If you have your farm all set up now and are ready to buy livestock, too, then there might be several things going through your head. Of course, you want to make the best decision, but you don’t know where to start. In this guide, Dax Cooke takes you through a few tips to help you make the right decisions about buying farm animals.
Tips to Buy Livestock for Your Farm by Dax Cooke
Here are a few actionable tips by Dax Cooke that can help you buy livestock for your farm.
1. Do Your Research
The first and foremost thing you must do is research. Find out more about the animals you want to buy. Try to find out as much as you can about the daily care requirements that they have and what you should be expecting. This helps you understand what is required from you and also helps you understand things in a much clearer way.
2. Start With Low Maintenance of Animals
It is best that you start by buying low-maintenance animals. This is especially true if you are a first-time animal buyer. When you start with animals like donkeys and chickens, it helps you understand the base level care that is required, which helps you slowly work your way up then.
3. Check the General Appearance of the Animal
When buying an animal, thoroughly check the animal’s appearance first. This will help you tell how healthy they are. Check to see if they are standing stably on all four feet. Also, inspect closely to check if there is anybody defect at all.
Also, check for the right type of movement and general behavior as well – say if there is food in front of a cow, then she should be able to eat and drink normally. If it doesn’t, then this is a sign of poor health. Dax Cooke says that the first thing you should be doing is inspecting how the animal behaves to help you understand how well they are doing.
4. Buy Animals Locally
Try to buy animals locally. This way, you can get real-time knowledge about raising them. Not just that, but if you think something is wrong, you easily have someone you can resort to for answers. Dax Cooke says this is key to being satisfied with your purchase at the end of the day.
5. Buy in Pairs
Animals, too, can feel things. Try to always buy animals in pairs, so they don’t feel lonely. If they feel lonely, they generally don’t put up too well with what is happening around them. This is evident in the way they behave.
6. Avoid Livestock Markets
Try not to buy from livestock markets, especially if you are new to this. You might end up getting duped. Always try to buy from someone trusted.
Final Words by Dax Cooke
With these valuable tips on buying livestock, you will be able to buy the best animals. With more experience, you will notice how you get better over time.
