A
Anonymous
As some of you know I recently purchased three Shorthorn cows for a small Ozark farm I own.
The pastures are only about 12 acres and in decent fescue. I can rotational graze and still cut hay for winter. I am in the process of repairing and re-establishing the original fencing which a number of two and three acre pastures. It was a small dairy with around 8 head rotated through the pastures and also fed hay from the two small hay fields in winter. Though it has not been active for about 20+ years, perhaps 30 the pastures are in fair shape.
The three cows I got are registered purebred (as opposed to fullblood) and I checked their pedigrees and only noted an occasional Milking Shorthorn or Imported Shorthorn to cause the " * " and keep them from being fullblood registered.
Dorothy (born 5-30-97) stands about 56 inches tall to the top of her shoulder, hind hip, and back.
Joyce (born 3-18-98) is Red and stands about 54 inches and is also "square" and is milked down a bit and looks a bit thin and was just weaned from her third calf.
Lilly (Born 11-26-99) is the white one,Polled, and is also about 54 inches tall, and appears heaver than Joyce. She was just wiened from her 2nd calf. (Dorothy is Lilly's mom)
All three are currently open and I will soon have them AI'd for spring calving.
I like white, but have not made a decision on the Bull. I will have to order the semen from one of the national services I suspect. Any suggestions?? I do want to watch the birth weight, and keep it low. I also would prefer a full-blood bull.
What other Shorthorn specific problems might I encounter.
I intend to keep any heifer calves and to raise for the beef sale barn any bull calves.
I am open to all suggestions.
[email protected]
The pastures are only about 12 acres and in decent fescue. I can rotational graze and still cut hay for winter. I am in the process of repairing and re-establishing the original fencing which a number of two and three acre pastures. It was a small dairy with around 8 head rotated through the pastures and also fed hay from the two small hay fields in winter. Though it has not been active for about 20+ years, perhaps 30 the pastures are in fair shape.
The three cows I got are registered purebred (as opposed to fullblood) and I checked their pedigrees and only noted an occasional Milking Shorthorn or Imported Shorthorn to cause the " * " and keep them from being fullblood registered.
Dorothy (born 5-30-97) stands about 56 inches tall to the top of her shoulder, hind hip, and back.
Joyce (born 3-18-98) is Red and stands about 54 inches and is also "square" and is milked down a bit and looks a bit thin and was just weaned from her third calf.
Lilly (Born 11-26-99) is the white one,Polled, and is also about 54 inches tall, and appears heaver than Joyce. She was just wiened from her 2nd calf. (Dorothy is Lilly's mom)
All three are currently open and I will soon have them AI'd for spring calving.
I like white, but have not made a decision on the Bull. I will have to order the semen from one of the national services I suspect. Any suggestions?? I do want to watch the birth weight, and keep it low. I also would prefer a full-blood bull.
What other Shorthorn specific problems might I encounter.
I intend to keep any heifer calves and to raise for the beef sale barn any bull calves.
I am open to all suggestions.
[email protected]
