Raising livestock can be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do on your hobby farm, but we won’t deny it’s a difficult endeavor to pursue. Whether you’re starting out with a few backyard chickens or keeping a menagerie of cows, , sheep and goats, equip yourself with the knowledge needed to keep your animals healthy and productive.
Cattle :A quintessential farm livestock species, the cow appeals to hobby farmers with both its allure and utility. Traditional cattle breeds, like Angus, Brown Swiss or Holstein, have provided America with beef and dairy products for generations. Rare breeds, like the small-statured Dexter and the ancient Pineywoods, add interest to the farm landscape in addition to being excellent providers of meat, dairy and even pelts, and each comes with a fascinating ancestry
If you’re fanatic about fiber, sheep are the livestock species for your hobby farm. While sheep produce millions of pounds of wool for American spinners, don’t overlook their meat and dairy abilities. If their woolly coat is too difficult to manage, you can opt for a hair-sheep breed that is more resistant to problems, like foot rot and parasites, and doesn't require regular shearing.
Hobby farmers love keeping these intelligent and mischievous ruminants. Goats, ranging in size from dwarf breeds to larger meat breeds, provide farms and smaller homesteading operations with meat and dairy products without a lot of the overhead like with keeping cattle. As livestock, goats are pickier eaters than how they’re usually stereotyped, but they’re generally fun to keep. Try raising rare breeds, like San Clemente goats or Spanish goats, or find another breed that works for your farm.