Why start a cattle business?
Cattle are beneficial to the world because they provide food, meat, milk, eggs, honey, omega-3 oil, etc. for the use of mankind. The skins or hides and even hair of these animals have been used to make blankets, clothing, shoes, and the like.
The livestock industry is known to be very profitable from the start because the business can be started with little or no training and very little capital. You don’t need a special degree to start this business, although you may have to spend some time learning about the intricacies of the particular niche you want to get into.
If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, or prefer to make a living through animals, here are 47 livestock-related business ideas you can start and make a pretty neat income.
47 Best Livestock/Animal Farming Business Ideas.
1. Snail farming
The snail is an animal in the mollusk family, and snail farming is the process of raising land snails specifically for human consumption. The nutrients in this animal are what inform its production and high consumption. Snails are quite rich in protein, iron, and almost all the amino acids needed by the human body, and also have little or no fat content.
The demand for snails is increasing day by day all over the world, not only from consumers but also from the cosmetic industry, as snail slime is excellent for the skin, as it reduces aging and repairs damaged skin. The profit margin is also extremely high in commercial snail farming.
The snail farming business opportunity demands discipline and specific knowledge of modern technology. The demand for snails in both the domestic and export markets is greater than the supply because there are not many people in this business.
2. Beekeeping
This short-tempered insect has been serving the needs of humans since the dawn of time. Much has been made of the healing properties of honey, which is a by-product of bees. With the growing awareness of the health benefits of honey, the demand has increased exponentially.
Bees are raised for their honey and other by-products like beeswax, and this is a profitable business that can be started with very minimal startup capital. It is not necessary to have land or any establishment to start the beekeeping business, but the business requires daily monitoring with close supervision of the bees.
3. Commercial fish farming:
Fish is a product that would be in constant demand due to its high nutrient content. With the different ways of conservation, the farmer has the security of not suffering losses in his investments.
The commercial fish farming business is a lucrative investment that can turn money at any time of the year regularly. With the implementation of modern techniques and adequate landmass, an entrepreneur can start this business with moderate capital investment.
4. Livestock feed production company:
It is a fact that cattle need to eat, and many of them are known to consume a lot of food, especially during their growth phase. If you are familiar with the technicalities surrounding formula mixing, then you can comfortably start this business and make good profits from it.
It is a fact that farmers are always looking for the right feeds and complementary feed products to help them increase performance and reduce disease. If you can help in this regard, then you would have no problem marketing your cattle feed.
5. Quail farming:
Quail are very small birds that produce very nutritious eggs. Commercial quail farming is based on commercial quail farming for the profitable production of eggs and meat. Recently, many people have come to discover the amazing health benefits of quail eggs and many people are taking up quail egg farming. Depending on how you decide to go about it, a quail egg farming business can be started with minimal capital even less than $200.
6. Livestock Research Institute: The Livestock Research Institute works to improve food security through research for better and more sustainable use of livestock. The results of this research help people keep their farm animals alive and productive, increase and maintain their farm and livestock productivity, find profitable markets for their animal products, and reduce the risk of livestock-related diseases. This business can be quite capital-intensive, but it is very rewarding, especially since you can get government research grants.
7. Shrimp Farming:
Shrimp, although small by nature, but very profitable in the aquaculture industry. It is estimated that today it is a multi-million dollar industry, and anyone can make a six-figure income from their small shrimp farm.
Another fact about this business is that you don’t need much education to start this business but you must have some technical skills in farm management practice. In addition, the business demands dedication, routine review, and monitoring.
You must have the correct knowledge about the equipment, larvae, supplies, medications, feeds, feeders, etc. to be successful in business. The business has immense export potential because not all countries produce shrimp in commercial quantities.
8. Fish Hatchery:
The success of the fish farming business depends on the hatching process if the process does not go well then it could affect the quality of the fish or shellfish produced. A fish hatchery is a place for the artificial breeding, hatching, and rearing of finfish and shellfish in particular. Hatcheries produce larval and juvenile fish primarily to support aquaculture. You can start a hatchery and sell your juveniles to fish farms if you are familiar with the technical details.
