What improvements are you making?

[wbvs58]

I did well selling bulls this year so I am going to shout myself a new crush, chute to you people, I want one with a good side squeeze. My existing crush is one I made myself and has served me well,I will move it to my 600 acre scrub block where I am building a drought feeding lot and will do a basic set of yards there. I will also build a small shed over my crush with work bench etc so I can store all my AI gear there.
I will continue with upgrading my fences also.

Ken

 

[J+ Cattle]

Mesquite is a life long project.

Yes, I know it's an annual chore, but it does get easier if your neighbors spray their big trees that make all the beans.

 

[J+ Cattle]

I'm building a Holding/load out pen in the middle of one of my ranches, I'm using drill stem and guardrail.

For me it's all pipe corrals and fence braces, no more wood to rot and replace every decade or so. Pipe will last a at least a generation.

 

[bird dog]

I don't know, I'm told there are always seeds in the seed bank.
My problem is that I need the large trees for shade.

 

[J+ Cattle]

It will take a few months to even notice that you sprayed it.

The first time that I sprayed prickly pear cactus I bought the Tordon RTU at TSC. Right on the front of the bottle it says "Ready To Use" so I put it in my sprayer and went and sprayed the cactus thoroughly wetting both sides of the pad. Well when you use it without diluting it like I did, you notice that it is dead and dried out completely in a weeks time. The down side is that nothing will grow in the spot you sprayed for a couple of years!
I learned the hard way on that one.

 

[Bcompton53]

To all of those improving working facilities, good call. After a discussion of the cost of an ER bill, followed by a broken leg due to poor facilities that very afternoon, we did the same and would never look back.
Personally, our pastures got very overgrazed for the past 20 years. I've been knocking back locusts and cedars and hedge trees for a few years. This next spring I will tackle the ragweed. It is waist high, and nearly bull tight....I gotta think our pasture is way underproducing due to the ragweed density. I hate killing the clover, but I'm hoping 1qt of 24d will kill the ragweed and spare some of the clover

 

[J+ Cattle]

I hate killing the clover, but I'm hoping 1qt of 24d will kill the ragweed and spare some of the clover

If you spray in late spring after the clover has a chance to seed then I think you will be okay.

 

[GoWyo]

We bought this place in 2015 and it had only a single division fence and one limited water development, but the pipeline did push water to the top of the ridge. CRP expired 2020 and that became pasture with a 4000' pipeline extension to a tire tank. We have one more pasture division fence and will have 10 pastures all with tank or creek water. We have gotten by with a decent set of portable panels and gates attached to a big pipe pen (at barn we constructed in 2015) or post and pole pen in the middle of the place (constructed in 2016). This last push is the working facilities and windbreaks mentioned in an earlier post. Portable panel based system was ok when we were a.i.ing 25-30 head, but became unmanageable as we got to 50 head and increasing and cows becoming more "rangey" than the old show heifers we started with. We have been able to get through blizzards by tucking them in a couple spots, but as we increased the herd we are running out of room and we need more protected area for calves. Once the windbreaks and working facilities are done this place will be semi-automatic and graze 10 months of the year if numbers are managed right. We have a 50 HP utility tractor with loader, a gooseneck stock trailer and a dually flatbed trailer with a beaver tail. A 4wd loader tractor with a cab would be nice on storm days, but hard to justify the expense. We are a "low iron" outfit and will keep it that way.

 

[J+ Cattle]

We are a "low iron" outfit and will keep it that way.

It's hard to justify the expense of lots of equipment that is parked most of the time. I consider it an underutilized asset, the exception is equipment that allows you to do work that you are not physically able to do without it or is needed for safety.

 

[BrazosBottomHand]

I'm just curious what everyone is doing to make "improvements" in their operation. It could be anything; AI to a good bull, expand or build new working or storage facilities, building fences to rotation graze or upgrading your farming equipment, no-till instead of deep plowing....whatever makes your life easier, better or more profitable.
I know that we all have long lists of things that need to be done and sometimes we work only on the daily needs instead of the longer term improvements.

I'll start it off...

I'm reclaiming about 50 acres that is covered in scattered patches of thick brush and weeds everywhere but not much anything else, the cows were getting little benefit from it other than using it to hide a newborn calf in the brush. I put in a gate on that side of the creek a few years ago but recently had to widen the gate opening to get in there with a tractor and brush hog. I've done some spraying around the perimeter of thickets and I'm mowing down the dead brush. The brush in the middle of the thickets is much too big for a brush hog and will require more spraying to kill it out. Next spring I will spray as much of the area for weeds as I can, then spot spray the prickly pear cactus and yucca patches. Hopefully this will give the grass a fighting chance and take away some of the hiding places for wild hogs.

