Search results for query: *

I’m selling my cows and plan on just buying 2 or 3 just weaned steers each year to feed out. I will have them butchered here at the house, but will need a trailer to pick them up with. I’ve already got a 7x12 utility trailer and a 18’ car hauler, but I don’t think I could make either of those...

I have a very small herd of belted galloway, two cows along with their newborns and one year olds for six months of the year - so 6 animals. The other six months of the year I have my bull back on the farm. Everyone runs together. I start creep feeding the newborns as soon as they will take...

This was a 20 month old steer in great condition. I switched him a little over a week ago to a pasture that had 3 weaned calves on it the past two months. I moved two of those calves back in with the herd and kept one to feed out and butcher early. My wife called me this past Thursday early...

It works great! It was so easy to walk among the herd and just shoot them. It was kinda fun too, my least favorite got to go first! :D My cattle's reaction to the shot was just like you see on the youtube videos, very mild. Much easier than running them through the chute. Within 15 minutes...

I want to add something to block the cattle's view out from my sweep and alleyway when I'm running them through. What have you guys come up with to do the same? The only thing coming to mind is using plywood sheets.

My bull that I share with a friend comes back to my farm in late December. At that point, I have a heifer that will be 16 months old that will be in the same pen as the rest of the herd. I'm limited in acreage so all my cattle run together. This heifer is destined for the table. I'm curious...

With the end goal of producing freezer beef on a very small scale, would it be cheaper to get my calves by maintain cows, or by buying them at weaning? I’m thinking hard on selling my cows and buying calves at weaning. With my limited acreage, having to maintain cows really cuts into the number...

I'm taking one of my cows to the butcher in January. She calved in August and will have the calf on her up until the slaughter date. She has gotten around a gallon of feed daily for the past three years, and has maintained her condition well with the calf on her. I'm wondering how I should...

Is there a better time of year that sees a higher demand for freezer beef? I'm fall calving and plan on butchering at or around 24 months (Belties), so I will be looking for customers in the fall time frame.

My small herd of Belties don't consume much of the granular minerals I put out. The only minerals they seem to like is the tub variety which includes molasses. I've put out Purina wind and rain from TSC on a few occasions and they never finish the bag. They're all healthy and well...

Got to experience something new last week. My little herd of belties calved the first fall calf Thursday night/Friday morning. Saturday evening we pull in to a red fox running out of our drive. My thoughts went to our free ranging chickens wondering how many he got, but thankfully this time...

It sounds like most beef is finished on grain in the last few months before slaughter. Does creep feeding calves from a few months old and continuing until slaughter translate into better marbling, better flavor, better tenderness. Or none of the above? I've been creep feeding and am trying...

Is there a good simple applicator out there? My bull likes to try to kick me when I’m pouring on fly control meds. He thinks it’s good fun! Not to mention getting swatted by manure filled tails. I’d like to increase my distance a bit.

I'm considering buying a 15 acre parcel about a mile from my home farm for additional pasture. It currently is being hayed and has no fencing. If I buy it I'd create 3 paddocks with a common area for water and loading/unloading. My question is what is a good setup at a minimum to get the...

Bought from my local feed store. The cattle use it regularly, probably for the molasses, but getting the mineral at the same time. I've tried loose mineral and it seems to see less use than this tub. Is it a decent mineral?

I’ll get some better pics eventually but here he is. Noass and all.

I've got my first animal that is going in the freezer that will be butchered in December. I'd like to get some idea how it grades so that I can analyze my feeding program. I'm guessing it has to be butchered at a USDA facility? Do they automatically grade them or do I need to ask for it...

I've got a 3yr old pure grass stand that I cut in August. I followed that up with an alfalfa seeding using a no-till drill. Got good rains and a good catch. The grasses are up a good 8-10 inches and the alfalfa is around an inch. Should I cut the field with the mower high to avoid damaging...

I bought a 3 ton feed bin this spring and had it filled with a mix from our local mill. I’m starting to get some mold in the feed. First, is it normal for feed to get a bit moldy in a bin if not feed quick enough? Second, can I feed it to my cows and calves? I’d guess the worst of it contains...

I’ve got a heifer that isn’t selling as a breeder that I’m going to feed out and sell as freezer beef. Any difference in feeding her out versus a steer? I might butcher her in December at 18 months so I don’t have to feed her through the winter.