They just seem to do well here

[wbvs58]

I don't know what it is here but my calves seem to grow 2nd to none. My soil would be the very worst sandy granite possible and the country is very difficult to get around with rocky outcrops and clumps of trees and I grow just about every weed known to mankind but the cattle do well. I went to pick up some hay yesterday from some friends who have bought bulls from me farm very good black soil country and while their cattle looked good they certainly don't get the growth that I get. I went out this afternoon and took a few photos for you. These calves have just been on grass and their mothers milk, no supplementation to the mothers either. They were born mostly in July and we were waterlogged, Sept Oct (our spring) had regular rain and the white clover went beserk, Nov dried off and Dec and Jan we were virtually back in drought but we have had a couple of small storms this past week which seems to be getting things going again.
In order, the first is a yearling heifer that will calve in July at 2 years of age, she is by Clunie Range Plantation, a Beast Mode son.
T8 is by DB Iconic.
T4 is a beast, he is by SAV Rainmaster out of a GAR Prophet cow, I like those Prophet cows, His current weight is 362 kg (798 lbs), he should easily wean in March over 400 kg (880 lb).
The rear end shot is also T4.
T18 is by GAR Ashland
T31 is by Clunie Range Plantation. People liked the Plantation bulls I sold last year.
T5 is by DB Iconic
T1 is a heifer by DB Iconic out of a Basin Rainmaker cow (2nd calf), she is shaping up to be a pretty good cow.
T7 is by DB Iconic.
Ken

 

[TCRanch]

Very nice! I like T5 - he's a beast.

 

[Redgully]

With such a wide range of soils and grass your cattle probably have everything they need as far as minerals and traces go. Plus being warm they aren't burning it off trying to stay warm. Do you butcher any for yourselves?

 

[wbvs58]

With such a wide range of soils and grass your cattle probably have everything they need as far as minerals and traces go. Plus being warm they aren't burning it off trying to stay warm. Do you butcher any for yourselves?

No Red, we don't get through enough to make it worthwhile.

I often wonder if the ambience of the place has any effect on their growth. While it makes things difficult for me they have plenty of shade and variety to lay down and chew their cud. The calves seem to enjoy exploring around the rocks and trees, eating as they go and then cuddling up together. They have a pretty good childhood.

Ken

 

[coachg]

Love those bull calves !

 

[GoWyo]

Ken - you are at around 3000' elevation aren't you? I think altitude helps to a point. Here the calves from 5,000'+ elevation ranches seem to do well. Maybe the differences between nighttime and daytime temperatures have something to do with it as well.

 

[wbvs58]

Ken - you are at around 3000' elevation aren't you? I think altitude helps to a point. Here the calves from 5,000'+ elevation ranches seem to do well. Maybe the differences between nighttime and daytime temperatures have something to do with it as well.

Yes, from 3150 to 3444 ft. The altitude certainly makes a difference to our climate. We miss the extreme heat and humidity in summer that other areas at our latitude get so you could be right there. Our altitude is fairly high for Australia especially our state of Qld. Australia being a very old continent most of our ranges have weathered down.

Ken

 

[gcreekrch]

Lots of length Ken!