9. Piggery – Pork is a meat that most people cannot do without, and this makes pig farming a very lucrative business. If you have enough landmass at your disposal, you can start a big business. Among the various livestock species, swine is the most potent source of meat and pigs are very efficient feed converters. Pig farming can be started with little experience and a small investment, as long as the entrepreneur already has landed at his disposal.
10. Chick Hatchery – Birds are another animal you can start a hatchery business for. The chick-hatching business involves incubating the eggs until they hatch. You can then sell the hatched chicks to poultry farmers. It is a fact that many poultry farmers cannot hatch their chicks, so this service could be provided for a fee, or the eggs could be bought from the farmers, and the chicks hatched and sold back to farmers. Farmers. This is a highly profitable business to start with a small capital and no specialized knowledge is required.
11. Dairy Farming: Milk is a basic food of society and, just like today, the world cannot do without it. Commercial dairy farming involves raising dairy cows for their milk, and it is a very profitable farming business idea. In addition to milk, cows produce a good amount of manure that can be sold and made profitable. You can help increase your state’s milk production through profitable dairy farming.
12. Goat farming: Goats are very hardy animals that are raised mainly for their meat and sometimes for their milk because their milk is said to be very rich in protein and other vitamins more than cow’s milk. Due to its good economic prospects, intensive and semi-intensive goat farming for commercial production has been gaining momentum in the last two years.
13. Goat and Cattle Forage Crops: Forage is any agricultural feed used specifically to feed domestic livestock, especially ruminants such as horses, pigs, cattle, and goats. The term forage typically refers to food that is given to animals, rather than food that they forage for themselves. Types of plants typically grown for forage include alfalfa, barley, oats, clover, grass, and wheat.
If you have good land, you might decide to plant fodder crops and sell them to ranchers to use for their animals. If you don’t own land and want to get into baling, meet with local farmers who grow their own oats, barley, and wheat, and offer to bale the crops for them.
14. Livestock consulting: If you know livestock well, you can create a company that offers specific advice to ranchers about their business. As with other consulting services, the requirement for livestock consulting is expected to grow in the coming days. People with experience and expertise in a specific field of farming may consider offering consulting services to organizations and farmers.
15. Ostrich farming: The ostrich is a very large bird that produces more meat than any other bird. Ostrich meat is by far the healthiest alternative to our traditional meat. It has less fat, calories, and cholesterol than beef, chicken, turkey, pork, and fish.
While chicken, turkey, and other poultry are called white meat, ostrich meat is instead called red meat because it is similar in color and flavor to beef. If managed properly, a single female ostrich can produce up to 72,000 kilograms of meat, 2,000 square meters of leather, and 2,000 kilograms of feathers during her economic (productive) life.
Compared to other traditional farm animals (cattle, goats, pigs, fish, chickens, and turkeys), ostriches are fairly easy to breed and most ostrich farm projects turn out to be very successful. Aside from a few farms in South Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia, ostriches are probably the least farmed birds in the world.
16. Turkey Farming: Turkeys found in cold stores and food markets are the result of commercial turkey production, and it is indeed a profitable business idea. Turkey grows faster than broilers and is suitable for slaughter in a very short time, making it suitable for business.
Raising turkey for meat is more popular than raising turkey for eggs. Turkey farming is similar to other poultry such as chickens, ducks, quail, etc. For profitable meat production, you have to use some modern breeds of turkey that are raised for commercial production. These types of turkey breeds have a maximum feed-to-meat conversion rate. They consume less food and turn it into meat in a very short time.
17. Turtle Farming: Turtle farming is the process of reproducing, hatching, and rearing turtles for sale to the pet and food industries. The turtle farming industry is believed to have originated in the United States in the 1940s when people began raising turtles captured from wild populations.
