Bovine Parasite

[Caustic Burno]

What is it about this creature with a stomach thirty times larger than its brain that causes it to control our brains. Infection usually occurs during youth and is only cured by death of the host.
We work in and out of town jobs to maintain them. We spend large sums of money on equipment for their upkeep. In the summer in 100+ deg weather while in the hayfield they lay by the creek chewing their cud.
In the winter they stand by a hay rack waiting for some human to fill it as we work to comply with ice hanging off our hat. We exchange large sums of money buying and selling this creature while trying to hold on to a few nickels. Life without them is unthinkable. What would do? What would control our daily routine?
The beast are needed by a few of us to insure our survival, upon death most of our relatives are not effected by this disease. Usually within a month they are able to sell our assets to other addicts this continuing the cycle of life for the bovine parasite.

 

[dun]

Life without them is unthinkable. What would do? What would control our daily routine?

Funny you should mention that today! I'm in that perdiciment right now. Can;t handle breeding thre couple of dozen we have left and trying to decide if I shoud sell out and lease the grazing or keep 4-5 and lease out of the grazing. That would also entail selling the hay equipment and buying in a few bales a year. The part that makes it even harder is the years I put into developing the genetcis I want and next year my first F1 GelbviehxHerfords would be calving.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

gotta convince yourself,, you'r helping feed a country'...... :cowboy:

 

[bigbull338]

i see 2 of you are thinking bout selling out an quiting.but its a losing deal because neither 1 of yall can sellout an quit.weve always had cows on the place.but ive sold out twice but never again.ill own cows till they put me in the ground,an then my nephews will take the cows an keep going.

 

[dun]

i see 2 of you are thinking bout selling out an quiting.but its a losing deal because neither 1 of yall can sellout an quit.weve always had cows on the place.but ive sold out twice but never again.ill own cows till they put me in the ground,an then my nephews will take the cows an keep going.

That's the problem, I've sold out a couple of times but always started back. That's why I'm leaning towards keeping a dozen or so and just fooling with them

 

[bigbull338]

theres your answer cullo the bottom 75% of your cows an keep the best.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

i see 2 of you are thinking bout selling out an quiting.but its a losing deal because neither 1 of yall can sellout an quit.weve always had cows on the place.but ive sold out twice but never again.ill own cows till they put me in the ground,an then my nephews will take the cows an keep going.

That's the problem, I've sold out a couple of times but always started back. :cowboy: That's why I'm leaning towards keeping a dozen or so and just fooling with them

 

[Anonymous]

When its no longer fun, its time to take a break and get back to having fun

 

[ALACOWMAN]

aside from the hardships that are out of our control,, the best way to keep it fun is to keep setting goals for yourself,,,constantly moving foward........................then after years of hard work and sweat, it pays off.......... just in time for the kids can run through it, like a dose of salts through a widow woman :cowboy:

 

[TexasBred]

i see 2 of you are thinking bout selling out an quiting.but its a losing deal because neither 1 of yall can sellout an quit.weve always had cows on the place.but ive sold out twice but never again.ill own cows till they put me in the ground,an then my nephews will take the cows an keep going.

That's the problem, I've sold out a couple of times but always started back. That's why I'm leaning towards keeping a dozen or so and just fooling with them

Nothing wrong with that at all. Enjoy yourself, keep your AG exemptions, move at your own pace. I've done it for a while now....got nothing now but grandma and her 3 wk. old heifer calf. A good thing cause the grass is short and everything else is expensive.

 

[Anonymous]

When I started fishing, it wa for fun. Bass fishing was my thing. We could out fish the guides on the local lakes. Then I started fishing offshore, and it was more fun. After a period of time I was putting so much pressure on myself and my crew that, in hindsight, it was no longer fun. I was going to get my capt lisc and start a charter service, but with this economy, I lost my boat, and dang near lost everything. And I'm glad it played out that way. Now, If I go offshore now, its strictly for fun, and no pressure anymore. I know its an anecdote, but its the same story no matter what your doing.

 

[Caustic Burno]

aside from the hardships that are out of our control,, the best way to keep it fun is to keep setting goals for yourself,,,constantly moving foward........................then after years of hard work and sweat, it pays off.......... just in time for the kids can run through it, like a dose of salts through a widow woman :cowboy:

Cowman your right seen more than one trailer headed for the salebarn with the wheels not touching the ground.
This is going to be an interesting year, in the over forty years I have owned a cow this looks to be the toughest here.
Age has some factor in this equation, I had already dumped most of the cows due to health reason's. I have never seen the pastures in this bad of shape. It has been a fun ride.

