Her Cultivation Diary
Chapter 792 - Chapter 792: 782. How to make money by raising cattle_1

Chapter 792: 782. How to make money by raising cattle_1

Niu Jia’s explanation was free of obscure technical terms, instead simple and easy to understand, direct and clear. Even Song Tan, an outsider to this field, now had a rough idea of the appropriate breeds to mix.

After some thought, she asked curiously, “What about Wagyu? Those marbled beef kinds, what breed are they?”

The livestock she raised couldn’t possibly be of poorer quality than Wagyu!

Now it was Niu Ben’s turn to explain, “Don’t listen to those… people who are living well spout nonsense! All that about needing music and beer to produce marbled beef, even humans can get fatty liver from drinking alcohol, what about cows drinking every day?”

“Marbled beef, that’s when the beef has a pattern like marble, and marbling appears once intramuscular fat exceeds 10%. With the three breeds Jiajia just mentioned, as long as the feed ratio is right, they can all get it!”

“If you take the cattle back and let them graze in spring, summer, and fall, and adjust their feed in the cold winter, I assure you the meat quality will be unbelievable!”

At this, Yan Ran listened intently, capturing everything with her camera and diligently noting down the key points.

After a moment of thought, Niu Ben said, “Professor Song mentioned you have a farm, right? Do you need cattle for tilling? If so, I’d recommend these three breeds too, as they are good for breeding, meat production, and can work as well.”

“As long as they are not overworked, the meat might grow a bit slower, but the texture will be firmer and more flavorsome.”

Song Tan considered this, there was work to be done, but did she really need cattle for it? Probably not.

But since these were the three most common breeds in the entire grassland, they must indeed be the most suitable.

She looked at Professor Song, taking cues from the professionals throughout.

Professor Song laughed heartily, “That’s why I said we had to bring Tantan along. Some experiences just won’t accumulate without seeing them firsthand.”

“Niu Ben, Tantan’s place for raising cattle is a river beach, right? It might not be as big as your land here, but it still spans over a hundred mu. However, subtracting the ten-plus mu of wetland reed marshes, the usable area is far less than yours.”

“How would you suggest she arrange it?”

“Not small at all!” Niu Ben had a plan:

“River beaches are great, moist and flat with nutrient-rich soil. If well-maintained, these resources can be more important than the cattle!”

But for now…

He stopped the car, “Here we are! It’s noon; let’s eat before anything else!”

Yan Ran suddenly felt a pang of hunger in her belly.

…

Niu Ben’s pasture spanned over three hundred mu, with a terrain that was gently undulating. A mix of forage and wild grasses flourished, and with the early autumn winds, the greenery rippled in varying shades and waves.

The air carried the freshness of open fields, along with traces of an unavoidable manure scent.

It couldn’t be helped; with nearly three hundred mu of pastureland hosting two hundred adult cattle and over a hundred calves, the population would be swiftly replenished even when there were regular purchases.

Despite his meticulous care, it was difficult to keep the air completely fresh.

Overall though, it was still a tranquil countryside.

There were only a few of them at the dining table; Niu Ben didn’t stand on ceremony: “The workers get their pay today, so my wife has gone over there.”

“You have workers too?” Song Tan was curious, “How many people do you need to take care of the cattle?”

Niu Ben shook his head, “Not many are needed to raise cattle, just enough to ensure there’s no damage or theft.”

“But, as I said earlier, resources are more important than the cattle, and I’m not just saying that.”

He poured a glass of wine for Professor Song while slowly explaining, “For instance, my pasture is a legally registered farm company with all the qualifications, which was quite troublesome to secure given the complicated projects involved.”

“Once the qualifications are set, next comes raising the cattle. In spring, summer, and fall, various grasses in the pasture can be sown at will, leaving the cattle to eat as they wish, unable to finish it all. But with such free-range rearing, the air’s good, the mood’s good, how could the cattle not be well?”

“This is also one of the reasons why our cattle seldom fall ill.”

Speaking of this, Niu Ben quickly poured more wine for Niu Jia, “Of course, Jia Jia feeds them medicine to prevent diseases every year, which also plays a huge part!”

Upon hearing the commotion, the child in Niu Jia’s arms clapped their hands and burst into laughter, “Jia Jia! Jia Jia!”

Professor Song couldn’t help but smile, “Well, that’s a nice name.”

Niu Jia’s face was numb.

With glass in hand, Niu Ben proposed a toast with the two others, and quickly returned to the main topic:

“Additionally, we’re in the cattle business, but there’s an old saying we must believe in. ‘A fortune in millions, without a hair to it doesn’t count.'”

“Raising cattle, you can’t just focus on making money; you also need to be prepared for times when you don’t make money–Boss Xiaosong, these words might not sound pleasant, but they are indeed the truth.”

In fact, this was true, as livestock were fine when healthy, but once they contracted a serious infectious disease, it could mean a whole year of effort was wasted.

It’s just like raising chickens or pigs.

Therefore, Niu Ben had other methods to generate income:

“On my pasture, every year I designate a certain area for planting high-yielding forage, with a workshop to process and store it, reserved for cattle’s winter feed.”

This strategy coincidentally matched Professor Song’s arrangements!

Song Tan looked at Professor Song, finding it hard to believe this was not due to Niu Ben’s experience.

“Additionally, there’s another area where I cultivate different types of grasses. One type is cat grass, you know about cat grass, right? Like wheatgrass, barley grass, oat seedlings, and also catnip. Turned into powdered or granulated cat grass, it’s really hot on the market!”

Huh? The pet market? This was something Song Tan hadn’t anticipated.

She was greatly encouraged.

Looking at Yan Ran, she was so engrossed she wasn’t even eating (mainly because she hadn’t digested breakfast yet), and had moved to the side to type furiously on her laptop, clearly deep into her note-taking.

After several unsuccessful attempts to persuade her, Niu Ben became proud, “There’s also food for herbivore pets like rabbits and chinchillas, things like Timothy Grass, alfalfa, fruit tree grass, and so on.”

“Those pets, though they might not seem popular around us, can actually be quite profitable.”

If it weren’t for his focus on non-breeding cattle, he might as well have gotten into cat food, dog food, freeze-dried food, and the like.

Song Tan was amazed.

No wonder Professor Song insisted on bringing her here; these experiences weren’t something one could learn without being shown firsthand!

However, raising cattle by the riverbank required another consideration compared to his pasture:

“You need a large fermentation tank nearby. Why? Because there’s a lot of cow and sheep manure. It doesn’t matter here in my place; if I feel like cleaning up, I do it, if not, I just use it as fertilizer. The area is large and spacious enough, decomposition is rapid, and it doesn’t cause any trouble.”

“After all, in the past without cultivated forage, hundreds of acres could sustain only dozens of heads. Now it’s different, with scientific breeding techniques, hundreds of heads are well within range.”

“With so many cows and sheep, how can you not clean up the manure?”

“But it’s different by the river. The moisture from the water makes it difficult for the manure to dry. Moreover, when it rains, manure can slowly wash into the river.”

“When that happens, the riverbank water becomes too nutrient-rich, not only causing a stench but also affecting the taste of the fish and the quality of the water the cattle drink.”

“With a fermentation tank, the manure from cows and sheep can be fermented separately. If you want to use it on your own land, go ahead; if not, sell it!”

He spoke frankly, “Let me tell you, there are so many city folks planting flowers and gardening these days, fermented cow and sheep manure pellets have plenty of buyers!”

“You see, there’s more than just cattle to profit from when raising cattle!”

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