Today, tortoise farmers in the United States supply tortoises to the pet and food industries in North America and Asia. Turtles are routinely eaten in Asia and some rural areas of North America. Farms raising healthy, disease-free baby turtles are relatively common in the United States, and most of these turtles are sold as pets on the market.
18. Mealworm Farming: Protein is one of the most expensive supplements you can buy for animals, yet it is an essential component of the diet of an omnivore, whether it be a pig, poultry, canine, or others. Mealworms are said to be one of the easiest, cheapest, and most space-efficient ways to raise protein for your animals. You can easily grow these worms in commercial quantities in a small space and sell them to farmers.
19. Breeding Ladybugs: One of the friendliest critters today that paved the way for increased crop production is none other than the ladybug. Instead of using chemicals and fertilizers that harm the soil, plants, and human health, a ladybug is one of the best alternatives.
Ladybugs are one of the best forms of integrated pest management that manage common garden pests. Ladybugs feed on aphids and it is said that they can eat up to 50 aphids in a single day. You can grow these insects and sell them to farmers.
20. Knacker’s Garden Business: Slaughterhouses that process meat not intended for human consumption are sometimes called slaughterhouses or abattoirs. Matadors often slaughter animals that are unfit for consumption or that can no longer work on a farm, such as workhorses that can no longer work.
21. Rainbow Trout Farming: Trout is the common name for several species of freshwater fish, and most of the rainbow trout available on the market today are raised on a commercial farm. Trout are cold-water fish, and they grow quickly if they are well cared for. They are also very resistant. The taste and texture of farmed fish are similar to that of wild fish, so people would not notice the difference.
Commercial rainbow trout farming is a profitable alternative to conventional farming and can be practiced with very little land, as long as the water conditions in the facility and the care and feeding of the trout are properly maintained.
22. Worm farming: Worm farming is the act of growing worms for the industry. Maggots are used to feed fish and poultry and are easier to raise than maggots. They are nutritious, natural, and protein-rich food. A variety of fly species can be used to rear the worms, including the black Hermetia fly, as well as other fly species. For convenience reasons, fly species that are indigenous to the growing area are often used. These worms feed on organic waste materials before being harvested and dried to make them into a natural and sustainable animal feed.
23. Slaughterhouse or slaughterhouse: A slaughterhouse or slaughterhouse is a facility where animals are slaughtered for consumption as food. Slaughterhouses slaughter the animals or birds sent to them first before they are sent for packaging. Slaughterhouses are strictly regulated to prevent contamination of meat and to prevent sick animals from being killed.
24. Farmers Market: A farmers market is a physical retail market intended to sell food directly by farmers to consumers. You can start a farmers market that caters exclusively to livestock and poultry, or you can start a business similar to a livestock exchange.
25. Abalone Farming: Abalone is a common name for any of a group of small to very large sea snails, and marine gastropod mollusks. It is known to be a delicacy in China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and some Latin American countries.
In recent years, this mollusk is often served as a luxury meal. Most of the time, it is served at big weddings, birthdays, and other big events. Nowadays, however, it is served even in the most common restaurants in these countries. Abalone has proven to be a relatively easy crustacean to farm and there is much profit to be made from farming this crustacean.
26. Oyster Farming: As consumers across North America have discovered the culinary appeal of this humble mollusk, farmers who can efficiently farm high-quality oysters are reaping the rewards. The average oyster contains about 2 grams of protein. A serving of 12 oysters contains 21.96 grams of protein, with only 4 grams of fat.
Oysters are low in cholesterol and rich in zinc, iron, calcium, and vitamin A. Oysters start as larvae, so small they are invisible to the naked eye. In about a year, they can grow up to 1-1-1/2 inches. They typically reach market size within 18 months to 2 years.
27. Broiler: Generally, birds or poultry breeds that are highly productive in meat are called broiler poultry, But broiler chicken is a special kind of poultry. The broiler has been scientifically modified so that it can produce more meat in a short time, so basically, the broiler is a type of bird raised only for meat production. Broilers have become one of the fastest-growing poultry segments today, and are highly profitable due to the shorter maturation time.
