the auction, he may be selling only cull calves.
 Beef producers who purchase calves to background or place in a feedlot often purchase calves
directly from a cow/calf operator. They may also purchase calves through feeder calf sales. Most
buyers will pay more for calves that have been weaned, dewormed and vaccinated because the
likelihood of calves getting sick is greatly reduced.

Beef Operation Management

Management of a beef operation depends largely on the interests of the producer as well as the
resources available such as land, feed, facilities, and others. Management systems will vary
depending on the climate. Operations that have hard winters will want to provide access to shelter for
the cows during extremely cold weather and during periods of cold rain.

Facilities
Facilities for beef operations will vary from fencing to barns, sheds or shelters. Again, facility
requirements will depend on whether your operation runs cattle only through the summer months or all
year. Any operation should have some type of handling system that allows a producer to easily catch
and restrain an animal for routine health care procedures. The handling system should include a corral
system with a chute that leads to a head-gate.

A beef facility may also need feeding facilities. This could be as simple as a mineral feeder for a
backgrounding operation. Or, it may include barns and grain and hay feeders for the cow/calf
operation. In addition, a feedlot operation will need to account for adequate bunk or feeder space for
the number of animals that are being fed.

A general rule of thumb for feeder space is to provide 18 to 22 inches for calves up to 600
pounds, 22 to 26 inches per head for calves 600 pounds to market weight, 26 to 30 inches per head
for mature cows, and 14 to 18 inches per head for calves. If you have feed available at all times, these
sizes can be decreased.

Equipment
Regardless of what type of operation you run, you will need to keep a certain amount of
equipment on hand. Some of the smaller equipment that you would need might include syringes and
needles along with medications for treating sick animals and halters for restraining those animals.

Large equipment needs will depend on your type of operation. If you plan to grow your own
feeds, you will need a tractor and the various planting and harvesting equipment. For operations with
pastures, you should have a brush hog or some type of mower to clip off the seed heads of pasture
plants to keep them growing in a vegetative state. (A pasture plant will stop growing once it has
produced seeds for the year.)

Feed Requirements
Beef cattle will have varying requirements depending on their age and stage of production.
Calves will need a higher level of nutrition to allow for their growth, while mature dry cows will need a
relatively low level of nutrition. Pregnant cows in the last third of pregnancy require more nutrients than
dry cows. Feed requirements also increase for cold weather and especially for cold rains.

Calves can be creep fed before weaning by setting up an area accessible to only the calves. The
creep feed may contain grain, hay or both. Creep rations can vary greatly depending on the price of
grains.

The protein requirement decreases as the calves mature. For example a creep ration for nursing
calves could start at 18% protein. Near weaning time (generally around 6 to 8 months of age) the level
can be reduced to 14%. This level can be maintained until you stop feeding grain daily. This will
depend on what type of operation you have and how much importance you put on maximum growth.

Backgrounded calves often receive only pasture. This allows them to grow slowly until the
fattening phase when they are in a feedlot. The purpose of backgrounding is to add weight to calves
using a cheap feed source. Because these calves are older they are much less likely to become sick
once they enter a feedlot. Typically these calves have also been through a rigid preventive health
program.

Mature cows should receive adequate nutrition so that they gain weight during the last third of
pregnancy. The protein level for cows is not as important as the energy. The body condition of cows at
calving has a large impact on their ability to rebreed. Therefore, cows that are thin going into the winter
months may need higher quality hay or possibly grain to help them improve their body condition for
calving in the spring.

Bulls can be fed similar to cows. When they are young and growing or while they are in
production (breeding cows) they will need higher quality feed. Bulls should be in good body condition
at the start of breeding season to insure adequate sperm production for breeding the cows.

Breeding Season
Breeding seasons will vary depending on when you want your calves born. Many producers will
breed cows to calve in the spring so that they can take advantage of the flush growth of spring grass.
Other producers may breed cows to calve in the fall for the same reason. Regardless of when the
calves are born, the bull should be allowed to run with the cows for a specified period of time, typically
60 to 90 days. This allows you to feed all your cows as one group, wean calves at the same time and
feed those calves in the same group. If you sell your calves at weaning time, you should also have a
more uniform group of calves in terms of weight and age.

When breeding cows you will need to consider how many bulls can cover the number of cows
you plan to breed. A mature bull will be able to cover up to 30 cows on average. For yearling bulls,
decrease the number of cows to 20. In preparing bulls for breeding season, they should be in good
body condition, not overly fat or thin.