J+ Cattle

We sold our cattle and started working at something we will actually get paid for. It's a big improvement. Jk... we're still working for the bank to pay for our "improvements" ....

 

[Shoestring]

Fencing, still. Bought the place and have been learning how to install. I think that hat I have found every way a barb can getcha, and every way a Bois d' Arc limb can stab ya. I have to cut back trees to get to the fence. Then, I will start on corrals, next winter? . I have @GoWyo issue. Weekend warrior and while the Son will help, don't want to wear out the offer.

 

[SBMF 2015]

It's been kind of a leap of faith year around here. We bought an eleven acre homestead just an 1/8th of a mile from my main farm. It has enough concrete and barn space for about 75hd of fat cattle. I had to replace the feed lot fence and add concrete line bunks. It has a lean to with a concrete floor so the cattle chute is going inside under roof.
Updated two tractors.

I always say that if you are not making any improvements, then you are going back wards. It can be as simple as putting gates on hinges. Improvements don't have to cost a lot.

 

[Shoestring]

I feel like I am right behind you. I tell the wife, "have to do it now, and do it right, while I'm still getting around." -Multiple back surgeries-. The kids can worry about it the next time.

 

[Ferd]

Large lean-to barn extension, with handling facilities and a few pens is next. My arteries are too plugged to wrestle cattle, but they need attention and care. Purchased a cab loader tractor that keeps me from overheating. I'm ok in the winter but hate the heat. Need a bigger bush hog, and a round baler would be super. I almost have my Longhorns gone. Only 3 left. Hard to impress a buyer with any in the pasture. I'm too old for this, should sell the cows and just sell hay, but I won't.

 

[tex452]

I'm building a Holding/load out pen in the middle of one of my ranches, I'm using drill stem and guardrail.
It has a good working pen on the far side of the property built by the previous owner.
I will be able to catch my cattle a lot easier.

The pen that was there when I bought the place I added a loading chute, sliding gates in the Chute that was there a squeeze and a shed over the top of it. I use for working.
We hog fenced our hay meadows and cross fenced for rotating.

My ranch in Coleman I ran water line across the place with 4 faucets.
Put in septic and electric for my camper. I have a portable pen out there now. I still need to add another entrance.

 

[Bigfoot]

Started many years ago with a medina
Went to an alley and a head catch
Went from a head catch to a squeeze
I've had a tub ordered for several months, and it's not in yet. My bud box days will soon be over.

 

[J+ Cattle]

My ranch in Coleman I ran water line across the place with 4 faucets.

You must stay busy with all of your projects, I know parts of that country have lots of rock and I wouldn't begin to know how to trench in a water line through that limestone rock.

 

[shaz]

Lot's of infrastructure improvements here but I haven't knocked myself out getting them done due to time.
1) 105ft apron with j-bunks so I can feed calves outside the fence.
2) took down the woven wire in the corral, changed to 1/4 steel panel wire and adding 2x8 along the top.
3) new wet weather load out alley that's 12ft by 50ft with a 12x12 pen at the load point.
4) 40x60 hay barn

All this work and the farm is still suffering from neglect.

 

[TCRanch]

To all of those improving working facilities, good call. After a discussion of the cost of an ER bill, followed by a broken leg due to poor facilities that very afternoon, we did the same and would never look back.
Personally, our pastures got very overgrazed for the past 20 years. I've been knocking back locusts and cedars and hedge trees for a few years. This next spring I will tackle the ragweed. It is waist high, and nearly bull tight....I gotta think our pasture is way underproducing due to the ragweed density. I hate killing the clover, but I'm hoping 1qt of 24d will kill the ragweed and spare some of the clover

Your broken leg? Regardless, it's a tough lesson to learn and hope there is/was a full recovery.

Overgrazed. Welcome to my world. But we just haven't been able to burn for years due to: red flag alert, rain, coordinating a crew that includes the pumper from the oil company, being able to move my entire herd to a safe haven prior . . . . . Locust & hedge are the bane of my existence.

 

[Bcompton53]

Your broken leg? Regardless, it's a tough lesson to learn and hope there is/was a full recovery.

Overgrazed. Welcome to my world. But we just haven't been able to burn for years due to: red flag alert, rain, coordinating a crew that includes the pumper from the oil company, being able to move my entire herd to a safe haven prior . . . . . Locust & hedge are the bane of my existence.

My dads broken leg actually. Cow ran him over, and I thought his rubber boot had partially come off.......I was wrong, his leg was pointing 90° off