28. Freshwater shrimp farming: A freshwater shrimp farm is an aquaculture business designed to raise and produce freshwater shrimp or shrimp for human consumption. Prawns are usually harvested from freshwater, so they can be easily farmed. Prawns take about 6 months to grow to harvest size, so they wouldn’t tie up your capital very much. The good thing about this business is that it is not capital-intensive.
29. Veterinary Business: Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and injuries in non-human animals. The scope of veterinary medicine is broad, encompassing all animal species, both domestic and wild, and deals with a wide range of conditions that can affect different species.
30. Tilapia fish: According to the National Fisheries Institute, tilapia has become the fourth most consumed seafood in the United States, behind shrimp, salmon, and canned tuna. The fish has become the third most important fish in aquaculture after carp and salmon, with world production exceeding 1,500,000 metric tons in 2002. Keep in mind that tilapia need five things to grow fast and healthy and are clean water, oxygen, food, light, and room to swim.
31. Horse Breeding: Horse breeding is particularly the man-made process of selective breeding of horses, especially purebred horses of a certain breed. Planned mating can be used to produce specifically desired traits in domesticated horses.
The use of modern reproductive technologies and management can increase conception rate, healthy pregnancy, and calving success. Horse breeding as a business is quite a complicated task as you need to meet the exact specifications required before you can get what you need.
32. Camel Farming: The camel is a very useful animal everywhere. Camels provide milk, meat, and hair for textiles or products such as felt bags, and as such is a profitable farm animals. Camel farming is popular in Australia, North America, Africa, and countries of Asia, and the Pacific. Many countries in Africa and Asia depend on camels for most of their needs, from transportation to milk and meat.
33. Carp fish farming: Common carp farming is a very profitable business. However, you must maintain the proper fish management system before you can get the most out of this fish. Some common species of fish include silver carp, grass carp, bighead carp, black carp, common carp, etc.
34. Crab Farming: Crabs are very popular crustaceans, and they are very nutritious and delicious foods. Mud crab farming is a lucrative business, requiring very little investment compared to others. Mud crab is in great demand and price in the international market. The red claw and the green mud crab are the two species of crab available for commercial farming.
35. Deer Farming: Deer farming has begun for commercial purposes, but it should be noted that not all countries allow deer farming. However, it is a profitable business that you can start from your backyard. Compared to traditional cattle, the deer industry is booming. In addition, deer farming maximizes the potential of the land so that even small tracts of marginal property can be used to raise the animal.
36. Duck Farming: Duck farming is a profitable business that can thrive anywhere, even in your backyard. This is because ducks can be kept without having any bodies of water around them. Duck farming provides a stable daily income. Duck farming does not require elaborate housing like poultry, and ducks eat fallen grains in harvested paddy fields, insects, snails, earthworms, other small fish, etc.
37. Farming Emus: The emu is the second-largest living bird by height. Emus are flightless, brownish, soft-feathered birds with long necks and legs, and can reach up to 1.9 meters (6.2 ft) in height. The bird is considered a large chicken, although its meat resembles and tastes like beef. The males growl like pigs and both love to wallow in the mud. The main emu-producing countries are the USA, Australia, France, China, Japan, European countries, Malaysia and India.
38. Layer Poultry Raising: Layer poultry farming means raising layer poultry for commercial egg production. There are several types of highly productive laying hen breeds available throughout the world. They begin laying eggs commercially from 18-19 weeks of age. They even continue to lay eggs until they are 72-78 weeks old.
39. Ornamental Fish Farming: Ornamental fish are showy fish that are kept in home aquariums as pets. Around 7.2 million homes in the US and 3.2 million in the European Union have an aquarium and the number is increasing every day around the world.
Ornamental fish farming is also growing to meet this demand. Today, ornamental fish farming has become one of the most profitable businesses in the world. This is a type of small-scale fish farming that can be done in a backyard and still make good money from it.
