When thinking about keeping livestock there are a few factors to consider before you make the leap. It is a special job raising animals and taking care of them so they can become nutritious food or suitable for sale. You should have enough land available for the animals you have to be able to roam around and get proper exercise. It is also important to raise the animals in a way that is healthy and ensures that they are well taken care of.
Depending on your goals, buying livestock should be done carefully while paying attention to the needs of the animals. If your purpose is to buy livestock than you can resell later, you should look at livestock that has good value and is in demand. No matter how good you raise your animals, if there is not enough demand for your particular breed then you will not have much luck selling them. Knowing the breed, age, value and other important facts on the livestock before going to buy them will put you in the best position to get what you want.
If you have the opportunity to visit the land where a seller is raising the livestock that you are interested in then you will have a good way to see how healthy they all are and how they live. The animals should move around in a normal manner and not show any obvious sings of illness. Any animal that is unusually thin should paid close attention to before buying and animals that show strange behavior like excessive anger should be as well. Asking the seller the questions that you may have can only help you make a better decision and the more information you can get, the better.
Selling livestock in Sri Lanka can be a profitable activity and enjoyable for those who decide to do it. Various breeds of goats, chickens, pigs, and cows are the type of livestock options that lead local sales and are in demand. Selling a specific breed of livestock that are rare or really popular will get you the best profits and quicker business. Being flexible and having the willingness to negotiate your prices will make things easier for you and can actually help bring repeat customers. Looking at other local livestock prices can give you a good idea about where you should set your prices and which breeds are selling for more.
Posting classified ads on websites with good photos is a good way to reach potential buyers in other cities and your own. Locating a livestock option in your area is another way to get your animals viewed and sold without waiting for someone to contact you. Get to know the different types of buyers that you will be dealing with and know what people are looking for. If the person you are selling livestock to is planning to resell what they buy then they will be looking at different aspects of the animals then someone who just wants it for food. Learning the marketplace and how it works will make you a better salesperson.
Buyers are often interested in details like the bloodline of a certain animal, their diet, sex, and other information that can make or break a deal. Being informed about the livestock you would like to sell is one way to boost your reputation and get more business. Knowing about the different types of animal breeds will allow you pass that information on to customers and help you identify the best ones for you to raise and sell. Having the right vaccinations giving to your animals and confirmation of good health from a doctor is another way to become legit and effective seller of livestock.
Keeping livestock is a responsibility and comes with costs. You have to be prepared to spend a significant amount of money on your animals and make sure they have all the things they need to live properly. Time is also a major factor to think about when you decide to keep livestock and you should make enough time to in your day to take care of them or have someone do it for you.
Making sure that they are in good physical shape is something that you should take time to do on a regular basis and learn their behavior. Dealing with young animals and newborns is a unique situation and they require special care. They will likely need their mothers to be healthy and take care of them with you making sure they are both doing well.
Like people, animals must have water to survive and they may require a lot more than most of us. You will need to have a water source that meets the demands of all your livestock so they can get enough to drink. If it is a water tank or a nearby natural source of water, have some that your animals can reach. Not only can livestock drink large a amount of water on a daily basis but they need it to be clean and free from harmful chemicals.
Food is an obvious part of keeping livestock that must be handled by you and needs to be done all of the time. Depending on the animal, many pounds of food may be required a day to keep them at their best and it can get expensive. Even if you have land that provides some food for your livestock, you still should make sure they are getting the right nutrition in their diets especially if you want to sell them. Storing food ahead of time in the cold seasons will be good for you and save you a lot of effort. It takes some time to feed all your animals and you should make sure you can get it all done.
Space is always important for those who have livestock and for the animals themselves. There should be enough room for them to move freely and not be in such a small area that it makes them unhappy and irritated. You may want to find ways to keep your livestock on your land and keep them from wandering away. Making sure your animals stay in their place will also help to keep them from harming themselves. Animals get sick and can get diseases like we can and if you need to take them to a vet it can get costly so you should have a way to handle those issues if they arise.
The area you live in will play a role in what kind of livestock will be best for you to have and you should see what kind of livestock does well in your area. Certain animals live better in the wetter areas of the country while others thrive in the dry zone. Learning what your livestock and what specific breeds can provide you with will help you along the way. Whether it is milk meat, breeding or some other purpose, you should be aware of how your livestock can work for you.
Becoming an owner of livestock can be great process for those that can meet the demands and it can also be lucrative. Even if it is just looking at a few farm animals for sale to see what is available, you can take small steps to find out if it is right for you.
