A walk through the cows

[wbvs58]

Just a morning stroll through the cows. They are hoping I'm going to open the gate to the next paddock but they will be disappointed as they have another 2 days to go here. The calves have got 6 weeks to go until weaning. a few are over 300 kg now. I have 6 steers to go to the weaner sale on the 7th March, I will keep 4 bull calves intact, one to use myself and 3 to sell in September. A fellow is buying 3 bull calves at weaning to develop as bulls. I am keeping around 10 heifers ( fewer if I can trim them down). Another couple are buying the 13 surplus heifers, they have bought the surplus heifers the previous 2 years and are happy with them. Now the big problem is finding some cows to cull, I have a couple of people lined up for them. Cattle prices are steadily rising here so hopefully it will be a good payday.
Ken

 

[Little Joe]

Good looking cattle.

 

[mickroos65]

Just a morning stroll through the cows. They are hoping I'm going to open the gate to the next paddock but they will be disappointed as they have another 2 days to go here. The calves have got 6 weeks to go until weaning. a few are over 300 kg now. I have 6 steers to go to the weaner sale on the 7th March, I will keep 4 bull calves intact, one to use myself and 3 to sell in September. A fellow is buying 3 bull calves at weaning to develop as bulls. I am keeping around 10 heifers ( fewer if I can trim them down). Another couple are buying the 13 surplus heifers, they have bought the surplus heifers the previous 2 years and are happy with them. Now the big problem is finding some cows to cull, I have a couple of people lined up for them. Cattle prices are steadily rising here so hopefully it will be a good payday.
Ken

Good looking cattle. What is your grass?

 

[sstterry]

Great video Ken.

 

[gcreekrch]

I see a red tinge in their hair coats Ken. Nice set of cows.

 

[Silver]

Thanks for the video. Nice to see good slicked of cattle on grass.
I notice you year letters are out of synch with ours. I thought they were were the same internationally?

 

[wbvs58]

Good looking cattle. What is your grass?

Those long seed head are Premier Digit (Uncinaria digitalis From memory) it is a subtropical summer growing, some areas it will do well, others it will die out, this was planted about 6 years ago.

Ken

 

[wbvs58]

I see a red tinge in their hair coats Ken. Nice set of cows.

I think they are OK Dave but they have just started hitting the mineral again of late.

Ken

 

[wbvs58]

Thanks for the video. Nice to see good slicked of cattle on grass.
I notice you year letters are out of synch with ours. I thought they were were the same internationally?

Yeh, Dun pointed that out to me some years ago now. I think other Australian breed societies use the same as Angus Australia, may be because we are upside down.

Ken

 

[mickroos65]

Those long seed head are Premier Digit (Uncinaria digitalis From memory) it is a subtropical summer growing, some areas it will do well, others it will die out, this was planted about 6 years ago.

Ken

Looks like cattle do well on it

 

[jltrent]

Everything looks good. A lot of work to get to that point.

 

[wbvs58]

Everything looks good. A lot of work to get to that point.

Thanks jl, yes it is good to see things come together, the last few years have been good seasons, one grass in particular kikuyu that I dropped seed out behind a deep ripper about 15 years ago that I thought at the time I had wasted my money has now spread and is a significant portion of the place. It is a summer growing running grass that spreads via runners and grows well in autumn up until the first frosts. It forms a good matt on the ground which helps to hold moisture on my sandy soil. 18 years of rotational grazing has certainly improved the place.
Using good genetics and a self replacing herd over a similar time frame and short joining period has lead to consistency in the calves. Biggest problem I have now is deciding which cows are to go.

Ken

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Great video. Really nice to get to see your herd and pastures.

 

[gizmom]

They look really good Ken is there a formula to the color ear tag?

 

[wbvs58]

Thanks Gizmon, no I just try to vary it each year and often not all colours are available and then I have a mental block. The last two years look very similar even though they are different colours, I forget what they are, pink and purple or red but anyhow I can't tell the difference. I might just go back to white but use a different coloured button each year. I like getting them printed, several years ago I think they changed the plastic and the pen I had been using started fading prematurely. I will have to start writing on the flip side of the tag though.

Ken

 

[moses388]

I notice you year letters are out of synch with ours. I thought they were were the same internationally?

https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/news/the-year-letter-for-2023-is-u

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Ken - wash your tags with a degreaser dish soap like Dawn (don't know if you have). The ink will hold better.