40. Livestock Marketing: Maybe you don’t want to get your hands dirty and would like to put your internet marketing and business skills to work. Farmers can always lend a hand in the marketing of their products. If you are a marketing expert, then one of the livestock-related business ideas that you might consider should be a marketing consultant for area farms.
In addition to consulting, you can market livestock products by reselling products online or locally, becoming a drop-ship dealer, designing websites and offering search engine optimization, etc.
41. Rabbit Farming: Rabbits are popular for their wool. Rabbits are very prolific and a good female can produce 25 to 30 kits (young) a year. Also, rabbits are the best producers of wool per kg of body weight. They need 30 percent less digestible energy to produce a kilogram of wool compared to sheep.
42. Starting a cold storage business: The demand for frozen livestock products is increasing globally. An entrepreneur who lives in a metropolitan or suburban city can start this business with proper planning. Cold storage is essential to extend the shelf life and shelf life of poultry and other meat products to prevent spoilage and maintain product quality. Therefore, the cold storage industry has an important role to play in reducing perishable product waste.
43. Pet Bird Farming: Another livestock business you can consider is pet bird farming. In this case, you will be raising birds for pets and other domestic uses, but never for consumption. Examples of pet birds include parrots, pigeons, deaf chickens (peacocks and chickens), etc.
44. Vermiculture: they are very beneficial for farmers, unfortunately not all farms have enough of them. Because earthworms have an important role to play in maintaining soil fertility, there is a huge and stable market for them. Worm farming is the easiest way to turn leftover fruits and vegetables into a great potting soil or soil amendment for plants in your home or garden. Worm farming is specifically vital and useful for people who like to compost their food scraps but don’t have room for compost in the backyard.
42. Guinea pig breeding: Raising guinea pigs is very lucrative and rewarding because they are so prolific. First of all, mating is very simple. Breeding them is also easy and at the end of the day, you will be smiling as you watch these little creatures grow and develop. Just make sure you’ll be able to provide good homes for the babies when you sell them.
43. Sheep farming: Sheep are raised primarily for their production of wool, milk, skin, and manure. In addition, sheep meat is very tasty, nutritious, and popular in many countries. Sheep farming is a great source of income and is beneficial in eradicating poverty in arid, desert, semi-arid and mountainous areas. The most lucrative aspect of this business is that you do not need to have a huge capital investment to start a sheep farming business.
44. Finishing Company: A finishing company is a company that produces cattle, especially cattle of a specific grade. At a finishing operation, 700- to 900-pound feeder cattle are fed to reach a market weight of approximately 1,100 to 1,200 pounds. Traditionally, a finishing company requires a large amount of grain feed to produce a quality beef animal.
There is some demand for grass-fed beef cattle, which only receive their mother’s milk and graze grass or hay throughout their lives. Beef cattle typically reach market weight between 15 and 30 months of age. A finishing company purchases cattle from ranchers at a specific stage and rears them to the required weight before sending them to slaughter.
45. The Cow and Calf Business: A cow farming business primarily raises cows to sell their calves. Calves are sold at approximately six months of age and 500 pounds. Some beef cattle producers raise purebred or seed cows. The young bulls produced are sold as breeding stock to commercial cattle producers, who raise cattle for meat production. Cow-breeding businesses require adequate feed to maintain cows throughout the year, as well as facilities for rearing cow-calf pairs.
46. Calf feeder or packer companies: After weaning, calves are called feeder’s calves. Ranchers or farmers who raise feeder’s calves buy the weaned calves and raise them to between 700 and 900 pounds. This type of operation works well if abundant pasture, pasture, or hay is available.
A specific type of calf-feeding business is called backgrounding, where a farmer or rancher purchases calves at weaning and cares for the calves during the transition from weaning to finishing. Good health management and nutritional practices are required to keep calves in the background. After one to six months in a training program, the calves are sold to finishing operations.
47. Meat Processing: Meat processing is the use of machines to process and package meat to be brought to market. Commercial meat processing is a very capital-intensive business as all processed meat products must be physically or chemically treated in one way or another. Also, you must have proper distribution and marketing strategies before starting the business.