a question for Dun,campground,l4angus and anyone else

[Anonymous]

I bought some yearling steers for grass, I vaccinated with a 7 way,and pinkeye, poured with Ivomec( it has a wormer in it) then I bucket fed oats with hay free choice in a pen for 2 days to tame them down. Then I turned them out with an old broke down cow for the summer. How does my plan look to you guys. Should I have implanted, vaccinated for something else, penned them up longer etc.Oops i forgot I also put some hay out in the pasture for them but they haven't touched it. they are in a fairly big area 30 calves 360 acres. I am going light on the pasture this year just to rest the land and get my feet wet

 

[la4angus]

The only thing that I can think off the top of my head is maybe they should have been branded.
I assume they have access to clean, fresh water.
I am not big on implanting, especially now that the public is wanting natural beef; or so the news media tells us.

 

[Anonymous]

i did brand and they have 3 dugouts to drink out of

 

[la4angus]

Seems that you have a good plan going assuming that if there is any that needed dehorning, you have taken care of that and have a good mineral supplement available for them at all times. I would also use a good vitamin supplement such as VitaFerm available at all times.

 

[Campground Cattle]

Seems like a basically good plan your definitely not overgrazing. I would stay away from the implants. Would consider dehorning, get knocked a few cents for horns,

 

[Anonymous]

No horns, about the vitamin supplements I put out a lick tub of trace mineral and a hi-salt block(supposed to be good to prevent hoof rot)other than that they just get a couple buckets of oats just to get them to come to me. This is my first venture in cattle that I own. I always worked for the other guy and I just want to do things as right as I can

 

[la4angus]

No horns, about the vitamin supplements I put out a lick tub of trace mineral and a hi-salt block(supposed to be good to prevent hoof rot)other than that they just get a couple buckets of oats just to get them to come to me. This is my first venture in cattle that I own. I always worked for the other guy and I just want to do things as right as I can

There is a big difference between a good trace mineral lick tub and a vitamin supplemention.
They are not the same and both are needed for a healthy, thrifty animal.
Most humans take vitamin supplements and ignore the minerals. Most cattlemen supplement with minerals and ignore the vitamins.
Check out this web site:
http://www.biozymeinc.com

 

[dun]

When calves are cheap enough it's exactly what we do. I don't comprehend the big deal with the vitamins. If the grass is worth a darn, minerals, salt and water should be all the supplement the need. You don't have to feed them the oats as a regular thing either. Just often enough to keep them willing to come into a trap so you can load them out or work them if need be.
Grazing as light as you are, you'll have grass but if it goes from vegetive to seeding the protein will drop pretty fast and the roughage value will increase. Just keep an eye on them and insure they keep growing well and putting on weight.

dun

 

[Campground Cattle]

The calves you picked up are they all crossbreeds, just curious on what you were going to haul to the salebarn. You seem to be squared away and aren't just jumping into the business as many people do. This board is a great place to come and get a second opinion. There are some very knowledgeable cattlepeople here Cherokee is a great resource, Dun is as good as they get (Doc), La4 is very good also.
Don't forget txag good cattleman for a resource also, there is another fellow Lafont doesn't post a lot has a very good grasp and common sense approach to the cattle business. If I was looking for a second opinion or help these are the cattlemen I would PM.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey I figured out how to sign in. Yes they are crossbreds...20 blk,4 gelbvie looking,3 tan char cross,and 3 white chars. I really appreciate your replies, I have been reading this board for a while now and have already used your advice several times. From putting a floor in my trailer to health questions. Some thingas I am just more comfortable asking on here than my own rancher friends and relatives. I do quiz them alot also but I have realized that everyone does things a bit differently and if you bring up the wrong subject in the local watering hole things can get stupid in a hurry. ( I once witnessed a fight over the bredding of Black baldies) Thank you all once again from a greenhand

 

[Anonymous]

well I thought I signed in, Baldy is the handle

 

[M Gravlee]

Make sure you login with baldy with a small "b". That's how you signed up!

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