What is Fattening Livestock?

What Does Fattening (Besi) Mean?

Fattening (Besi), in its shortest definition, is the process of increasing the live weight and meat quality of animals by feeding them with a high-quality and balanced ration for a certain period of time. In the livestock sector, this process is called husbandry for the purpose of "meat production".

What is Fattening Livestock?

Fattening livestock involves taking mostly young male cattle (calves) and feeding them high-energy feed in a controlled environment (barn) to reach an economic live weight. The goal in this system is to achieve the highest weight gain in the shortest time with the least amount of feed.

What is Fattening Barn Animal Husbandry?

Fattening barn animal husbandry is based on the principle of feeding animals entirely in closed or semi-open shelters rather than being pasture-based. In modern fattening, the barn system allows the animal to focus only on gaining weight without being affected by climatic conditions. The ventilation of the barn, floor structure (bedding or grid) and feeder capacity directly affect profitability.

Selection of Fattening Calves and Its Importance

The most important pillar of fattening is material selection. Wrong calf selection can cause you to lose money no matter how good the ration is. A good fattening calf:

• Should be Meat Breed or Hybrid: Simmental, Limousin, Angus, Belgian Blue or their hybrids should be preferred.
• Should Have a Wide Frame: The animal's chest and rump structure should be wide.
• Should be Healthy: Should not show signs of nasal discharge, cough or diarrhea.
• Age and Weight: Generally, calves between 6-12 months and 200-300 kg are ideal for fattening.

Requirements for Fattening

Before starting fattening, you should prepare these basic items:

1. Capital: Calf purchase price is 70-80% of operating costs.
2. Feed Stock: Corn silage, concentrate feed, barley and quality forage (alfalfa, straw).
3. Modern Shelter: Barn designed so that 5-10 m² space falls per animal.
4. Tracking System: Digital solution for weight measurement, vaccine tracking and stock management.

Basic Fattening Techniques

There are three main fattening techniques applied in Turkey:

• Short-Term Intensive Fattening: Lasts 3-6 months. Usually applied to adult animals.
• Medium-Term Fattening: Lasts 6-9 months. Most common technique for young calves.
• Long-Term Fattening: Lasts more than 9 months. Can be preferred in regions with grazing (pasture) opportunities.