More Bull pics - first new grass of the year

[SRBeef]

The weather has been cold and damp in Wisconsin into May with temperatures near or below freezing every night. My grass is not ready to start rotations yet but 2 Bulls and a steer are probably not going to ruin my system for the year. I am pleasantly surprised at how well my Huth bull U070 has wintered with his mates on hay and mineral with just a couple pounds of grain a week as a gentling treat.

The bulls, like the cows, are not really interested in hay any more. I have them restricted to a small sacrifice area to try to give the grass a head start but the only things growing seem to be the weeds and crabgrass with our low temperatures. As you can see in the pictures, even the trees have barely started budding out and it's May 3rd!

Here are a couple pictures of U070 from today as he was scrounging for more grass in the winter sacrifice area, he looked at me as if to say "how about some more grass?" and then in the evening just crossing the line where the single hotwire had been. The grass has not reached my 8-10" tall criteria for starting rotations but I gave them maybe 3/4 acre more to hold them for awhile until the weather starts warming up and the grass grows. They still have hay out but eat it only as a last resort.

U070 seems to have wintered well. Looks as long as ever. Probably looking forward to spring as much as we are.

The cows are over the hill and to the south maybe 1/4 mile. But when there is a south wind he has his nose in the air and occasionally bellowing so his "heat detector" is working. My oldest calf is 45 days old and his or another cow must be coming back into heat.

Here are some pictures from today.

Jim

 

[tncattle]

like him-- :nod:

 

[Glenvale]

Like most bulls there are traits to like. If I could improve him though I would consider his feet.

You seem to make the cell grazing concept work well for you.

 

[E in PA]

Nice bulls. I always enjoy your pictures. Our grass in western PA is not much further along then yours. We've had nothing but rain and very little sun.

 

[alisonb]

Like most bulls there are traits to like. If I could improve him though I would consider his feet.

:nod:

He has wintered well.

 

[oakcreekfarms]

I would like to see him with a little more loin in his top, and a little deeper in the flank. He does look like a good bull, he also seems to have the look of a 517/3008 bred bull

 

[texast]

Always nice viewing your cattle.He's a really nice looking bull. I would use him for sure. I like the lineback in the Herefords.

 

[SRBeef]

I would like to see him with a little more loin in his top, and a little deeper in the flank. He does look like a good bull, he also seems to have the look of a 517/3008 bred bull

U070 does have some 3008 in his pedigree but I don't see any 517. Maybe further back. His reg number is 43022886.

He has good length and length of loin. My thought however on the beef in the loin and depth of flank is that coming out of a very difficult Wisconsin winter in a sacrifice pasture with only some woods for shelter and fed on hay with almost no grain, he doesn't look too bad.

He might look a whole lot different fed a bull ration ahead of a typical bull sale.

About his feet:

One down side to intensive rotational grazing on a small scale as I do is that my bulls are in small spaces and don't need to walk very far for hay, water or, starting in June, a date.

Like healthy people (and dairy cattle) on a high protein diet (my winter hay tested at 15.2% protein) our fingernails and bulls hooves grow. Range bulls tend to wear them down. My cattle in rotational grazing just don't wear down their hooves as much.

While he walks well now, he may need a hoof trimming. My vet and I work the whole herd in a couple weeks and I will let my vet make the call on hoof trimming. I think that affects his feet as they would ours.

Overall though, for a moderately priced bull with the calving ease and other traits I need I am pleased with him. He had a bunch of very nice calves this spring with no calving issues.

Thanks all for the feedback.

Jim

 

[SRBeef]

...You seem to make the cell grazing concept work well for you.

I have to make "cell" rotational grazing work for me - otherwise I could never carry enough cattle on my limited acres to repay the fixed costs.

One thing about cattle is that there is a certain initial capital investment required in fences, water, handling facility, trailer, etc that are more or less constant whether you have 5 cows or 50 cows.

I find that intensive rotational grazing let's me about double the per acre carrying capacity of my small farm compared to conventional grazing methods.

Increased carrying capacity resulting from rotational grazing will, over time, let me produce enough output per acre to amortize the start up costs and move into a positive cash flow.

Right now I am retaining many heifers and am still in herd building mode. This will give me a couple years to feel out just what my max carrying capacity can be with rotational grazing - and a backup hay supply.

28 degrees F this morning and frost on what grass there is.

Thanks to those with kind words - and honest criticism/suggestions.

Jim

 

[bigbull338]

he looks real good coming out of winter.

 

[John SD]

Jim, IIRC you purchase all of the hay you feed? 15% protein is pretty good stuff. I'm sure it's expensive, and probably overkill for your mature cow and bull nutritional needs through most of the winter. The high protein and vitamin A content of your good alfalfa hay is exactly what is needed after calving starts. Seems I remember reading somewhere that 9% protein hay is adequate for a non-lactating mature cattle fall/winter maintenance diet.

Would it be possible for you to buy some lesser quality hay to feed to the adult cattle for most of the winter and save the good stuff for calving time through the end of the feeding season?

