Livestock

Pilgrim geese are one of the most unique domestic goose breeds thanks to their calm temperament, reliable egg production, and rare auto-sexing genetics that allow males and females to be identified shortly after hatching. Whether you’re looking for a friendly family goose, a productive homestead breed, or a heritage goose with an interesting history, this guide covers everything you need to know about raising Pilgrim geese.

Embden geese are one of the world’s most recognizable domestic goose breeds, prized for their impressive size, calm temperament, excellent meat production, and efficient grazing ability. Whether you’re raising geese for homesteading, pasture management, breeding, or simply adding a classic white goose to your farm, this guide covers everything you need to know about caring for Embden geese.

Chinese geese are one of the most productive and versatile domestic goose breeds, prized for their excellent egg production, natural guarding instincts, and efficient grazing ability. Whether you’re looking for a reliable utility bird, a productive breeding flock, or an intelligent addition to your homestead, this guide covers everything you need to know about raising Chinese geese.

Sebastopol geese are among the most recognizable and sought-after domestic goose breeds thanks to their long, curled feathers and gentle personalities. Whether you’re interested in raising them as ornamental birds, breeding exhibition-quality geese, or adding a unique flock to your homestead, this guide covers everything you need to know about Sebastopol geese—from their history and temperament to care, breeding, and health.

African geese are one of the largest and most recognizable domestic goose breeds, valued for their impressive size, protective nature, and striking appearance. Whether you’re looking for a dependable guard goose, a productive meat bird, or simply want to learn more about this unique breed, this guide covers everything you need to know—from temperament and egg production to care, breeding, and flock management.

The Toulouse goose is one of the world’s most recognizable domestic goose breeds, known for its massive size, calm temperament, and rich history in meat production. This guide covers everything farmers and homesteaders should know about Toulouse geese, including care, egg production, breeding, temperament, housing, and how they compare to other goose breeds.

Learn about the most popular goose breeds raised on farms and homesteads today. This guide compares domestic geese by temperament, egg production, size, noise level, and best use to help you choose the right flock for your goals.

A Boer buck can shape the quality, growth rate, and profitability of your entire herd. This guide covers how much Boer bucks cost, what traits to look for, breeding ratios, and how to manage them effectively so you can make a smart investment.

Boer goats are the world’s leading meat goat breed, known for rapid growth, muscular build, and strong market demand. This guide covers everything you need to know—from history and characteristics to costs, breeding considerations, and whether Boer goats are the right fit for your farm.

A complete guide to meat goats, including the best breeds for meat production, how to start a goat meat farm, costs, pricing per pound, and how to run a profitable operation.

This guide breaks down the best goats for milk, comparing production levels, butterfat content, temperament, and real-world use cases. Whether you’re raising goats for family use, cheese production, or small-scale dairy operations, you’ll learn exactly which breed fits your goals—and how to manage them effectively.

Learn which rabbit breeds are best for meat production, including top choices for fast growth, feed efficiency, and dual-purpose meat and fur. This guide breaks down how to choose the right breed based on your goals, climate, and farm setup.

Easter Egger chickens are beloved backyard birds known for their colorful eggs, friendly personalities, and easygoing nature. This guide covers what they are (and aren’t), egg color genetics, temperament, care, and how they compare to Ameraucana and Araucana chickens.

The Ameraucana chicken is a unique, true blue egg-laying breed known for its calm temperament, cold hardiness, and distinctive appearance. This guide covers everything you need to know, including egg color, production, personality, breed history, and how to accurately identify a real Ameraucana versus commonly confused hybrids like Easter Eggers.

The Lohmann Brown is one of the most efficient egg-laying chickens in the world, producing 280–320+ eggs per year. This guide breaks down production, temperament, lifespan, pros/cons, and whether they’re actually the right fit for your flock.

Golden Comet chickens are one of the best egg-laying hybrids available today, producing up to 300 eggs per year. But there’s a tradeoff—shorter lifespans and long-term production decline. This guide covers everything you need to know before adding them to your flock.

The Sussex chicken is a friendly, well-rounded heritage breed known for its steady egg production, calm temperament, and ease of care. Producing around 250–300 light brown eggs per year, Sussex chickens are a reliable choice for backyard flocks and small farms. Their adaptability, cold hardiness, and beginner-friendly nature make them one of the most practical and enjoyable chicken breeds to raise.

The Plymouth Rock chicken is one of the most reliable and beginner-friendly breeds you can raise. In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know—from egg production and temperament to care, breeding, and how they compare to other popular chickens. Whether you’re starting your first flock or optimizing your setup, this guide will help you decide if Plymouth Rocks are the right fit.

A complete guide to Australorp chickens covering egg production, temperament, care, and history—helping you decide if this reliable, high-laying breed is right for your flock.

The Rhode Island Red chicken is one of the most reliable and productive backyard breeds, known for laying 250–300 brown eggs per year while thriving in a wide range of conditions. This guide covers everything from egg production and temperament to care, lifespan, and whether this hardy, no-nonsense breed is the right fit for your flock.

White Leghorn chickens are one of the most efficient egg-laying breeds available, producing up to 300+ white eggs per year. This guide covers their egg production, temperament, care needs, and how they compare to other popular breeds so you can decide if they’re right for your flock.

Curious about blue chicken eggs? This complete guide explains why some chickens lay blue eggs, the best blue egg laying breeds like Ameraucana and Easter Eggers, how many eggs they produce, and how to track egg production for a healthier, more productive flock.

