If I have 50 acres of open land, how many cattle should I stock for breeding at any one time? Simon Businge, Lwamata
Answer: Fifty acres of land can sustain 50 fattening cattle at any one time. Since these cattle stay on the farm for 3-4 months, then the cycle produces as many as 100 or slightly more per year.
Of these 50 acres, make sure that 10 acres are planted with grasses like napier and brachiaria before the cattle are delivered. Under intensive zero grazing practices, an acre of planted pasture can feed 1 cow and a heifer for a year. But since fattening is carried out under a semi-intensive practice, where the cattle are openly grazed, but also fed on the more nutritious grasses, the same acre of planted pasture can feed at least 8-10 fattening cows per year depending on the period of 3-4 months that they stay on the farm.
If I bought a local cow with 100kg when it is three years old, how long do I have to ‘fatten’ it before selling it off for beef?
Answer: Feedintensely, with grasses like napier, brachiaria, lab-lab plus open grazing for 90-120 days. Experience shows that with intensive feeding, coupled with good clean water all the time, feed to weight conversion is fast and the cattle will increase weight by nearly half, depending on the condition that you acquired it in. You can then move and sell it off.
Answered by Brian Natwijuka
