Older Cow and Calf, Late Season Clover (pics)

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SRBeef

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I was finishing some fencing yesterday and took a picture of one of my older cows and her calf as they walked by. This is one of my older but target 1200 lb cows and shows what a good calf even an older cow can raise. The calf is right about 525 lb should be a bit over 600 at weaning in about a month. She usually weans a calf at least 50% of her weight.

I also took a picture of before and after light fall rotational grazing of some spring 2009 planted clover. This field was soybeans last year. The clover is pretty mature and have not seen any sign of bloat. I just graze it lightly rather than forcing them to eat it to the ground so it keeps significant leaf area and will hopefully come back strong next spring.

IMG_1627_COW62_and_CALF_092709.JPG


IMG_1633_Clover_Before_and_after_light_fall_Grazing_092709.JPG


Dun this reminds me of your one wire weaning photo. I would be tempted to try the one wire approach if I were here all the time to watch them. Jim
 
I like the looks of your 5-strand fence in the background of the first pic. Looks like you could keep buffalo in with that thing :lol: . It makes me chuckle how one pic has a 5-strand and the next is a single strand. Not poking fun, I understand what your doing.
 
A cow like that is definately the type you want to build your herd on, pity they usually have bull calves when you really want a heifer or two out your older proven cows.
 
KNERSIE":tuobwzgb said:
A cow like that is definately the type you want to build your herd on, pity they usually have bull calves when you really want a heifer or two out your older proven cows.

Hi Knersie,

Well, it's a 50/50 chance on who wins the race X or Y....

I need steers to sell as beef to help pay for this operation. I have another cow similar to this one (came from the same source herd) a few years younger that did give me a T21 heifer this year. This heifer is a dandy!

It's hard to tell without a reference on the picture but this cow is shorter (smaller frame size) although I keep forgetting to try to measure them when they go through the alley. But she is solid, (so are her calves) calves easily, a great mama.

What I am seeing is that you can raise great pure bred Hereford beef if you have the right genes. One does not necessarily have to cross breed.

What I am also seeing is that almost everything you want to do with cattle takes a LONG time!

Thanks for the kind words.

Jim

Nova, the fence in the background is (or was) a perimeter/boundary fence. As much as I believe in electric, I am also a believer that you build boundary fences as if electricity was not discovered yet and you have a herd of buffalo inside. I sleep better when I am traveling knowing they are most likely at least on my property somewhere and not out on the road. I had a couple lightning hits that knocked out electricity in the past few years. None since I installed the chokes Dun suggested here, but I will never rely totally on electricity to keep my cattle on my farm. 5 wire 12 ga Red barb with good corners works whether the power is on or not!

My cattle do not challenge fences (any that do won't do it twice) but calves have a way of sniffing a hot wire and if it's off from a power failure/lightning/deer running it down somewhere etc and they see something they want to eat on the other side they are over there! My cows and even my bull basically turn if you speak to them firmly, but not the calves, yet!

That one wire has 9000 volts and 6 joules on it - it is effective, as long as the power is on. Note how Dun uses just one wire to wean!
 
KNERSIE":2337dvu1 said:
A cow like that is definately the type you want to build your herd on, pity they usually have bull calves when you really want a heifer or two out your older proven cows.

Knersie,

I was out with the cattle again today, always carry my camera (a habit from my day job) and took a couple pictures of two other T21 heifers I plan to keep.

Here's the one I was mentioning was out of one of my other target 1200 lb cows although her dam is not on the picture. She's the one in the lower right hand of the picture. About 530 lb as of today.

IMG_1657_1.JPG


Here is a photo of another spring hiefer I'm keeping. This one is NOT out of one of my target cows but I guess shows how a heifer can be BETTER than her dam with the right bull genetics added.

As you are a bull man, this picture also has a shot of the business end of her sire, T21. They have all had zero grain, not even a treat for the past month or so since they've been on this new spring seeded clover pasture.

IMG_1668_2.JPG


I absolutely love this bull. He has a great disposition and produces what he is supposed to according to his EPD's. He seems pretty slick most of the year but not a hard keeper, even in our severe winter last year. When they're slick, what you see is what you get - not a show type haircut.

Jim
 
talldog":1p6f5bx3 said:
EVERYTHING in the above pictures looks FANTASTIC---Good Luck !!! :tiphat:

Thank you for the kind words, TD. I have been very fortunate with the weather this year. The cool moist weather for much of the summer in my area of SW WI was not good for the corn but sure helped the pastures. Sort of the opposite of last year. Thanks again.

Jim
 
novaman":2j16f9o9 said:
SRBeef":2j16f9o9 said:
What have you got growing on the other side of the fence? Looks like a lot of vegetation there!

That's a slope I don't graze much but will be their next rotation after they clean up the other end of the large clover field they are in now (the right side of the wire in the 2nd photo in the original post).

Red clover is not much good after a freeze. Seems like we just dodged a killing frost the other night when the cloud cover stuck around. That other mixed grass is useful after a frost so I'm keeping it for the tail end.

I will use about every nook and cranny before the corn is ready to graze this year and before setting out any hay.

Jim
 

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