Getting too old

[Dave]

I am getting too old for this stuff. We hauled 16 calves to the sale yesterday. Loaded them in the trailer at 8:30. It was going to be a big sale so we wanted to get them there early. We got to the sale yard at 10:00. Too far to go back home so we hung out, watched the vet preg check some cows, and had a hamburger in the cafe. Sale started at 1:00. Our calves finally sold at 6:45 which was near the end of the feeder calves. They sold 2,900 head yesterday. Stayed for the bred cows and bought 5 cows. Picked up the check for the calves and paid for the cows. It was 7:30. Loading out took for ever. Finally pulled out at 9:10. By the time we got home, unloaded the cows, and fed them some hay.... it was 11:33 when I crawled into bed. I am getting too old for this..... I think I need a nap.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

LOL - yes, naps work out well!!!

 

[MurraysMutts]

Sounds like a loooong day of fun!

 

[hurleyjd]

I am getting too old for this stuff. We hauled 16 calves to the sale yesterday. Loaded them in the trailer at 8:30. It was going to be a big sale so we wanted to get them there early. We got to the sale yard at 10:00. Too far to go back home so we hung out, watched the vet preg check some cows, and had a hamburger in the cafe. Sale started at 1:00. Our calves finally sold at 6:45 which was near the end of the feeder calves. They sold 2,900 head yesterday. Stayed for the bred cows and bought 5 cows. Picked up the check for the calves and paid for the cows. It was 7:30. Loading out took for ever. Finally pulled out at 9:10. By the time we got home, unloaded the cows, and fed them some hay.... it was 11:33 when I crawled into bed. I am getting too old for this..... I think I need a nap.

Cow wrangling is for young people. retirement is for old people and we can talk about how it was a long time ago.

 

[kenny thomas]

I loved going early and staying all night when I was young. I'm not young anymore

 

[Stocker Steve]

Sounds like a good day to me. Question is why you were there early and your calves sold towards the end???

 

[farmerjan]

Yeah, it isn't as much fun as it used to be. Going to haul a load for a neighbor tomorrow. He said he would meet me at 6 a.m. to load. Over an hour to the stockyard that sells on Saturday. Don't have any idea of the lines so figured I would get there early and maybe not have to sit in line too long. Have stuff I am going to come home to do.... not planning to stay to see the sale like I would ordinarily do. Weather has warmed up, and I want to do stuff while it is warmer. The floor sanding guy was here today and will be back in the morning. Finally getting that done. I have stuff to pack up at the old house and will move another load of boxes..... am trying to do it a little each trip up the hill because the knees can only take so much. At least now that the floors are getting done, I will be able to start actually getting stuff moved and put where I want it.

 

[Dave]

Sounds like a good day to me. Question is why you were there early and your calves sold towards the end???

Hmmmm. Well first of all the barn owner micro manages everything. He doesn't know me by name. So many year repeat customers, big consignors, and people he knows all came first. My calves were out of last years broken mouth cows. Thus not a uniform group. They sold OK. A couple hours sooner they might have brought a penny or two more. I was staying for the bred cows no matter what. They sold after all the feeder cattle and before the kill cows. I did get 5 broken mouth cows bred 6 months that all weighed 1,200+ for $580 a round.

 

[Silver]

I feel old today too. Helped the neighbour preg check about 800 head the last couple of days. Scared for my life for a good part of it. I'm hoping they have enough help to do the rest, but if they call I will do what I can.

 

[haase]

I feel old today too. Helped the neighbour preg check about 800 head the last couple of days. Scared for my life for a good part of it. I'm hoping they have enough help to do the rest, but if they call I will do what I can.

You are the man.

 

[haase]

I feel old today too. Helped the neighbour preg check about 800 head the last couple of days. Scared for my life for a good part of it. I'm hoping they have enough help to do the rest, but if they call I will do what I can.

Your help won't be much, 10 or 800 nervous is a danger around cattle, stick to gold fish, they don't know the difference, stick to politics, BS is the only thing you know about.

 

[haase]

Your help won't be much, 10 or 800 nervous is a danger around cattle, stick to gold fish, they don't know the difference, stick to politics, BS is the only thing you know about.

And you can put buck and hurleyjd in the same category.

 

[haase]

Your help won't be much, 10 or 800 nervous is a danger around cattle, stick to gold fish, they don't know the difference, stick to politics, BS is the only thing you know about.

