When will I be real cattleman?

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Alan

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Just when I thought I was getting the hang of things and on my way to being a real cattleman, I was shoved back into the ranks "wantabe newbie".

I knew I had a first time heifer ready to calve yesterday, tail head up, she was off by herself all day, not a lot of attention to feed, she was paying a lot of attention to her belly, her butt was mush. I checked her for the last time at about 10 last night, still nothing. I got up at about 5:30 this morning and light enough at 6 to see a little calf in the lower corner wobbling around. This first time heifer is good enough stock I was excited to go down and check to see if I got a potential replacement heifer. As I walked through the pasture the closer I got I reallized this was a calf out of one of my older cows, her fourth bull calf out of 4. I knew this heifer must be close or have a calf on the ground so I search the pasture couldn't find her. Decided to check at the feed bunk.... yep, not a care in the world and a face full of hay ..... I'll never be a cattleman :( :D

Just a wantabe's life this morning, Calving season has started! :D

Alan
 
Alan":2f6knqtc said:
Just when I thought I was getting the hang of things and on my way to being a real cattleman, I was shoved back into the ranks "wantabe newbie".

I knew I had a first time heifer ready to calve yesterday, tail head up, she was off by herself all day, not a lot of attention to feed, she was paying a lot of attention to her belly, her butt was mush. I checked her for the last time at about 10 last night, still nothing. I got up at about 5:30 this morning and light enough at 6 to see a little calf in the lower corner wobbling around. This first time heifer is good enough stock I was excited to go down and check to see if I got a potential replacement heifer. As I walked through the pasture the closer I got I reallized this was a calf out of one of my older cows, her fourth bull calf out of 4. I knew this heifer must be close or have a calf on the ground so I search the pasture couldn't find her. Decided to check at the feed bunk.... yep, not a care in the world and a face full of hay ..... I'll never be a cattleman :( :D

Just a wantabe's life this morning, Calving season has started! :D

Alan
cows an heifers love fooling us as to when they will calve.they take their own sweet time calving.an dont care that they are stressing us out as we wait on them.sometimes they go off to themselves 2 or 3 days before they calve.
 
Alan":3otoznfo said:
Decided to check at the feed bunk.... yep, not a care in the world and a face full of hay .....
Alan

Better a heifer with a face full of hay than a calving problem. :D You had me worried there for a moment.
 
Alan":38ivamts said:
Just when I thought I was getting the hang of things and on my way to being a real cattleman, I was shoved back into the ranks "wantabe newbie".

I knew I had a first time heifer ready to calve yesterday, tail head up, she was off by herself all day, not a lot of attention to feed, she was paying a lot of attention to her belly, her butt was mush. I checked her for the last time at about 10 last night, still nothing. I got up at about 5:30 this morning and light enough at 6 to see a little calf in the lower corner wobbling around. This first time heifer is good enough stock I was excited to go down and check to see if I got a potential replacement heifer. As I walked through the pasture the closer I got I reallized this was a calf out of one of my older cows, her fourth bull calf out of 4. I knew this heifer must be close or have a calf on the ground so I search the pasture couldn't find her. Decided to check at the feed bunk.... yep, not a care in the world and a face full of hay ..... I'll never be a cattleman :( :D

Just a wantabe's life this morning, Calving season has started! :D

Alan

I was having train wrecks and my old mentor which is anal on birth weight and calving ease finally found a piece of hickory hard enough to get my attention. I can still hear him you can't sell that one he is dead (which was obvious). Followed by that cow will be on welfare for another year. I became anal on birthweight and CE went to Braxton Giant 1 and Vindicator never lost a calf at birth. I had a run of seven years without a calf loss, I have a small herd of 25 cows but it is still the percentages. I have had two since from the same cow, culled her and had one breech.

Forgot to add I don't even check them now with the genetics I have in the herd. It was a hard expensive lesson but I did learn.
 
As soon as you figure out when you're finally a real cattleman, let the rest of us know the trick.
I've been at this for longer then a lot of the folks on here have been alive and I still learn new stuff regualry, and the girls still fool me on a regualr basis.

dun
 
dun":27a4v75l said:
As soon as you figure out when you're finally a real cattleman, let the rest of us know the trick.
I've been at this for longer then a lot of the folks on here have been alive and I still learn new stuff regualry, and the girls still fool me on a regualr basis.

dun

You got that right about the time I think I have this figure out, I will have a wreck on something new.
 
Alan - I have the final and true answer to your question.

When you have your yard set up for easy handling, when you have your herd set up for easy calving, when you have your sleep schedule set up for easy handling of YOU, when you have your feed set up for easy handling - then you are close.

When you can go to town without worrying about how the animals are doing, when you can check on them once every couple of days and know they are doing ok when you are not there, when you can doctor and brand and rope and round 'em up, when you can look at them and tell they are not feeling well - and you know why, when your fences are solid and the bulls stay in/out as required - then you are closer.

