Leisurely Life: I Have Ten Thousand Acres of Grassland-Chapter 82 - 80: Professional Guidance—Cattle-Raising Techniques!
In the morning, the weather was clear with not a cloud in the sky.
The wind on the grassland grew stronger. Taking advantage of the good weather, the ranch would still let the cattle and sheep out to graze.
At this moment, it was the beginning of the month.
In the room, Jiang Feng was busy with a stack of invoices and a calculator, sorting out last month’s accounts.
Selling hay and cattle and sheep, this month’s earnings were still acceptable.
"The price of cattle is decreasing." Jiang Feng slightly pondered.
His ranch was continuously developing, but he still sold some cattle and sheep.
Take the sheep as an example; mainly, they sold the male sheep ready for market and the slightly older female sheep.
This way, the growth rate of the sheep herd can be maximized, ensuring profits at the same time.
Raising cattle and sheep also comes with risks!
The risk of raising sheep is low, and so is the revenue; raising cattle is riskier, but the returns are also higher.
Aside from diseases, market prices are the most significant risk. For example, one year, there were too many cattle ready for sale; a herder spent 12,000 to buy an adult beef cow, raised it for more than half a year, fattened it, and sold it, only to get 11,000.
For a big ranch such as Jiang Feng’s, even if the cattle price is low one year, the impact is minimal; at worst, they could sell next year.
"Looking at this trend, the beef market at the end of the year is bound to be bad, possibly even at a loss."
"For me, though, it’s an opportunity."
"After the spring begins tomorrow, my cattle farm will be set up, with an initial plan to reach 1,000 head; currently, there are only over 400."
Jiang Feng calculated secretly in his heart.
As a large ranch owner, if he doesn’t have some skills, no matter how much money his father has, he couldn’t handle it.
Since Jiang Feng took over, the ranch’s profits have been stable, meeting expectations.
But what he aims to do goes far beyond this.
The heir of the ranch also needs to demonstrate ability; without it, they follow their parents; with it, they manage on their own.
"The end of the year is a good opportunity; there’s no hurry to buy cattle now."
"Wait for the price to drop further before taking action."
With last month’s accounts all sorted, Jiang Feng clipped all the bill slips into a stack and put them into the safe.
At the beginning of every month, he personally calculates the financial situation of the previous month; it has become routine.
He seemed leisurely day by day, yet he had a clear understanding of the ranch’s affairs.
The staff held a lot of respect for him.
Privately, they would say the ranch owner is a formidable figure.
Then, Jiang Feng started a live stream, taking the viewers to see the various cute animals on the ranch.
Jiang Feng rode his horse to the grassland, planning to check on the cattle today.
The ranch currently had over 400 beef cattle, most of which were Ujumqin cattle, known for being entirely black, resembling a herd of bull devils.
There were also some ordinary yellow cattle with yellow and white patterns.
The herd grazed slowly on the pasture, appearing at ease.
Taking advantage of the good weather, letting the cattle and sheep out for a stroll benefited their health, too.
"Look at those black cattle; they are called Ujumqin cattle, the representative beef cattle of Xilingol, and the finest breed of Mongolian cattle."
"The meat quality of this breed is good, with a high yield, and their thick fur allows them to withstand the cold in winter."
"Every part of the cow is valuable!"
Jiang Feng dismounted, letting Red Hare roam freely nearby, while he walked among the cattle.
Among the herd were many calves, all sticking close to their mothers.
Seeing Jiang Feng approach, the calves seemed a bit frightened.
The adult cattle remained calm, grazing leisurely.
As Jiang Feng passed by, they looked up at him, chewing incessantly.
[The most enviable are the Ujumqin cattle from Xilingol; they can only be raised in specific environments, and can’t be raised elsewhere!]
[The beef is expensive, pricier than regular beef!]
[Different regions have different cattle and sheep, and those in Xilingol compared to others also include Ujumqin sheep, which taste good!]
[Does this mean the cattle raised by the owner are also of high quality?]
[He’s on a premium route, unlike scattered breeders; I bet he has quite a few collaborators!]
[To put it this way, cattle like the ones he’s raising are hard to buy on the market; he must have specialized supply channels.]
The live stream had many herders, continuously enlightening other viewers.
Upon seeing the herders’ comments, the viewers all understood one thing.
That Jiang Feng’s cattle were impressive and of fine quality.
Jiang Feng appeared serious, weaving among the cattle, his gaze sharp with a hint of discernment.
The viewers observed Jiang Feng’s actions, feeling a bit puzzled.
[Is the owner looking for something?]
[Yeah, what is he doing?]
[He seems to be searching for something.]
At this moment, a viewer named [Pastor Dadong] noticed something.
He commented:
[Master Jiang is checking for signs of illness in the cattle; only experienced cowherds can tell if a cow is sick by observing.]
His comment gained agreement from many herders.
[A Mongolian Nomadic Family]: [That’s right, indeed checking if the cattle are sick, which is a huge challenge in cattle breeding!]
[Cowherd Valando]: [A cow falling ill is a massive blow to herders; sometimes, you’d rather be sick yourself than have your cattle be sick!]
[Rural Entrepreneur Liu Fugui]: [That’s why veterinarians who can treat cattle are held in high regard; every cattle-rearing household wants to have them check their cattle.]
Seeing these comments, the other viewers understood the situation.
At this time, Jiang Feng said:
"I need to check if my cattle are sick."
"For those who’ve never raised cattle, they may not know, but the biggest fear in cattle raising is a cow getting sick."
"There’s a trait in cattle when they fall ill—they know they’re sick but pretend they’re fine."
"Cattle are strong animals, with plenty of meat. In nature, many carnivores covet them."
"Carnivores tend to target sick individuals because they’re easier to hunt. Cattle understand this, so when they’re ill, they become alert and act nonchalant."
"This is their instinct, which can’t be changed, even for domesticated cattle."
"When a breeder finds a cow not eating or drinking and unable to get up, it’s usually too late to save." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
"So, breeders often wonder:"
"Why was my cow fine until one day it suddenly fell gravely ill, and even the vet couldn’t save it?"
"That’s because the cow had been sick for a long time, but the breeder didn’t notice."
"Thus, early observation and treatment are paramount in cattle breeding."
Jiang Feng’s explanation was very professional.
His remarks resonated with many breeders.
[The host is right; I’ve encountered it before—my cow suddenly became unable to get up, wouldn’t eat or drink, and even couldn’t be saved by the vet!]
[That’s the most fearful situation!]
[I didn’t know cattle pretended not to be sick; that’s tricky.]
[Is there any solution to this?]
[Raising cattle requires a lot of knowledge; it’s not just about putting them in a pen and feeding them grass!]
[There are so many nuances.]
Jiang Feng watched the cattle for a while, his brow gradually furrowing.
Recently, he hadn’t had much time to closely observe the cattle, and now he found several with issues.
So, Jiang Feng took out a walkie-talkie from his trouser pocket, pressed the talk button, and said:
"Old Niu, come over here, and Hadan and Bugude, come over this way too."
Hadan and Bugude were new employees at the ranch, both in their twenties—young, strong, and quite reliable, people from their village.
"Okay, Master, I’ll be right there." Niu Erhu responded.
Then, he rushed toward Jiang Feng.
Hadan and Bugude were already on the pasture, and they jogged over as well.
They wondered what Jiang Feng needed them for.
The viewers all saw Jiang Feng’s actions.
They were also very curious about what Jiang Feng was going to do.