I am getting too old for this stuff. We hauled 16 calves to the sale yesterday. Loaded them in the trailer at 8:30. It was going to be a big sale so we wanted to get them there early. We got to the sale yard at 10:00. Too far to go back home so we hung out, watched the vet preg check some cows, and had a hamburger in the cafe. Sale started at 1:00. Our calves finally sold at 6:45 which was near the end of the feeder calves. They sold 2,900 head yesterday. Stayed for the bred cows and bought 5 cows. Picked up the check for the calves and paid for the cows. It was 7:30. Loading out took for ever. Finally pulled out at 9:10. By the time we got home, unloaded the cows, and fed them some hay.... it was 11:33 when I crawled into bed. I am getting too old for this..... I think I need a nap.

Dave, didn't mean to take away from your thread, looks like you still did well with selling your calves and buying some breeds, after a hard day like that, it's always rewarding looking in your pasture the next morning.

 

[Dave]

Dave, didn't mean to take away from your thread, looks like you still did well with selling your calves and buying some breeds, after a hard day like that, it's always rewarding looking in your pasture the next morning.

I fed them this morning, unhooked the stock trailer, and went to the post office to pick up the mail. Got home about 10:00. Sat down in the recliner. Woke up about 11:30. The nap was rewarding.

The new cows are still in the corral. They need to go down the chute for vaccinations and branding. I didn't have the time or energy for that today. I did look out in the pasture at a surprise. I have 6 cows out there. B was bringing 6 cows to turn out there yesterday while I was gone. So about noon I look out there and spot a char steer calf. I call B and ask if he turned out a calf too. No, he didn't. I go out there for a closer look. Found the calf and his mother in with the other cows. No clue how they got in there. But at the same time a char bull came walking down the driveway. The late fall migration is in full swing. The "Great White Cowboy" (snow) started working and cows are headed home for the winter. Probably 50-60 pairs marched by here today on their own headed for the winter feeding grounds. My visiting pair probably got tired of walking so they stopped off here. One day we will sort them off and head them on down the valley to their winter home.

 

[1982vett]

I am getting too old for this stuff. We hauled 16 calves to the sale yesterday. Loaded them in the trailer at 8:30. It was going to be a big sale so we wanted to get them there early. We got to the sale yard at 10:00. Too far to go back home so we hung out, watched the vet preg check some cows, and had a hamburger in the cafe. Sale started at 1:00. Our calves finally sold at 6:45 which was near the end of the feeder calves. They sold 2,900 head yesterday. Stayed for the bred cows and bought 5 cows. Picked up the check for the calves and paid for the cows. It was 7:30. Loading out took for ever. Finally pulled out at 9:10. By the time we got home, unloaded the cows, and fed them some hay.... it was 11:33 when I crawled into bed. I am getting too old for this..... I think I need a nap.

Now Dave...I'm sure you had an opportunity for a nap during the sale...down here you might get teased a bit if you get caught napping but hey...all in a days work.

 

[Dave]

Now Dave...I'm sure you had an opportunity for a nap during the sale...down here you might get teased a bit if you get caught napping but hey...all in a days work.

I wasn't tired at the sale. It was getting out of there and home late. Nearly mid night by the time I got to sleep. Then at 4:00 in the morning there was a loud crash, boom, bang that woke us both up. Turned out that the wife had a sticky hook holding a clock on the wall in the bathroom. The sticky gave up allowing the clock to fall. Had a hard time getting back to sleep. Then at sunrise the neighbor who has some coyote traps set up on the hill came through to go check his traps. The dog barks at him waking me up again. It wasn't just the sale that contributed to me needing a nap.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Stayed for the bred cows and bought 5 cows.

What would you estimate as the age range of these cows?

What is considered an old cow out in the BLM hills?

 

[MurraysMutts]

And speaking of the subject...

Ever do something and think, dang that's gonna hurt tomorrow!
Then 3 days later cant for the life of ya think of why your elbow hurts so dang bad?
Wish I knew what I did to my elbow to make it hurt so bad....
Lolz

 

[Dave]

What would you estimate as the age range of these cows?

What is considered an old cow out in the BLM hills?

I would guess they are 10-12 year old range. I wouldn't turn these out on the BLM. That is where they spent their younger years. They will go to a flat meadow over in the Baker valley. It is sub irrigated, fairly big, and grows decent grass until mid summer. The cows will go to the plant in early August. At that point the calves will come back here and go on irrigated hay meadow regrowth for 45 days. After that we will make a decision on what to do with the calves.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Here, unless they are skinny scanks, the auctioneers usually present BM cows as young with a chipped tooth. Don't understand how yours are 10 to 12?

We were expanding but the market felt toppy, so I bought a lot of cross bred BM cows in 2013. I sold the last ones as pairs this summer. Should have sold them in 2015.