Welcome to the world of draft animals! We are pleased to announce the release of a new book: Draft Animals: 100 Answers for Harnessing Animal Power by Michelle Lindsey. Acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to choose and purchase a draft team, and then learn to work them in the field, woodlot, or market garden. […]
Breeding
Heavy Horses
Heavy Horses is probably one of the most comprehensive yet beginner-friendly draft horse resources on the web.
Pros and Cons of Dual-Purpose Livestock
You may be wondering if you can really have it all. After all, weren’t modern livestock breeds specialized for a reason? Let’s find out.
Getting Started with Livestock Part 4: Breed
Pointers and resources for choosing animal breeds that will thrive on your farm.
Choosing a Breed of Cattle
Define your expectations, and then arm yourself with key information on 40 common cattle breeds, including beef, dairy, and multipurpose types.
Beef Tenderness and the Shear Force Test
Tenderness is critical to the meat-eating experience—nobody enjoys sinking their teeth into a tough steak. A tried-and-true method of testing beef tenderness is the plain old taste test. These days, however, there are ways to objectively measure the precise tenderness of a cut of beef. The Warner-Bratzler Shear Force Test The Warner-Bratzler shear force test […]
Basic Principles of Breeding Heirloom Vegetables
Tips for raising vigorous seeds, whether your goal is to preserve a variety or to create a locally adapted strain.
Beef Cattle Talk: A Glosssary
From 3 in 1 to heterosis to yield grade, all those confusing cattle terms you have wondered about.
Why Are Dairy Bulls More Dangerous Than Beef Bulls?
It’s a commonly accepted fact—just check out our cattle breed guide or any other resource that allows for a comparison of beef and dairy breed temperaments. While no bull is entirely safe, dairy bulls are just downright dangerous. Here are some of the reasons why. Genetics Because as a general rule dairy farming is intensive […]
The Broody Hen Versus the Incubator
Natural chick hatching or high-tech precision? Both methods have advantages.