What a year!

[Jake]

I dunno about everybody else but this past winter has been a living hell. We lost 15 calves in the lot to Thymein poisoning, 3 cows to grass tetany, 1 cow yesterday to a hairball, 1 cow due to malpresentation when calving not to mention having 2 lose calves in the blizzard and have 1 die of pnemonia. We thought we were way short on grass now we're only over by a few head after we cull some of the older cows that don't look like they are gunna calf.

What a year....

 

[D.R. Cattle]

What a bummer. So far I've done 100% on the calving. Haven't lost any but I have culled a few cows due to age and disposition.

 

[dun]

No matter how long you've been in the business, about the time you think you have it "all in one sock", a year like this will pop up and make you wonder if you know anything at all. And you'll know for sure it isn't "all in one sock" but splattered all over the floor. As I tell my wife "she'll come right", just needs time.

dun

I dunno about everybody else but this past winter has been a living hell. We lost 15 calves in the lot to Thymein poisoning, 3 cows to grass tetany, 1 cow yesterday to a hairball, 1 cow due to malpresentation when calving not to mention having 2 lose calves in the blizzard and have 1 die of pnemonia. We thought we were way short on grass now we're only over by a few head after we cull some of the older cows that don't look like they are gunna calf.

What a year....

 

[Kelly]

I have had years like that also. A few years back everything and anything was happening all in a short time. We had pinkeye running through the herd almost blinding some of them , Cow calved - calf died , cow prolapsed, 1 year old herding dog had her first seizure and died, my daughter got kicked in the face by a yearling horse - face fracture and stitches. We were so tired of it all and just plain beat. My husband said "sell everything!" I sold off all of my best cattle that I had worked my herd up to. Now I am back to square one trying to build a quality herd but am not having the results I was hoping for. I guess what I am saying is - don't make decisions in a hurry or when emotionally drained because it may not be the right direction you want to go. I love animals and am trying real hard to make it a profitable venture! ( tough these days) Hang in there!

 

[Craig-TX]

Seems like some years all you can do is hit home runs. Other times, everything you touch turns out to be snakebit. Farming would be even worse, wouldn't you agree? No matter how hard and smart you work it can all go down the tubes, sometimes in just a few minutes, due to things that are completely out of your control. Hang tough and keep the faith.

Craig-TX

 

[Campground Cattle]

I dunno about everybody else but this past winter has been a living hell. We lost 15 calves in the lot to Thymein poisoning, 3 cows to grass tetany, 1 cow yesterday to a hairball, 1 cow due to malpresentation when calving not to mention having 2 lose calves in the blizzard and have 1 die of pnemonia. We thought we were way short on grass now we're only over by a few head after we cull some of the older cows that don't look like they are gunna calf.

What a year....

I thought I had it bad in the drought of 99/00, sorry thats the worse run I have heard of since the seventies, when we were losing our herds to bangs. Hang in there :cboy: up

 

[Jake]

Last years crops were just as bad nothing raised at all. These drought years come and go and leave a dent in the herd. It's kinda like the whole renting grass you only have it for a few years then something comes up and you have to shrink your herd back down again. For some reason I'm still stupid enough to stay with this. I guess I just enjoy it more than everything else my brains could get me.

 

[Beefy]

I agree Jake, it has been a crappy year. and with random occurences. we had 3 cases of foot rot (so we thought) and then a cows teats started to rot off and so we found out it was ergot poisoning instead, the kind that causes gangrene. the first calves of the year were a set of dead twins out of one of my favorite cows and they were like a month early. a 2nd calf heifer aborted. we had two premature calves, 1 died. then we had a breech we had to pull but it was ok. one cow lost a calf for no apparent reason, it was a week old and nursing. another cow drowned in the pond. another one of my favorite cows (brangus) had a calf and it wouldnt nurse. we put them up in the pen and she fretted herself to death. i was ready to throw in the towel that day. somehow we are still batting 95% as far as calves go. i guess i'll hang in there.

 

[la4angus]

Jake, keep the faith. You will be there when most others are out of it.
I know you are a stayer.

 

[Jake]

It's almost a blessing because its going to make that final cull a lot easier for us. We have some of the best cattle around our parts and there is only one cow on the place that has mega tits that is gunna hit the road after this lactation. Altogether I am happy with where we have our herd now if we can just keep them here and keep improving them without getting them over 1100 - 1200 pounds. I dunno what all you would think about my philosophies and some of the ones I've already inherited but I'm proud to be a cattleman and I hope at least a few of you don't mind having me around... I seem to believe I contribute... lol

Ok I gotta go check heifers,

Jake

 

[Oldtimer]

Jake- I felt about the same way in February when we were in about the 4th month of winter- broke 100 year records for snowfall- seemed like the wind blew and it blizzarded everyday- weather people were predicting record flooding.

Then things changed- snow went off easy, little or no flooding- weather warmed up and has made one of the easiest calving years I've ever had. Now today we are getting more rain showers to get the grass going. We just need a little sunshine- not only greens up the grass, but sure picks up the spirits.

 

[la4angus]

Oldtimer

It is always a pleasure to read your post's

 

[PINZ Farmer]

this year is not the best but not near as bad as for some of you. we have had 3 dead calfs out of 13 cows(that is all we have)lol and 2 of those 13 havent calved yet so really we have had 3 dead out of 11 so far i guess. one of the dead calfs was rotting for over a week in the moma cow so she will be gone here in a couple weeks along with a ten year old cow. so that will drop us down to 11 but we have 5 replacements for breeding this year so we will be alright. we also grain farm 2000 acres and beleive me when i say these past 2 years have been tough but the last ten years before those have been great so we were due for some off years just hoping this year will be a positive year. but all u can do is hope


joe

 

[la4angus]

Stay away from the "thirteens"and try praying unstead of just hoping.
I pray for you a better 2004.

 

[txag]

i definitely don't want to belittle anyone's problems, but i want to remind everyone that cows can be replaced (even if it's an old show heifer or the boss cow or a really good one) & crops can be replanted. last year we lost my mom to cancer.....she was 54 years old & cannot be replaced. be thankful for the friends and family and life you do have......it's precious and it doesn't last forever.

 

[Jake]

AMEN!! I'll spare you my story

 

[txag]

I'll spare you my story

in no way did i mean to stop the previous thread. i'm sorry to hear about the problems you're having this year and hope things turn around for you. sometimes it feels like we live the old phrase "if it weren't for bad luck, i'd have no luck at all". i've also learned not to ask "what else can go wrong?" because as soon as you ask, you'll find out.

 

[CattleAnnie]

I hear where you're coming from, TXag. Mom was fifty when she died from the big C four years ago.
Hang in there, everyone.

 

[Campground Cattle]

i definitely don't want to belittle anyone's problems, but i want to remind everyone that cows can be replaced (even if it's an old show heifer or the boss cow or a really good one) & crops can be replanted. last year we lost my mom to cancer.....she was 54 years old & cannot be replaced. be thankful for the friends and family and life you do have......it's precious and it doesn't last forever.

We have all had bad times and train wrecks. The thing that makes our lifestyle we have chosen so rich is neighbor helping neighbor and family. Take this from me spend every precious minute you can with your family.As I drive down the road tears come to my eye as I pass all the old places where aunts uncles and grandparents used to live . Its amazing how fast we can go, 13 aunts and uncles to one first cousin left.