Off to a shaky start

[ScottyB]

I am just a small time recreational farmer with 30-50 head depending on what time of year. Well, my year so far is not going well. We have lost three cow/calves this year so far.

1. Lost a long time family cow that died of old age. (tried to sale her for slaughter but my sympathetic wife wouldn't let her go and tried to save her) That was no big deal, kind of expected. Been a good cow, had 12 calves for us.
2. Lost another year old steer to pneumonia. He was given all meds and was doing fine, then took a turn downhill quick and it was too late.
3. Just lost a newborn calf to coyotes. Walked up on 7 coyotes having a buffet. My .270 had something to say to one of them.

Been a tough year for us down here near Dallas. It has been an abnormally cold and very wet winter.

I hope my luck turns around soon. We need some dry, warm weather or there are going to be a lot of people in trouble.

 

[BrownCow]

Sorry to hear that. We need some warm and dry here too,people are just sick of the cold and wet. Hope things get better for you.


~~BC

 

[LoveMoo11]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck. It seems that when one thing goes wrong, so does everything else. Farming sucks sometimes. Glad you got one of those coyotes though :cboy: Hope things start looking up soon.

 

[BSKDixie]

ScottyB,
Thats one of the hardest parts of being a producer, is culling that cow that has produced for you for so many years, and thats all we really can ask of a good brood cow, that she rebreed and calve unassisted and wean a calf thats half her bodyweight, and the one time she comes up open, or that second time she does shes down the road, not a fair situation but as stewards of the land and whatever stock is on it its something were forced to do.

I think a lot of people in more temperate climates are having problems this year, with the unnaturally cool and wet weather in places where thats not normally the case.

What type of cattle are you running down there? What are the goals of your operation? Hopefully things turn around quickly for you and theres always better days ahead

 

[I luv herfrds]

Scotty it is tough dealing when things just seem to be going wrong. Like I'm trying to do also, remember it will get better soon.

 

[rkm]

Kinda weird someone from Texas asking for dry weather. Like us NYers asking for more snow. :help: I guess its just too much of good thing. Hope you get that sunshine soon. When you do, send some our way. I think a little sunshine will make us all feel better. Cows and people.

 

[1982vett]

Kinda weird someone from Texas asking for dry weather. Like us NYers asking for more snow. :help: I guess its just too much of good thing. Hope you get that sunshine soon. When you do, send some our way. I think a little sunshine will make us all feel better. Cows and people.

Oh, that is usually just a normal cycle. Cuss the mud for 3 months then cuss the drought for six. Usually get by if you get the mud cycle.

 

[ScottyB]

BSKDixie,
Thanks for the response. We are a commercial operation. We run around 30 cows on a yearly basis and sale the calves in the fall. We have a mixture of cows. We have Baldies, Angus, Red angus, and limos. Down here mainly black and baldy calves continue to rule the sale barns so we will stick with what works for us. That cow that died had a calf last year for us so she was a good cow for many years. We have a good Black Simmental mixed bull that stays home and we are happy with our program. This year has just been a nightmare with mud and cold weather. The cows are stressed and I am even more stressed. I have nightmares about the mud now.
Hopefully two more weeks of 60+ degree days and grass will start coming on a little bit. :tiphat:

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am just a small time recreational farmer with 30-50 head depending on what time of year. Well, my year so far is not going well. We have lost three cow/calves this year so far.

1. Lost a long time family cow that died of old age. (tried to sale her for slaughter but my sympathetic wife wouldn't let her go and tried to save her) That was no big deal, kind of expected. Been a good cow, had 12 calves for us.
2. Lost another year old steer to pneumonia. He was given all meds and was doing fine, then took a turn downhill quick and it was too late.
3. Just lost a newborn calf to coyotes. Walked up on 7 coyotes having a buffet. My .270 had something to say to one of them.

Been a tough year for us down here near Dallas. It has been an abnormally cold and very wet winter.

I hope my luck turns around soon. We need some dry, warm weather or there are going to be a lot of people in trouble.

Are you sure the calf didn't die or your neighbors dog's didn't kill it and the coyotes were enjoying the find.
Not yotes style to tackle Momma and a healthy calf they are cowards and opportunist not fighters. There has been a many a yote blamed and shot for what good old fido was guilty of.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

close to 25 years ago I attended my first "ranch tour"
everybody was complaining about the mud
county agent at the time said "you boys better keep quiet, or you'll be crying about the dust next"

my kids were raised in the time since that tour and they really have no idea what mud is

this winter we are on track for hitting the 50 or 60 year AVERAGE - 5 to 6 inches for Oct - March, feels downright wet to me, but this is just what was supposed to be "normal" sigh