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Buy a copy of your local "farm" newspaper. I think you have Agri-View in IA? Look at the local sale barns and see who tracks higher. When you pick you place, call them and ask then how many head do they have going though the ring that day. Subtract 20% from that number. Find a place that...

I read last year that you could have faster gains by leaving them intact to around 500lbs. I did that on two batches of holstein feeders. I did not see a difference in gain, just more work to be done later. Back to banding ASAP.

I have found that salt it the determing factor in mineral intake. To little salt they over eat, to much, the undereat. This is why I have my mineral mixed with the salt in the loose mineral I buy. Not saying good for all, but it works for me.

I agree with you all. My money is made in two areas, keeping calves alive, and keeping cost low. For example I have an old tractor, haybine, and rake. But when it comes to baling, I can not make enough bales to buy the tractor and round baler. I paid $400 for a good headgate, but made the...

Thanks again for all of your help. One of the many reason I come here is to deliver a reality check to all of my "wonderful" ideas. Thanks for not letting me kill off my small little herd. Take care

Thank you all. I will buy a new tank for it.

I have the idea of using an old field sprayer as a nurse tank for water tank in some remote paddocks. Can one wash one of these out for water use, or once a chemical sprayer always a chemical sprayer? Thanks

There have been 4 times that odd cows/herds will show up at our place. We will get them in the fence and move them to the front pasture by the road. In each case, someone showed up to claim them. What I have always admired is when they picked them up, they have all asked if any fences, water...

The U of South Dakota has has good field trials feeding steers/heifer 450lbs+ corn stalks, wet (not modified wet), and loose mineral. They are still running trials to no paper yet, but look to release next spring.

Find a mentor that is close to you. I can not tell you how many times having his advice avaliable to me has save my skin. Read every post on this board. I have posted a few questions, but most anything you can think of has been asked and answered here. There are times I will see a post...

An odd week. Had two stong storm systems come our way. One on Tuesday and the other just yesterday. In both cases, about 30-45 mins before the rain hit, the cows and calves all headed into the barn. Once the storm passed, they were right back out. Never seen that before.

1) Find a mentor. 2) Read every post, weather you fell it applies to you or not. 3) Get good at using the search feature here. I was were you are a very few years ago. This site has saved my hide more than a few times.

Our farm does not supply a majority of our income, but what it does supply is: A very nice second income for the family. A nice tool for my boys to learn work values. A GREAT excuse to get out of trips to the inlaws

Composting them has become the thing to do in my area

Ended up with one of each, both huge for twins. Bull is 82lbs Heifer is 78lbs Guess I wont worry about calving ease for cow next year.

Thanks for the reply, and the logic behind it.

Went out at 6:30 tonight and found new calf next to cow, all was well. Went back out at 7:00 to find second calf next to cow, all still well. #2 a bit unsteady, but progressing. Question is: If both calves are heifers, are they to be looked at as freemartins, or does that only apply to...

I hate to get in the middle of the fight here, but I sell to end users. I was charging $2.50/lb hanging. With demand outstriping supply, I have gone up to $3.00. They pay all processing I raise angus. Customers can come out, see the critter they want, see what they finish on, etc. They...

I am using a loose mineral program that is put together by local feed mill, that is a good operation. They sell to real farms and change up their mineral progarm about every 2-3 years as education and situations change. I think my mineral program is in the way I am feeding it. I need to get a...

This is exactly what I have done. There is no way I can keep up with the true cow/calf operations. What I can do is let people come out from the city, see all they happy cows on summer pasture, show them the finishing ration, and let them choose what steer is the best. I charge by hanging...