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<blockquote data-quote="igrowgrass" data-source="post: 1080823" data-attributes="member: 21530"><p>All my calves are on the ground by my mom's birthday (April 16th). If we have any heifers born on the 16th they're always named Evelyn LOL. She's been waiting for a grand daughter named Evelyn, but me and my brother aren't too keen on that LOL. That was kind of useless information, but that just sets the time table for calving. </p><p></p><p>I would say that all my bull calves are banded by Memorial Day, which is usually when we turn the bulls back in. We bring all of our cows and heifers in before we turn the bulls in just to give everyone the quick once over. This is what we have found to be the most effective way to do it. Its usually not too hot by then. The flies aren't too bad. We don't like to handle animals more than we have to, so we try to bunch things together. </p><p></p><p>I like giving them a little time to get moving around and grow a little before we band them. I have had calves that looked like steers fresh out of the package and then 60 days later I looked at them and wished that I hadn't. You still get one that you regret every once in a while. </p><p></p><p>Bulls that don't get banded at the end of May get to go all summer swinging with what God gave them. Then in the fall I take a look at them at we'll steer whoever isn't going to be a bull. Some years we don't produce any bulls. It happens, but I tend to be a little harder on selecting for bulls than most folks. I work hard at trying to improve my animals year after year and I cull hard. </p><p></p><p>I think that you should do it fairly early, but I don't think that it has to be done at birth. </p><p></p><p>As far as watching out for momma or auntie when you're fiddling with calves that is a problem with breeding, first and foremost. None of my cows would even so much as give me stern look when I fiddle with their calves. In fact, when I go out with my bulls they will walk up along side you and you scratch their back. Then they'll do a quick 180 so you can scratch the other side. Granted, I don't have 500 head of cattle like some of you, but I think that personality and docile nature is a quality that you have to breed for. </p><p></p><p>Plus, I have boerboels and I have a mostly aussie dog. My boerboels will not let a cow anywhere near me if I sit them down next to a calf. They aren't the smartest dogs, nothing like an aussie, but they do understand protection. They will not let anything near that calf including momma. I will put my big boy Odin on my nephews when they come over (the oldest will be 6 next month) and they are as safe as the day is long with that dog with them. They ride him and sleep with him and try to feed him berries and what not, but he is the man when it comes to protecting stuff. I have not had anything killed on my place since I got these dogs. They routinely kill coons, coyotes, other dogs, cats occasionally, and they have a great fondness for groundhog meat. If you need to work with cattle, you need a good dog. There are no two ways about it. </p><p></p><p>Long story short. I never send a bull to be sold as beef unless he's older (a bull that has served his time on the farm and is past his useful days), but I never do it because I didn't steer him. If he's meant to be meat I always steer them.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="igrowgrass, post: 1080823, member: 21530"] All my calves are on the ground by my mom's birthday (April 16th). If we have any heifers born on the 16th they're always named Evelyn LOL. She's been waiting for a grand daughter named Evelyn, but me and my brother aren't too keen on that LOL. That was kind of useless information, but that just sets the time table for calving. I would say that all my bull calves are banded by Memorial Day, which is usually when we turn the bulls back in. We bring all of our cows and heifers in before we turn the bulls in just to give everyone the quick once over. This is what we have found to be the most effective way to do it. Its usually not too hot by then. The flies aren't too bad. We don't like to handle animals more than we have to, so we try to bunch things together. I like giving them a little time to get moving around and grow a little before we band them. I have had calves that looked like steers fresh out of the package and then 60 days later I looked at them and wished that I hadn't. You still get one that you regret every once in a while. Bulls that don't get banded at the end of May get to go all summer swinging with what God gave them. Then in the fall I take a look at them at we'll steer whoever isn't going to be a bull. Some years we don't produce any bulls. It happens, but I tend to be a little harder on selecting for bulls than most folks. I work hard at trying to improve my animals year after year and I cull hard. I think that you should do it fairly early, but I don't think that it has to be done at birth. As far as watching out for momma or auntie when you're fiddling with calves that is a problem with breeding, first and foremost. None of my cows would even so much as give me stern look when I fiddle with their calves. In fact, when I go out with my bulls they will walk up along side you and you scratch their back. Then they'll do a quick 180 so you can scratch the other side. Granted, I don't have 500 head of cattle like some of you, but I think that personality and docile nature is a quality that you have to breed for. Plus, I have boerboels and I have a mostly aussie dog. My boerboels will not let a cow anywhere near me if I sit them down next to a calf. They aren't the smartest dogs, nothing like an aussie, but they do understand protection. They will not let anything near that calf including momma. I will put my big boy Odin on my nephews when they come over (the oldest will be 6 next month) and they are as safe as the day is long with that dog with them. They ride him and sleep with him and try to feed him berries and what not, but he is the man when it comes to protecting stuff. I have not had anything killed on my place since I got these dogs. They routinely kill coons, coyotes, other dogs, cats occasionally, and they have a great fondness for groundhog meat. If you need to work with cattle, you need a good dog. There are no two ways about it. Long story short. I never send a bull to be sold as beef unless he's older (a bull that has served his time on the farm and is past his useful days), but I never do it because I didn't steer him. If he's meant to be meat I always steer them. [/QUOTE]
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