The yield of a herd

If you can sell each year many fat animals, the herd is said to have a good yield.

A herd has a good yield:

· if you raise animals of a good breed.

The animal husbandry service is finding out which breeds produce most and thrive best in each region.

· if the animals grow quickly.

On the same pasture, all the animals do not gain weight as quickly as each other.

You should keep only the offspring of males and females that have grown quickly.

· if there are many dams which give birth each year.

You must sell the old dams because they do not produce young any more, they do not put on weight any more, and they eat a lot

You must also sell the surplus males; they eat but are no use.

You must keep the most fertile dams and make them breed.

A fertile dam gives birth every year.

· if the animals are well cared for,

If you take good care of the herd, all the young grow up and become strong animals.

Then you can sell them and earn a lot.

If many of the young animals die, the farmer does not earn as much as he could.

In Africa many young animals die because of lack of care.

Even if diseases do not kill the animals, they do them a lot of harm.

The animals become very weak and do not fatten much.

It takes a long time for animals that have been to fatten up for sale.

If animals are well fed, and have enough to drink all the year, they quickly become big and heavy.

If they are badly fed, and if they do not drink enough during the dry season, they lose a lot of weight.

Animals lose in the dry season kilogrammes they have put on in the rainy season.