 

[cow pollinater]

Tell me about it.
I do the dairy thing for eight hours a day, the registered beef thing for an hour or two a day, some farming to support my cattle habit, and I'm in the process of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a ranch in hopes of paying it off within ten years or so so that I can work myself to death to live in poverty instead of this stupid "comfortable living" that I've been doing for years.
My father, who is also my real estate broker, was kind enough to point out that residential rental properties would be a much wiser investment... I agreed whole-heartedly and told him that I'm just not that wise.
I believe that it is possible to spend your entire life making smart money decisions and never have anything that makes you HAPPY. I can pencil out my new ranch to where it doesn't look like a poor investment but it certainly won't be the wisest money decision that I've ever made... But i'm still happy about it.

 

[kenny thomas]

Must be something in the air. I have bought 4 small herds in the last 3 days. Two of the people are quiting, one is changing to stockers, and the last is a divorce. We have lots of grass but I think some of the older cattlemen here are just getting out while the getting is good. I was going to slow down and have ended up with more cows than usual.

 

[bigbull338]

Tell me about it.
I do the dairy thing for eight hours a day, the registered beef thing for an hour or two a day, some farming to support my cattle habit, and I'm in the process of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a ranch in hopes of paying it off within ten years or so so that I can work myself to death to live in poverty instead of this stupid "comfortable living" that I've been doing for years.
My father, who is also my real estate broker, was kind enough to point out that residential rental properties would be a much wiser investment... I agreed whole-heartedly and told him that I'm just not that wise.
I believe that it is possible to spend your entire life making smart money decisions and never have anything that makes you HAPPY. I can pencil out my new ranch to where it doesn't look like a poor investment but it certainly won't be the wisest money decision that I've ever made... But i'm still happy about it.

if you want to go broke go ahead an buy you some rent houses.youll loose money so fast on them your head will spin.weve had a rent house for 15yrs an lost alot of money fooling with it.we are in the process of putting in new floor covering repainting the rooms fixing the crapp they tore up.all told i figure we will be $1500 in the hole.an thats not counting 5 months lost rent.so buy your farm an work your guts out.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Must be something in the air. I have bought 4 small herds in the last 3 days. Two of the people are quiting, one is changing to stockers, and the last is a divorce. We have lots of grass but I think some of the older cattlemen here are just getting out while the getting is good. I was going to slow down and have ended up with more cows than usual.

yep if your getting out,, now would be a great time to do it

 

[bigbull338]

now isnt the time tobe buying cows to stock a farm.the top end cows are selling for $1200 to $1400 or more.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Tell me about it.
I do the dairy thing for eight hours a day, the registered beef thing for an hour or two a day, some farming to support my cattle habit, and I'm in the process of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a ranch in hopes of paying it off within ten years or so so that I can work myself to death to live in poverty instead of this stupid "comfortable living" that I've been doing for years.
My father, who is also my real estate broker, was kind enough to point out that residential rental properties would be a much wiser investment... I agreed whole-heartedly and told him that I'm just not that wise.
I believe that it is possible to spend your entire life making smart money decisions and never have anything that makes you HAPPY. I can pencil out my new ranch to where it doesn't look like a poor investment but it certainly won't be the wisest money decision that I've ever made... But i'm still happy about it.

if you want to go broke go ahead an buy you some rent houses.youll loose money so fast on them your head will spin.weve had a rent house for 15yrs an lost alot of money fooling with it.we are in the process of putting in new floor covering repainting the rooms fixing the crapp they tore up.all told i figure we will be $1500 in the hole.an thats not counting 5 months lost rent.so buy your farm an work your guts out.

wrong renters.. you gotta put the rent just out of reach of the redneck.. and get a strong deposit ... theres a couple rentals in front of my place.. lord forgive me, but ive laid awake at night dreaming of them burning to the ground... between renters of course , which is generally about 3 to 4 months right after the papers are served :cowboy:

 

[agmantoo]

Under stock the pastures, sell the hay equipment and keep the best animals. Retain a good tractor and a dependable rotary cutter to keep the place looking nice and for you to enjoy using. If you own more acreage than is required for the smaller herd lease the land to a grain farmer. Just ratcheting back will make a huge difference, physically and mentally.