Many producers use artificial insemination or A.I. to breed their cows. This practice allows them
to use very high quality bulls that they may not otherwise be able to afford. These cows can be bred
through visual identification of cows who are in heat or cows can go through an estrus synchronization
program so that all the cows are bred at the same time. This allows a producer to time the breeding as
well as when he expects the cows to calve. Be sure to have a back up plan or a "clean up" bull who
can breed any cows who don't settle through the artificial breeding process.

Regardless of whether the cows are bred naturally or through A.I., a producer can use
performance data to help select bulls to mate to certain cows. This information tells a producer what to
expect for birth weights, weaning weights and yearling weights. This information can also predict milk
production in females as well as carcass characteristics in feedlot cattle.

Calving Season
Producers have different methods for calving cows. In general, you will need to decide if you
want to calve the cows outside on pasture or inside the barn. The time of year that you calve will
determine to some extent where you calve. Cows calved in the colder part of winter or during periods
of cold rains should have those calves inside to decrease the chance of losing calves. Keep in mind,
however, that inside calving can increase the incidence of calf scours (diarrhea).

warmer times of the year, cows can calve outside on pasture. Be sure to observe the cow and
her calf to make sure the calf is receiving adequate amounts of colostrum, the first milk that is rich in
antibodies that protect the calf against sickness.

Weaning Time
Most calves are weaned at 6 to 8 months of age. You can increase the weaning weights of your
calves by deworming them 1 to 2 months prior to weaning. In addition, calves will be less stressed at
weaning if they have access to dry feed, either hay or grain prior to weaning.

Health Programs
 The old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is very true in the cattle
business. Time and money spent preventing diseases is much less costly than treating the disease
once it occurs in the herd. Calves should be dewormed one to two months before weaning and then
vaccinated for IBR, PI3, and BVD as a minimum. Vaccination programs will often include HS
(haemophilus somnus), BRSV (bovine respirator syncytial virus), pasteurella haemolytica, Lepto, and
clostridia. Mature cattle should receive an annual booster vaccine.

Where Can I Sell My Calves?

Two of the easiest places to sell your calves are through a local auction barn or through a local
feeder calf sale. This is always a gamble because you never know what you will receive for your
calves. Sometimes that gamble can work in your favor as well as against you. When taking calves to
the market, look for those times of the year when demand is high and you are more likely to receive
higher prices. For example, early fall and early spring are good times to sell your calves.

Other options for selling calves are to develop your own direct market. This might be selling
freezer beef, breeding stock, or feeder calves to a feedlot. Other options are to produce a value-added
product such as beef stew or market your beef through your own restaurant. Producing a unique
product can also develop niche markets. Be sure to check on any government requirements for selling
processed products. Or, you may want to focus on organic beef or grass fed beef. Use your ingenuity
to come up with your own special product, but be prepared to spend some time and effort on
marketing that product.

Closing Thoughts
Whether you raise purebred breeding stock or commercial cattle for market, you will need to sit
down prior to getting started and make some decisions. Spend some time thinking about what you
would like to do as well as developing a business and marketing plan. Developing the plans will help
you to focus on the goals you wish to achieve as well as provide a valuable source of information to
lenders if you plan to borrow money.

http://extension.psu.edu/animals/beef/production/articles/basic-beef-production-guidelines