 

[SRBeef]

John, my hay supplier is a local former dairyman. He has trouble making lower protein hay! He sells to dairies and I already buy his lower quality bales. His price is more than fair.

I do think using almost dairy quality hay is a prime cause of hoof growth when looked at rationally. The dairies are always trimming hooves.

The cows like it when they get an occasional really grassy bale with fewer stem, especially late in the season. I may look into buying some grass hay to alternate. Thanks for the suggestion.

Jim

 

[bigbull338]

John, my hay supplier is a local former dairyman. He has trouble making lower protein hay! He sells to dairies and I already buy his lower quality bales. His price is more than fair.

I do think using almost dairy quality hay is a prime cause of hoof growth when looked at rationally. The dairies are always trimming hooves.

The cows like it when they get an occasional really grassy bale with fewer stem, especially late in the season. I may look into buying some grass hay to alternate. Thanks for the suggestion.

Jim

the reason the dairies have todo alot of hoof trimming has nothing todo with the quality of feedstuff they feed.it has todo with the cows being on the concrete 24/7 an the cows genetices.dairy cows are bred for good feet an legs.to try to get away from so meny foot probs.

 

[KNERSIE]

Always nice viewing your cattle.He's a really nice looking bull. I would use him for sure. I like the lineback in the Herefords.

Could you show me where you look to see the lineback?

 

[KNERSIE]

Jim, excessive ENERGY and an unbalanced concentrated feed ration may cause excessive hoof growth, no hay in the world will do that. Unfortunately your bull's feet is an indicator of soundness problems higher up. His daughters' productive life will very likely be shortened by mobility issues. In your case I'll speak with Jerry Huth and let him know of the problem and give him the opportunity to make right. He should really replace the bull for you or pay the difference between his salvage value and what you paid for him. Either way he is not a bull to use if you plan to retain any daughters

 

[SRBeef]

Jim, excessive ENERGY and an unbalanced concentrated feed ration may cause excessive hoof growth, no hay in the world will do that. Unfortunately your bull's feet is an indicator of soundness problems higher up. His daughters' productive life will very likely be shortened by mobility issues. In your case I'll speak with Jerry Huth and let him know of the problem and give him the opportunity to make right. He should really replace the bull for you or pay the difference between his salvage value and what you paid for him. Either way he is not a bull to use if you plan to retain any daughters

Harley,

Up until now I have appreciated your comments on my cattle and cattle in general.

However I want to say both "thank you" and very clearly that you have no business contacting Jerry Huth about my cattle! Please do not!

I was just going to post a bunch of pictures of my calves and heifers with calves sired by U070 and T021 Huth bulls. But I am not going to do so. There would just be something else found wrong with them. If I take a picture with my pocket camera of a calf standing on one foot for a second when I snap the shot it starts a world wide flurry of posts.

I find them very functional cattle and am very pleased with them. Are they perfect, of course not. I was watching U070 walk today and he moves just fine. I was going to post a video but I don't need to do that. We all have a lot of other things to be spending time on. Do his hooves need a trimming? Maybe. But this is getting ridiculous!

I appreciate the comments but on the whole I am very pleased with U070 and T021 which you also did not like. Although you did post earlier that you liked U070 "better" than T021.

As I said above, I will discuss my bull's hooves and feet with my vet in a couple weeks while he is here for the full spring workup and cutting the bull calves. My vet has been doing this for about 40 years and tells the truth. He also has his own herd of Angus cattle and knows and cares a whole lot about cattle.

So please let it drop there.

I repeat, you have no business contacting Jerry Huth about my cattle pictures, my U070 bull or my cattle in general.

If you know each other and want to talk about the weather that is your business.

With all due respect,

Jim

one more thing: do your fingernails grow and need to be trimmed because you are genetically inferior? Or are they growing more when you have a good diet and do not wear them down in your line of work?

and here is an earlier picture of U070 for the record:

 

[KNERSIE]

You misunderstood, I meant you must contact Jerry Huth, why would I do that anyway?

If that is how you feel, I won't bother commenting on any of your threads in the future, enjoy you hobby.

 

[SRBeef]

Knersie, to quote your comment above:

"In your case I'll [meaning Knersie] speak with Jerry Huth and let him know of the problem and give him the opportunity to make right." emphasis mine

I took this at face value and I find that totally out of line.

Jim

 

[KNERSIE]

OK, I'll rephrase to please you.

IF I was in your situation I'll contact Jerry Huth and at least give him the opportunity to make it right..... (as opposed to posting pics of a bull with poor feet, that he has bred, on the internet and allowing everyone to have a go and make their own conclusions)

Seriously why would I make an INTERNATIONAL call to someone I don't know about a bull owned by someone I've never met?

Its a pity it had to end like this, but I'm done with this thread and you.

 

[cmf1]

I read a lot of Knersie's posts and threads and I read this one right after he made it.
After a double take and consideration of who wrote it, I wrote it off as typo of the brain.
I'll...I'd
You don't really think Knersie assigned himself as your guardian angel do you?