inyati13
Well-known member
Adrian is skilled, talented, self-reliant, resourceful and interesting. He is skilled with metals, tools, and equipment. But the UK County Extension Agent would not identify Adrian as a good cattlemen. He has over 500 acres. The farm with his house and barns is one mile north of me. His other land is one mile south of me on the same road as my 80 acres. I see his ton dodge truck go by everyday as he goes to his lower farms. When I first moved back here, the guy who leased my farm left some old bales of hay in the old barn on the road. I drove up one morning and seven of Adrian’s cows were eating the old hay. When I got out they ran off; wild as deer. He has made a number of foes because of his poor fences and the nature of his wandering cows. Tom, who owns the farm behind me and drives down on week-ends from Cincinnati, told me he came down one week-end and there were 3 new cows in his pasture. One day Adrian came looking for them. He saw them on Tom’s farm. Adrian pulled up, cigar in mouth, never a hat on except on the coldest days. He ask Tom if he had seen any cattle (Adrian knew they were there). Tom said yes, thank you very much. Adrian said for what. He said for giving me three cows. Tom has excellent fence put in by the same contractor who put mine in. He told Adrian that the only way they could have gotten on his land is if Adrian put them there. They both laughed and Adrian got his three cows back.
The guy who leased my farm before I returned from Denver, had a run in with Adrian. He trapped a small group of Adrian’s cows and was intending to sell them. Adrian found out and went to claim them. Before the matter was closed, the county Sherriff got involved. Adrian hates the county Sherriff.
In the last two years, Adrian’s brother from Ohio has stayed here in one of Adrian’s old farm houses and they have mended his fences and I have heard of one instance of his cows getting out in the last two years. Hunters bought land next to one of his farms and his cattle got onto their land. Adrian told me he could not figure out how they got out. He and his brother had mended the fence. The point to this: Adrian’s cattle are wild.
Adrian stopped when I was setting up my handling facility. He said it would not work on his cows. They would, “Climb up the bars of the sweep and go over the top.” He said he has not seen all his cows in years. I don’t know how he collects the calves for sale. I will have to ask him. He does not handle his cows; they run wild and that is partly the cause of their nature but not according to Adrian. According to Adrian, his cows went wild because he started injecting Limousin blood. He is now switching back to Angus. He says that is why my cows are tame; the angus and Simmental blood.
Some of the things Adrian has told me about his cattle practices:
He said he never puts a needle in them. But he does treat for parasites, the ones he can catch near the barn.
He expects a 10% death rate.
He never feeds anything but hay and grass.
Minerals are bad for cows. He says it killed some of his.
He says he can look at a cow and tell if she has worms. He was standing with me one day and he points to Star. He said she has worms. I said why. This was early June. He said she is retaining her coat too long. I didn’t believe that and I still don’t. I have noticed in her two years that she sheds her coat late.
He said his cows cannot be handled. They would go over my handling facility if you crowded them.
He said in the few times he has had to restrain a cow, he does it with a rope in his barn.
He never assists a cow calving. If she cannot have a calf in the pasture she can die.
I have been to Adrian’s place maybe 10 times. He passes my farm so he has visited me more often. He likes to come by and stand with me and talk about equipment, cows, farms, and people. He is amused that my cows are pets. He never criticizes my practices like some of my neighbors do. Some folks come by and they cannot leave without throwing a barb or two about how I handle cows. Something like, “You cannot make money running a cattle operation like you do.” They are probably right but the way people say something says more than the words. I usually chalk it up to people who are jealous. But Adrian never does that. Even though I would not subscribe to his practices, I appreciate his comments and help.
The guy who leased my farm before I returned from Denver, had a run in with Adrian. He trapped a small group of Adrian’s cows and was intending to sell them. Adrian found out and went to claim them. Before the matter was closed, the county Sherriff got involved. Adrian hates the county Sherriff.
In the last two years, Adrian’s brother from Ohio has stayed here in one of Adrian’s old farm houses and they have mended his fences and I have heard of one instance of his cows getting out in the last two years. Hunters bought land next to one of his farms and his cattle got onto their land. Adrian told me he could not figure out how they got out. He and his brother had mended the fence. The point to this: Adrian’s cattle are wild.
Adrian stopped when I was setting up my handling facility. He said it would not work on his cows. They would, “Climb up the bars of the sweep and go over the top.” He said he has not seen all his cows in years. I don’t know how he collects the calves for sale. I will have to ask him. He does not handle his cows; they run wild and that is partly the cause of their nature but not according to Adrian. According to Adrian, his cows went wild because he started injecting Limousin blood. He is now switching back to Angus. He says that is why my cows are tame; the angus and Simmental blood.
Some of the things Adrian has told me about his cattle practices:
He said he never puts a needle in them. But he does treat for parasites, the ones he can catch near the barn.
He expects a 10% death rate.
He never feeds anything but hay and grass.
Minerals are bad for cows. He says it killed some of his.
He says he can look at a cow and tell if she has worms. He was standing with me one day and he points to Star. He said she has worms. I said why. This was early June. He said she is retaining her coat too long. I didn’t believe that and I still don’t. I have noticed in her two years that she sheds her coat late.
He said his cows cannot be handled. They would go over my handling facility if you crowded them.
He said in the few times he has had to restrain a cow, he does it with a rope in his barn.
He never assists a cow calving. If she cannot have a calf in the pasture she can die.
I have been to Adrian’s place maybe 10 times. He passes my farm so he has visited me more often. He likes to come by and stand with me and talk about equipment, cows, farms, and people. He is amused that my cows are pets. He never criticizes my practices like some of my neighbors do. Some folks come by and they cannot leave without throwing a barb or two about how I handle cows. Something like, “You cannot make money running a cattle operation like you do.” They are probably right but the way people say something says more than the words. I usually chalk it up to people who are jealous. But Adrian never does that. Even though I would not subscribe to his practices, I appreciate his comments and help.
