Raising Cattle: Free-Range or Confined? Choose Rationally Based on Your Own Needs

Cattle raising is divided into free-range and confined systems. Free-range means natural grazing; confined means housed and fed, that is, not grazing but tethered feeding. Free-range cattle grow and develop more slowly than confined cattle, but the feeding cost is lower than for confined cattle; free-range cattle are prone to infectious diseases, and calf mortality occurs frequently. Confined cattle can be managed intensively, with fewer chances of contracting disease. So, should cattle be free-range or confined?

Free-range

1. Growth and development are slower, and the cattle are relatively thin.

2. Not much feeding management is required. Labor costs and feed costs are reduced.

3. Disease prevention and control are minimal or difficult, and once an outbreak occurs, it is hard to control.

4. It is not conducive to intensive, large-scale development.

5. Because free-range feeding is natural grazing, the cattle have more room to move, so the meat quality is better than that of confined cattle.

Confined

1. Cattle grow and develop quickly. Because wandering and foraging activity is reduced, with Zhuanglekang for fattening, the effect is good. The ratio of forage converted into beef increases, more beef can be produced per unit of grass, the feeding cycle can be shortened by half, turnover is fast, and benefits are high.

2. More manure accumulates. A free-range head of cattle accumulates an average of 500kg of manure per year, while under confinement it is 1000kg.

3. Fewer diseases and a high calf survival rate. Because free-range cattle “brave the wind and sleep in the open”, they are prone to infectious diseases, and sick cattle are not easily discovered in time, so calf mortality occurs frequently. Confined cattle can be managed intensively, do not drink dirty water, and have fewer chances of contracting disease, so the mothers are fat and the calves strong, and the survival rate can reach almost 100%.

4. It promotes the recovery of vegetation, resolves the conflict between forestry and grazing, is conducive to the commercialization of the forage industry, and drives the production of herbivorous animals toward intensive, large-scale development.

Summary

Free-range has the benefits of free-range, and confined has the advantages of confined. Generally, those with free-range conditions can choose free-range, paying attention to drinking water and preventing theft, among other things; dairy cows and mother cows are suitable for free-range or a combination of tethering and free-range, paying attention to the sanitary environment; confinement is more suitable for fattening cattle, with faster growth speed and a higher feed conversion ratio than free-range. We should adapt to local conditions and choose the appropriate feeding method according to different feeding needs and breeding purposes, so as to increase output and improve benefits.