Sterlingacres 2cows

[Sterlingacres]

Cow is an ancient white Park and sumpun sumpin, we dont know.

Her bull Calf, daddy is a highland and sumpin sumpin, nobody knows.

These are mini range. Cow is 3.5 Calf is 5 months


:cboy: :cboy: :cboy:

 

[A.J.]

:welcome: thanks for sharing pics of your cattle.

 

[farmerjan]

Looks like she is doing a bang up job with the calf!!!!! Will you breed her back to the highland sumpin or AI ? Are you trying to build a herd to sell calves or just a few for some beef and whatever? Where are you located? There are specialty markets for some of the smaller breeds as families are smaller and people want good home raised beef. The highlands are supposed to be very good meat, preferred by the royals in England so they say. Don't know about the white parks but they are a pretty breed. You can post your general area in your profile so we know the area you are in.
:welcome: :welcome:

 

[Sterlingacres]

Was hoping she was bred back by same bull as her calfdaddy, not certain she is though. I saw Jr trying to mount her last week and next day noticed a small amount of blood around tail and rear end.
If not we will try breeding her late next summer or early fall.
We have small plot of land, we will try to raise herd to about 4-5. Butchering one a year for food. As long as we get a calf year. These things are good to eat about 2.5-3 years on... Not a money making, saving operation.
Location, central mn.

 

[Sterlingacres]

Im thinking about trading off the mini bull Calf I have for another bull calf of differant blood line, or casterate calf and keep him. Id rather have him used as breeding stock for other minis in area.

Any thoughts, short of "why would you breed mini cows"
This aint the king ranch or feedlot raising frankenbeef.
For fun and adventure...mebee a ribeye in few years

 

[VirginiaCattle]

Im thinking about trading off the mini bull Calf I have for another bull calf of differant blood line, or casterate calf and keep him. Id rather have him used as breeding stock for other minis in area.

Any thoughts, short of "why would you breed mini cows"
This aint the king ranch or feedlot raising frankenbeef.
For fun and adventure...mebee a ribeye in few years

You don't want remarks about minis then you include the term "frakenbeef"

Good luck with your hobby.

 

[Sterlingacres]

Thanks,

Any thoughts, short of "why would you breed mini cows" or butthurt RE frankenbeef

 

[Son of Butch]

Buy a 2nd cow or heifer for breeding next year, cattle are herd animals and do better in pairs than singles.

 

[Sterlingacres]

Thanks sob, I have two now, related. Im debating trades or making a steer and hiring bull for next years calf.

Eating the Lil steer when hes ready in a couple seasons.

 

[Son of Butch]

2 cows? or 1 cow and her calf?
My point being herd animals desire companionship of a herdmate, not just her calf, and do better having a herdmate
rather than being restricted to a life of isolation.

 

[Sterlingacres]

Oooohhhhh. 1 cow one calf at the mo.

The cow studies show calf is not an herd mate, that I didnt know!

I best save my pennies for another. Would a bull work as herd mate?

 

[Son of Butch]

Yes, I would even bet that would be her first choice...

 

[elkwc]

2 cows? or 1 cow and her calf?
My point being herd animals desire companionship of a herdmate, not just her calf, and do better having a herdmate
rather than being restricted to a life of isolation.

Butch what do you mean do better? Through the years I've seen several times where a single cow has been kept by herself except for mating for years and never noticed any issues. It used to be milk cows when many still had them. Now I drive by an outstanding Angus cow on a regular basis. Guess she was/is the boy's FFA project. Imagine they AI her. She has a calf every year and I have noticed any issues. Again I just drive by. With that being said I even try to see that young calves have mates to play with. I was just curious what health issues, ect it was supposed to cause.

 

[Son of Butch]

The only data I ever saw was from many years ago on dairy cattle and increased lifetime milk production.
It stuck in my mind and just made sense to me that some animals such as a wolverine prefer to live a solitary life.
While herd animals such as cows would feel safer with the company of herdmates and thus experience less stress.
Stress and health go hand in hand. But I don't know of any research that would back up my opinion.

 

[Rafter S]

This isn't an official study, but I've observed many times when working cattle that two or three in a pen will be calm and easy to handle, but isolate one of them and it's a whole different story. I'm with SoB on this one. Not saying that one won't be okay by herself, but I'm convinced they'll be more content with others.

As for the OP's question about adding a bull, adding a young one will likely be fine, but as he gets older he's likely to not be satisfied with just one cow and start testing fences. Especially if there are other cattle nearby. I don't know if that's the case here.

 

[WalnutCrest]

Buy a (cheap and very laid back) bull ... let him breed the cows, then eat him. Fewer management issues.

 

[Sterlingacres]

Thanks,

We are not in cow country really, more horses than cows for sure. The bull in the fence makes sense to me. Right now I think all bulls get to be steers and we hire in the bull when its time. For safety of our fence.

We got the animals as a pair, the bull should have been snipped right off ive since learned. Now its a trickier to do without the squeeze or good cow hands to rope and sit on its head while he gets pinched, like we did in my yute.

I love learning new things as I age...