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Fattening Cattle. Ex. 4.17. Tell your groupmates about fattening cattle in the USA using the following plan. Ex. 4.19. Tell about fattening beef cattle in Belarus.
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Fattening Cattle
The fattening of cattle is a common practice on farms where beef cattle are bred and corn is raised.
The length of fattening period may vary from two to twelve months, depending on the age and condition of the animals. The cattle that are more than two years old may be fattened in four or eight months. Some farmers fatten calves in nine months or longer.
Cattle should not be given too much grain at the beginning of the fattening period. Late in summer when grass is poor it is recommended to provide cattle with some legume hay or protein concentrats.
A mineral supplement should be provided if cattle are fed with crops grown on the soil deficient in calcium, phosphorous or other necessary minerals.
Animals should have water and salt all the time.
Ex. 4. 17. Tell your groupmates about fattening cattle in the USA using the following plan.
1) crops used for fattening cattle;
2) systems of fattening;
3) length of the feeding period;
4) fattening on grass;
5) fattening in the dry lot.
Ex. 4. 18. Answer the following questions.
1. Is fattening cattle a common practice in Belarus? 2. What crops are used in Belarus for feeding beef cattle? 3. Are there different systems of fattening beef cattle in Belarus? 4. What are they? 5. Which of them is used more widely? Why? 6. When is fattening on grass mainly practiced? 7. Do Belarussian farmers graze cattle all the year round? 8. When is fattening in the dry lot mainly practiced? 9. What system is more affective in Belarus? 10. When do Belarussian farmers use roughage and concentrates? 11. What is the length of the feeding period? 12. Is it profitable to feed calves nine months or longer in Belarus?
Ex. 4. 19. Tell about fattening beef cattle in Belarus.
Ex. 4. 20. Read the text B and give it the title.
Unlike the other farm animals hogs grow and develop rapidly, provided they are fed and managed properly. Hogs may be fattened in less than 6 months. That is why during one year one may fatten two generations of hogs.
The ration of hogs usually consists of concentrated feeds with small amounts of roughage. Roughages are high in fibre that is poorly digestible. Pasture is very important for hogs. Hogs being on good pasture, less grain and other feeds are required to fatten them. Corn is widely used as a fattening feed throughout the United States. Wheat, good-quality barley, sorghum or rye are fed to hogs as well. Corn may not be ground for hogs, other grains are usually ground coarsely.
Like other livestock hogs should have salt and water at all times. Certain antibiatics are used for fattening hogs. They are known to increase the rate of gain as much as 30 per cent or more during the period from weaning to 75 lb in weight.
Ex. 4. 21. Answer the following questions.
1. When do hogs grow and develop properly? 2. What is the length of fattening? 3. How many generations of hogs may be fattened during one year? 4. What does the ration of hogs consist of? 5. Why is pasture important for hogs? 6. What crops are used for fattening hogs in the USA? 7. Why are antibiotics used for fattening hogs? 8. Is there any difference in fattening hogs and cattle? What?
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Ex. 4. 22. Tell your groupmates about fattening hogs in the USA?
Ex. 4. 23. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.
1. Существует две системы откорма скота: на пастбище и откормочной площадке. 2. В Великобритании скот откармливают на траве круглый год. 3. Oсенью телят отнимают от матери. 4. Скот кормят грубыми кормами и концентратами в период засухи. 5. Скоту дают минеральные добавки. 6. Антибиотики увеличивают темпы прироста. 7. Свиней также кормят пшеницей, сорго, высококачественным ячменем и рожью. 8. Скот растет и развивается хорошо, если за ним ухаживают надлежащим образом. 9. Для свиней кукурузу не перемалывают. 10. Кукурузный и травяной силос также используются в рационе коров. 11. Период откорма длится около 10 месяцев.
Ex. 4. 24. Answer the following questions.
1. Is fattening hogs a common practice in Belarus? 2. What is the length of fattening hogs in the Republic of Belarus? 3. What does the ration of hogs consist of? 4. Do Belarussian farmers graze hogs on pastures? 5. What other feeds do Belarussian farmers use in the ration of hogs? 6. What crops are widely used as a fattening feed in Belarus? 7. Are grains ground for hogs? 8. Do our farmers provide hogs with salt and water? 9. Do Belarussian farmers use antibiotics for fattening hogs? 10. What is the average rate of gain of hogs on farms?
Ex. 4. 25. Role play.
1) You are a Belarussian farmer, your neighbour is an American farmer. You both run hog fattening farms. Discuss fattening hogs in Belarus and in the USA.
2) You are a Belarussian farmer, your neighbour is an American farmer. You both run cattle fattening farms. Discuss fattening cattle in Belarus and America.
3) You and your neighbour are Belarussian farmers. You run a cattle fattening farm, your groupmate – a hog fattening farm. Discuss fattening hogs and cattle in Belarus and problems you face.
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