The ISA Brown chicken is one of the most productive egg-laying breeds in the world, known for its friendly temperament and ability to lay up to 300+ eggs per year. In this guide, we break down egg production, lifespan, pros and cons, care requirements, and whether ISA Browns are the right fit for your flock.

Choosing the right chicken breed can dramatically impact your egg production. This guide covers the best egg laying chicken breeds, how many eggs they produce, and which are best for beginners, backyard flocks, and maximum output.

Thinking about raising chickens? Learn how much chickens cost to buy, the startup expenses for a backyard flock, monthly feeding costs, and the difference between raising chickens for eggs vs meat. This complete guide breaks down real chicken prices, common breeds, and the total cost of raising chickens at home.

Wondering how much pigs cost? This guide explains pig prices by age, breed, and purpose—including piglets, feeder pigs, breeding pigs, and pet pigs. Learn what affects pig prices and the real cost to raise pigs for meat so you can plan your farm budget with confidence.

How much do sheep cost? In this guide, we break down the average price of sheep, lambs, breeding stock, and auction animals in the United States. You’ll learn how sheep prices vary by breed, genetics, and market conditions, as well as the typical costs of raising sheep and starting a small flock. Whether you’re a new homesteader or an experienced farmer, this guide provides a clear overview of what to expect when buying and managing sheep.

Wondering how much a horse costs? This complete guide explains average horse prices, monthly and yearly ownership expenses, and the factors that influence horse value. Learn what horses cost to buy, how much it costs to own a horse per month, and how to budget for feed, veterinary care, boarding, and equipment.

Livestock auctions are a key marketplace for buying and selling animals such as cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs. This guide explains how livestock auctions work, the history of sale barns in the United States, how livestock prices are determined, and what buyers should know before bidding.

This guide covers everything you need to know about Highland cattle, including their history, size, temperament, lifespan, uses, care requirements, and typical costs. Whether you’re researching the breed or considering adding Highland cattle to your farm, this article provides a thorough introduction to one of the most iconic livestock breeds.

This guide breaks down Highland cow prices, including the cost of calves, mini Highland cows, breeding stock, and bulls. It also explains the key factors that influence pricing—such as pedigree, registration status, and location—so farmers and livestock buyers know what to expect when purchasing Highland cattle.

Learn everything about the New Zealand rabbit breed, including size, temperament, growth rate, breeding, and meat production. This complete guide covers how to raise New Zealand rabbits, feeding and housing tips, typical litter sizes, and why they are one of the best rabbit breeds for meat production.

Learn everything about the Californian rabbit breed, including size, temperament, growth rate, breeding, and meat production. This complete guide covers how to raise Californian rabbits, feeding and housing tips, typical litter sizes, and why they are one of the best rabbit breeds for meat production.

Thinking about buying goats? Discover current 2026 goat prices, breed comparisons, yearly care costs, and what it really takes to start and run a profitable goat operation.

Thinking about buying cattle? This in-depth 2026 guide breaks down how much a cow costs, including beef vs dairy pricing, auction vs private sale differences, annual ownership expenses, and real-world ROI examples. Learn what calves, bred cows, and cow-calf pairs are selling for, how market conditions affect pricing, and how to calculate the true cost per pound of beef on your farm.

Understanding the different goat breeds is crucial before launching into this expanding segment of agriculture. The US goat industry encompasses multiple breed types suited for meat, dairy, and fiber production, and choosing the right breeds directly impacts herd productivity and profitability. This article will help you identify some of the most profitable goat breeds for your goals and provide practical guidance on effective herd management.

The Florida White rabbit is a small, compact breed known for its pure white coat, ruby-red eyes, and well-rounded, muscular body. Despite its lighter frame, it has a broad, deep body with good hindquarter development, giving it a balanced and efficient build. Adults typically weigh between 4 and 6 pounds, making the breed easy to handle and well suited for both beginners and experienced breeders.

Today, Black Angus cattle are widely raised across the Midwest, Plains, and Southern states. In this blog, we will explore the origin, genetics, health, nutrition, and management of the Black Angus breed.

Keeping accurate livestock records is essential for running a productive and profitable farm. An effective livestock record-keeping guide helps farmers log daily activities, track animal health, monitor breeding cycles, and measure performance with confidence.

Managing livestock health records can feel overwhelming—especially when juggling vaccinations, weight changes, and treatments across dozens (or hundreds) of animals. But well-kept records mean healthier animals, smarter decisions, and even cost savings in the long run. Let’s explore a practical, stress-free way to track health records using FarmKeep, supported by expert advice and efficient best practices.

Looking for a quick guide to help you incubate eggs or calculate gestation periods for your livestock? We built this for people who have multi-species livestock and need to quickly reference animals across the board.

Rate of gain—also known as average daily gain (ADG)—is a key performance indicator for farmers raising animals for meat production. It measures how quickly an animal gains weight over a specific period of time, usually expressed in pounds or kilograms per day.

Whether you're running a small family farm, a diversified homestead, or managing livestock for a 4-H project, tracking animal pedigree is a game-changer for improving breeding decisions, preserving genetic integrity, and increasing the long-term value of your stock.In this guide, we'll walk through how to track pedigree across multiple species, the tools that make it easier, and the long-term benefits of keeping accurate breeding records.

Predator attacks can devastate a farm overnight—chickens vanishing, goats mauled, or calves injured. Whether you’re raising poultry, cattle, sheep, goats, or alpacas, it’s essential to understand what predators threaten your animals, how to prevent attacks, and what’s legal when it comes to protecting your stock.