The joys of raising cattle

[Jogeephus]

I decided to move some cattle around today and found this idiot calf with its head stuck in a gate. It was like a rubics cube getting its head out. That just started the day on a good foot.

I then carried a load of cattle to another place and saw a bunch of buzzards sitting on the fence. I thought, Oh great, lost a cow somehow. But as I got closer it became obvious that I wasn't that lucky as I had dead cows laying everywhere. My first thought was some idiot dyed his hair red and opened up on them with an AK but then I saw the lightning strike on the pine tree with the two carcasses laying directly under it and all became clear why I don't gamble.

Just take a look at this wonderful site and tell me whether or not you'd like to color me lucky.

This is what I first saw. I assume the cow that is halfway between the fence must have bolted when it got zapped. Her calf is dead by her side.

The calf on the left didn't have a rear hoof. I found it about 15 foot from the carcass.

Another pair and no this pair wasn't from the bottom of the herd. In fact, I'm pretty sure they were worth about $15,000 each if someone would have paid me that for them. ;-)

All total I lost 5. Aren't I lucky to live just a few miles from Florida. The lightning capital of the world.

I had hoped that someone would eat these cattle. Never figured it would be me or in this manner. Oh well. It could have been worse. Just one of those things.

 

[tripleBfarms]

That just plain sucks. Lightning has hit everything around here BUT the cows.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Sorry about that Jo..

 

[Jogeephus]

Thanks, but I'm actually relieved it wasn't worse.

 

[1982vett]

So how much rain did you get.....or did that not work in your favor also? :???:

 

[slick4591]

That really does suck, Jo!

 

[James T]

That's pretty rough Jo. Sorry to hear that.

 

[greybeard]

Dang Jogeephus --that ain't good atall. Drought--fire--lightning--politicians--zombies. Always something ain't it?
Sorry to read this really tho--those kind of losses are hard on anyone.

 

[jedstivers]

Well look on the bright side. You weren't with them.

 

[cow pollinater]

Now you know where to shoot hogs for a few days.

 

[calfbuyer]

Had the same scenario about 2 months ago, one of our good first calf heifers with about a 250lb calf found dead under a mesquite tree with the top of the tree laying on top, hooves scattered in 4 different directions.

 

[Jogeephus]

Dang Jogeephus --that ain't good atall. Drought--fire--lightning--politicians--zombies. Always something ain't it?
Sorry to read this really tho--those kind of losses are hard on anyone.

You're right. Its always something. Never a dull moment. The good thing is all the face eating zombies have stayed south of the border so far.

So how much rain did you get.....or did that not work in your favor also? :???:

From which storm? Its rained every day. You wouldn't believe the grass I have. I haven't seen it this thick in years. Heck, I did some pour on wormer on them as I moved them and a cloud came up and must have dumped 2 inches on me late this afternoon. Oh, and I layed a small hay field on the ground today too.(It will look good in plastic) Oh, and I almost forgot the most important thing of the day. The highlight so to speak. Did you know when using a hot shot that prime charges you should uncharge it before setting it down. Or at least set it down so that the probes are on the ground and not facing up cause the hotshot can fall over and if by chance the thing brushes you on its way down - say in the back for instance - the hotshot doesn't know differentiate between you or a cow.

Yes, its been an eventful day. I even gave some thought of selling the cows and buying a big diesel truck and an aluminum horse trailer complete with its own man cave along with a horse and I'll just buy square bales at the feed store so maybe then I'll have some fun. :cowboy:

 

[Jogeephus]

Had the same scenario about 2 months ago, one of our good first calf heifers with about a 250lb calf found dead under a mesquite tree with the top of the tree laying on top, hooves scattered in 4 different directions.

Finding the hoof about 15 feet away just amazed me. That has to be a tremendous force.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

sorry that is bad but it allways could be worse. i have never had any get struck yet but i am sure that won't last forever. i know someone that had about 10 or 12 cows and calves standing in and in the edge of a pond with a tree in the edge of it that got hit by lighting so i am allways expecting to find somethig like that after a storm.

 

[Jogeephus]

One of my neighbors lost twenty something one day so I am thankful it wasn't worse.

 

[Beefy]

that sucks bricks jo. lost 13 in one zap before, got the best bull too of course, first beefmaster bull i ever had. they were in the corner of a field and it danced around and splintered some posts. also got a limousin bull in a pond one time and an angus bull in the pasture by the house. (dangerous to be a bull around here.) i remember a young cow got her hooves knocked off and her skull split open under a young pine years ago. no telling how many over the years.

 

[Anonymous]

That's a bad day. It's been cRacking around here too and I was surprised to go out last week and not have any laid out.
Hope you had insurance on em

 

[Crazy Farmgirl]

Bad deal Jo, glad it wasn't worse! Days like those I remind myself it could be worse...I could have to wear a suit and work in a cubicle.

 

[ga.prime]

Sorry about that, Jo. That hurts. My dad had 13 purebred hereford heifers killed under a hickory tree one time and they were uninsured. I've got mine insured but haven't ever had to collect and hope I never have to.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

That was going to be my question GA, how many of you out there carry insurance for events such as this?

Why or why not?