Isn't owning cattle fun?

[Dave]

So I have a big black cow with a little ear who when last seen was ready to drop a calf. I haven't seen her for a week. She is in a pasture with canary grass taller than my head. I am not about to go searching for an eared cow with a new calf in grass I can't see 10 feet. Then the bull in that pasture went visiting the neighbors, twice. Why hang out with a dozen old boring cows when you can party with 20 head of heifers..... Then on Friday I bought 2 cows with 3 calves. Really got them bought right. Mid age black whiteface cows weighing 1,400+ with 250 pound bull calves. $1,180 for the pair and $1480 for the one with twins. Saturday morning early one of the calves woke us up announcing that he wasn't a twin and he wanted his mother. Well one week a month they hold a sale on Friday and then again on Saturday. Luckily this was that weekend. I hauled him back to the sale. They made it right. Actually they made it pretty good as I am now into that pair $1140. So then we ran the two pairs through the chute. Both cows were fine. The first calf was fine. The second calf was a bit spooky. Got him in vaccinated and banded. Let him out and long story short he ran through two feeders and three fences. The last fence put him headed down the road. He was really trying to get back to his mom but he kept turning the wrong way or beating me to a gate. So when he got out the neighbors dog helped send him down the road. This morning he showed up in with some other cows about 1/2 mile away. He is still there. The owner of those cows in a Mennonite and this being Sunday..... well he isn't home. So when he shows up plan A is to haul over some panels (no corral or pen there), put the cow in the front of the trailer (I know they really would like to see each other) and hopefully get him loaded up to bring home. Someone remind me why I have cattle.

 

[TCRanch]

Because if you didn't have cattle life would be boring and you wouldn't have great stories to tell! Hope everything turns out okay - keep us posted.

 

[Caustic Burno]

To keep you blood pressure up.

 

[Rafter S]

I think my favorite was fixing fence that someone drove their car through. I'm about used to that, but this was in drizzling rain on Christmas Eve.

 

[Son of Butch]

Someone remind me why I have cattle.

Traditionally parents have encouraged their slowest child to be farmers.
Not saying that's true in your case..... I'm just saying.

 

[Dave]

Someone remind me why I have cattle.

Traditionally parents have encouraged their slowest child to be farmers.
Not saying that's true in your case..... I'm just saying.

Well all three of my siblings have masters degrees....... I never finished a bachelors. Hmmmmmm

 

[Nesikep]

Now is it just the ones that talk slow?

 

[wacocowboy]

I hope you get everything back and settled. I feel your pain. Some days I want to load the whole bunch and take them to the sale but I know I would miss them. Guess cattle raisers just love punishment.

 

[greybeard]

Someone remind me why I have cattle.

Because the alternative is goats..

 

[Nesikep]

Someone remind me why I have cattle.

Because the alternative is goats..

Does Sky still have horses?

 

[Dave]

Calf is still at the Mennonite's place. Yesterday being Sunday he wasn't home all day. Funny he called me yesterday at 5:00 in the morning to tell me that my calf was in his pasture. It is now 7:45 here and he hasn't returned my calls from yesterday. I am giving him another 45 minutes them I am calling him again. I am hooked up and ready to go but I don't want to go too early. It is only a 10 foot gate right off the county road. No way to make that tight of a turn into a small hole with the trailer. So I have to pull into the place across the road, turn around, and take a somewhat straight shot at the gate. Yesterday that guy told me no problem pull in and turn around but a few minutes ago there were no signs of life at their house. I don't want to wake them up. Why is nothing easy?

 

[Dave]

Calf is still at the Mennonite's place. Yesterday being Sunday he wasn't home all day. Funny he called me yesterday at 5:00 in the morning to tell me that my calf was in his pasture. It is now 7:45 here and he hasn't returned my calls from yesterday. I am giving him another 45 minutes them I am calling him again. I am hooked up and ready to go but I don't want to go too early. It is only a 10 foot gate right off the county road. No way to make that tight of a turn into a small hole with the trailer. So I have to pull into the place across the road, turn around, and take a somewhat straight shot at the gate. Yesterday that guy told me no problem pull in and turn around but a few minutes ago there were no signs of life at their house. I don't want to wake them up. Why is nothing easy? I really want to go fishing this morning.

 

[BK9954]

For me its the challenge. I am a hard headed guy. Love when I can conquer a task and make it work. I have not had any cows escape except the first ones I ever bought. Ever since then I have been a fence building machine. Even at working 70 hours a week at my day job running a successful ranch gives me satisfaction. Takes my mind off the BS of this crappy world. Like I always say, when it becomes work I will get out. Until that day, rancher for life. But always taking new challenges. Just took on pigs, next is goats and bee's. I love learning, I cant stay stagnant. Self esteem is built through actions, not some feel good teacher in a liberal school talking propaganda of entitlement.

 

[Dave]

Calf is home. I told the Mennonite that if a couple of his cows got in the trailer I would just haul them to my place and sort off the calf and bring his back. When he shut the door I had my calf and nine of his cows. The trailer was pretty full. When I unloaded and was starting to sort them, his cows had an absolute battle over my mineral feeder. I don't think they have seen salt or any form of minerals in a long time if ever. I had to run to town so I stopped at the farm store and picked up a block of trace mineral salt. I am going to give it to him as a thanks for helping catch my calf. I think his cows will thank me too.

 

[D2Cat]

Put some of that mineral in a tub in the trailer. They may load easier.

 

[danl]

Someone remind me why I have cattle.

Traditionally parents have encouraged their slowest child to be farmers.
Not saying that's true in your case..... I'm just saying.

Well all three of my siblings have masters degrees....... I never finished a bachelors. Hmmmmmm

Might be something to that, both my brothers have degrees one a PhD and the other a Masters.. I'm about 40 hours short of a bachelor's and quit.
Also the only one with cattle.

 

[Son of Butch]

Calf is home. I had to run to town so I stopped at the farm store and picked up a block of trace mineral salt.
I am going to give it to him as a thanks for helping catch my calf. I think his cows will thank me too.

Any gift as a Thank You is always a nice touch... though I doubt they'd appreciate a 1/5 of booze.

 

[Dave]

Traditionally parents have encouraged their slowest child to be farmers.
Not saying that's true in your case..... I'm just saying.

Well all three of my siblings have masters degrees....... I never finished a bachelors. Hmmmmmm

Might be something to that, both my brothers have degrees one a PhD and the other a Masters.. I'm about 40 hours short of a bachelor's and quit.
Also the only one with cattle.

I am also about 40 hours short. But I quit two different times. They all live in the city. Brother is two years older than me and has been retired for three years. I was talking to him last week and said something about working with the cows. He said he doesn't want to work in any way shape or form. His idea of a prefect day is to sleep in and spend a day sitting in a chair reading a book. Not me.

 

[red angus 2010]

Someone remind me why I have cattle.

Traditionally parents have encouraged their slowest child to be farmers.
Not saying that's true in your case..... I'm just saying.

and Democrat :hide:

 

[Caustic Burno]

Traditionally parents have encouraged their slowest child to be farmers.
Not saying that's true in your case..... I'm just saying.

Well all three of my siblings have masters degrees....... I never finished a bachelors. Hmmmmmm

Might be something to that, both my brothers have degrees one a PhD and the other a Masters.. I'm about 40 hours short of a bachelor's and quit.
Also the only one with cattle.

I don't think so IMO.
Some people have different drivers and comfort factors of where they become satisfied with life.
A degree doesn't raise your IQ just shows you have the aptitude to learn and retain knowledge.
It is something that can't be taken from you.