extension agent консультант по вопросам сельского хозяйства

beef cattle мясной скот
feed [fiːd] корм (для животных)
calf [kɑːf] (pl - calves) 1) телёнок cow in / with calf — стельная корова
overly ['əuvəlɪ] чрезмерно, излишне, избыточно, слишком
wean [wiːn] отнимать от груди
breed [briːd] племя, порода, род
purebred ['pjuəbred] породистый, чистокровный
barn [bɑːn] 1) амбар; (сенной) сарай 2) конюшня, коровник
beehive ['biːhaɪv] улей
breed [briːd] порода; выводить, разводить (животных)
dairy ['deərɪ] 1) маслодельня, маслобойня; сыроварня 2) молочное хозяйство 3) молочный магазин,
молочная 2. молочный dairy cattle — молочный скот dairy produce / products — молочная продукция
fertilizer ['fɜːtɪlaɪzə] 1) удобрение combined fertilizer — комплексное удобрение
fertilizer application — внесение удобрений
fertilizer placer — машина для внесения удобрений
fertilizer grinder — измельчитель удобрений
granular fertilizer — гранулированное удобрение
nitrogen fertilizer — азотное удобрение
organic fertilizer — органическое удобрение; органика
phosphate fertilizer — фосфорное удобрение
artificial fertilizer — искусственное удобрение
chemical fertilizer — химическое удобрение
natural fertilizer — натуральное удобрение
mineral fertilizer — минеральное удобрение
to introduce fertilizers; to apply fertilizers — вносить удобрения
to appropriate fertilizer — усваивать удобрение
to spread fertilizer — опрыскивать удобрением, разбрасывать удобрение
flock [flɔk] стадо; стая
flock of geese — стая гусей
to tend a flock of sheep — пасти стадо овец
harvester ['hɑːvɪstə] уборочная машина, комбайн
hatchery ['hæʧ(ə)rɪ] инкубаторная станция, садок; инкубатор; питомник
haystack ['heɪstæk] стог сена - to look for a needle in a haystack — искать иголку в стоге сена
herd [hɜːd] стадо to round up a herd — сгонять стадо to tend a herd — пасти стадо
irrigation [ˌɪrɪ'geɪʃ(ə)n] полив; ирригация, орошение
mower ['məuə] косарь (сено)косилка
hand mower — ручная косилка
lawn mower — газонокосилка
power mower — электрическая косилка
mulch [mʌlʧ] мульча (перегной, солома, защищающие почву от испарения, замерзания) 2. мульчировать
(покрывать почву перегноем, соломой для защиты от испарения, замерзания)
orchard ['ɔːʧəd] фруктовый сад
apple orchard — яблоневый сад
cherry orchard — вишнёвый сад peach orchard — персиковый сад
pasture ['pɑːsʧə] выгон, пастбище, выпас
pullet ['pulɪt] молодка (курица)
reap [riːp] жать, пожинать, собирать урожай
reaper ['riːpə] жатвенная машина, жатка
ripe [raɪp] зрелый, созревший, спелый (о фруктах, зерне и т. п.)
fields of ripe wheat — поля зрелой пшеницы
scarecrow ['skeəkrəu] пугало, чучело (на огороде)
shears [ʃɪəz] ножницы
a pair of garden/pruning shears — садовые ножницы
shepherd ['ʃepəd] пастух, чабан
sickle ['sɪkl] серп
silo ['saɪləu] силосная башня или яма;
silage ['saɪlɪʤ] - силос - grass or other green fodder compacted and stored in airtight conditions, typically in a
silo, without first being dried, and used as animal feed in the winter
sow [səu] (sowed, sowed, sown) = sow out сеять, высевать
to sow the grain in drills — высевать рядами; засевать, засеивать
sow [sau] свинья; свиноматка
a wild sow — дикая свинья, самка кабана
stable ['steɪbl] конюшня; хлев
till [tɪl] возделывать землю, пахать Light land is easily tilled. — Рыхлую землю легко пахать.
tiller ['tɪlə] культиватор
trough [trɔf] корыто, лохань, кормушка, корыто (для кормления домашних животных)
weed [wiːd] сорная трава, сорняк; полоть
acre ['eɪkə] акр (единица площади; = 0,4 га или 4047 м2)
crate [kreɪt] (деревянный) ящик; тара для упаковки
farming hand сельскохозяйственный рабочий
furrow ['fɜ͟ːrəu] борозда, колея
hoe [həu] тяпка, мотыга
ditch [dɪʧ] канава, ров
husbandry ['hʌzbəndrɪ] сельское хозяйство, земледелие;
animal husbandry — животноводство; скотоводство
poultry husbandry — птицеводство
dairy husbandry — молочное хозяйство
field-husbandry — полеводство
livestock ['laɪvstɔk] домашний скот
plant [plɑːnt] 1) а) растение
to grow plants — выращивать растения
to water a plant — поливать растение
exotic plant — экзотическое растение
tropical plant — тропическое растение
annual plant - biennial plant - decorative plant - drug plants - perennial plant
б) саженец; черенок, отводок, побег
в) травянистая, листовая часть овощных растений
plant and root growth — рост стебля с листьями и корней
2) урожай
promising plant of wheat — потенциально большой урожай пшеницы
pole [pəul] столб, шест, жердь; кол
post [pəust] мачта, подпорка, свая, стойка; столб; кол, шест
produce ['prɔdjuːs] сельскохозяйственные продукты
pruning shears — садовые ножницы
sow [səu] (sowed, sowed, sown) сеять, высевать; засевать, засеивать
spray irrigation - дождевание, орошение разбрызгиванием
sprinkler ['sprɪŋklə] 1) разбрызгиватель; пульверизатор 2) дождевальная установка, дождевальная
машина; спринклер (для полива лужайки)
stable ['steɪbl] конюшня; хлев; стойло;
stake [steɪk] столб, кол; стойка
We found the garden completely fenced with stout stakes. — Мы увидели, что сад был огорожен
забором из крепких кольев.
steer [stɪə] A steer is a bull that has been castrated.