This post will keep track of all the new calves I get for the year. Initial Plan Going in to 2025, I had 21 cows that could give me calves. One of them would be a first time mother (Patches), but the rest were experienced. I wanted to get my new South Poll bull to… Continue reading 2025 Calves
Category: Cattle
Sale Day
I took Blue and #48 to the sale barn. Blue lost her calf a few days after he was born. #48 was born in late July of 2024. I wasn’t anticipating keeping her because she was born at the wrong time to breed. I would’ve sold her earlier but I figured I might as well… Continue reading Sale Day
So I sold some calves
On Monday January 20th, 2025 I took my family and some friends to the field at 7:30 AM, just as the sun rose. The temperatures were well below freezing. Within a few hours, we had the calves sorted off the cows. I kept back two of the steer, #40 and #44 as they looked the… Continue reading So I sold some calves
#48 is born to Young #20
#40 is born to young #20 on Monday July 29th, 2024. Old #20 is a little too young to breed but it worked out ok. Since this was unexpected, that means I won’t be expecting a calf from young #20 in April. I might have to sell her off when the calf is old enough… Continue reading #48 is born to Young #20
The Results of the “Sacrificial” Areas
About two months ago, March 12th, 2024, I took the cattle off of the sacrificial rotation and hay, and starting rotating them through the pasture. The grass wasn’t great, it was very high in protein, and I decided that in 2025 I would have enough hay to last until mid April, no matter what. And… Continue reading The Results of the “Sacrificial” Areas
Doing the math, sheep vs. cows in 2024
Alan Westerfield is asking for people’s math on sheep. He said he made his money raising sheep, and he’s heard some crazy numbers by “blowhards.” I think he is responding to this recent video by Birchfield Farming: But maybe he’s talking about my videos too. Now, if you ask people who do rotational grazing, almost… Continue reading Doing the math, sheep vs. cows in 2024
Let’s look at the future by looking at the past
I’m going to pick videos from last year in the upcoming weeks to highlight what I can expect in my pasture. May 2nd, 2023: May 9th, 2023: May 16th, 2023: At this point, it looked like we were in for an extended spring. The weather wasn’t too hot and things were going well. May 23rd,… Continue reading Let’s look at the future by looking at the past
Last Calf of 2024?
Blackie gave us #47, a baldy bull. This is supposed to be the last calf of the year. I plan on putting the bulls on the cows in July to get April calves next year.
#46 is born to Yellow
Yellow finally gave birth. I noticed the night before that the teats had gone taut, which is the last indicator that the calf is on the way. About a month ago, I saw the early signs: a swollen rear-end and bags that were growing. #46 is a brown heifer calf with white on the belly… Continue reading #46 is born to Yellow
#45 died two days after being born
#45 was born early Sunday morning, March 17th. He was born to #19, who was only 18 months old. I did not want her to breed yet and did not expect a calf. However, she was showing signs of pregnancy about 3 days ago. I fully expected either the calf or the cow to die,… Continue reading #45 died two days after being born