Castration is ‘removal of the testicles’ in very young male cattle. However some of the techniques used to ‘castrate’ bull calves in a farm do not involve actual removal of the testicles. Castration is carried out for the following reasons: Prevention of undesirable bull calves from breeding. This enables mating…
Why is ear-tagging in animals so important?
Ear tags are a rather common phenomenon on farms, mostly on dairy cattle. Gone are the days when cows were referred to by names such as ‘Njoki’. Today, recordkeeping is a critical aspect of running a profitable dairy farm. An effective way of cattle identification is by the use of…
All about hoof trimming a cattle the right way
Hoof trimming is a bit tough, rough and delicate – hence the need for training. The cow has to be physically contained in a cage then it is tied to reduced movement, and then its leg is raised using a special machine. The trimmer carefully uses sharp hoof knives to…