When you can actually go to the sale barn and do well on your own, when you can sell yours and always top the market you are now getting really close.

But when you can get your wife to do all of the above and not get annoyed at you when you tell her supper was a little cold, or that shirt wasn't as white as it should have been - well my friend - you are truly there!!! 8)

<now diving for cover>

Bez>
 
Bez>":3mgc30je said:
But when you can get your wife to do all of the above and not get annoyed at you when you tell her supper was a little cold, or that shirt wasn't as white as it should have been - well my friend - you are truly there!!! 8)

<now diving for cover>

Bez>

Spoken like a true neanderthal! :p I know, I know - I took the bait hook, line, and sinker! :roll: :lol: :lol: How are you? It's good to have your faux sexist comments back on the boards! :lol: :lol:
 
Bez>":32r0j5pz said:
Alan - I have the final and true answer to your question.

When you have your yard set up for easy handling, when you have your herd set up for easy calving, when you have your sleep schedule set up for easy handling of YOU, when you have your feed set up for easy handling - then you are close.

When you can go to town without worrying about how the animals are doing, when you can check on them once every couple of days and know they are doing ok when you are not there, when you can doctor and brand and rope and round 'em up, when you can look at them and tell they are not feeling well - and you know why, when your fences are solid and the bulls stay in/out as required - then you are closer.

When you can actually go to the sale barn and do well on your own, when you can sell yours and always top the market you are now getting really close.

But when you can get your wife to do all of the above and not get annoyed at you when you tell her supper was a little cold, or that shirt wasn't as white as it should have been - well my friend - you are truly there!!! 8)

<now diving for cover>

Bez>

I Agree
 
Alan":21bmqe51 said:
Just when I thought I was getting the hang of things and on my way to being a real cattleman, I was shoved back into the ranks "wantabe newbie".

I knew I had a first time heifer ready to calve yesterday, tail head up, she was off by herself all day, not a lot of attention to feed, she was paying a lot of attention to her belly, her butt was mush. I checked her for the last time at about 10 last night, still nothing. I got up at about 5:30 this morning and light enough at 6 to see a little calf in the lower corner wobbling around. This first time heifer is good enough stock I was excited to go down and check to see if I got a potential replacement heifer. As I walked through the pasture the closer I got I reallized this was a calf out of one of my older cows, her fourth bull calf out of 4. I knew this heifer must be close or have a calf on the ground so I search the pasture couldn't find her. Decided to check at the feed bunk.... yep, not a care in the world and a face full of hay ..... I'll never be a cattleman :( :D

Just a wantabe's life this morning, Calving season has started! :D

Alan

Alan you make it about 48 hours before you die, just in time to realize the kids are going to haul everything to the salebarn the day after your funeral.
 
(Alan you make it about 48 hours before you die, just in time to realize the kids are going to haul everything to the salebarn the day after your funeral.)


LOL! :D
 
msscamp":352am9s2 said:
Bez>":352am9s2 said:
But when you can get your wife to do all of the above and not get annoyed at you when you tell her supper was a little cold, or that shirt wasn't as white as it should have been - well my friend - you are truly there!!! 8)

<now diving for cover>

Bez>

Spoken like a true neanderthal! :p I know, I know - I took the bait hook, line, and sinker! :roll: :lol: :lol: How are you? It's good to have your faux sexist comments back on the boards! :lol: :lol:

Me? A neanderthal?

Msscamp - you are a true cattle and horse lady - and more than a capable sort - so I take your comments to heart as always and am crushed.

Will be sure to find a way to get back at you young lady!! 8)

Have a good one,

Bez>
 
Bez>":3mq18nvc said:
msscamp":3mq18nvc said:
Bez>":3mq18nvc said:
But when you can get your wife to do all of the above and not get annoyed at you when you tell her supper was a little cold, or that shirt wasn't as white as it should have been - well my friend - you are truly there!!! 8)

<now diving for cover>

Bez>

Spoken like a true neanderthal! :p I know, I know - I took the bait hook, line, and sinker! :roll: :lol: :lol: How are you? It's good to have your faux sexist comments back on the boards! :lol: :lol:

Me? A neanderthal?

Msscamp - you are a true cattle and horse lady - and more than a capable sort - so I take your comments to heart as always and am crushed.

Will be sure to find a way to get back at you young lady!! 8)

Have a good one,

Bez>

:lol: :lol:
 
Agree with the one who said a cow with a face full of hay, is better than a dead calf.
Just don't learn as I do, the hard way. Will turn bull in around June from now on, instead of May 15, because the first calf of last two years were born on coldest day of year, and both died, with this years being a reg limo bull. So much for that sale. Now after watching a new calf run through the fence after being tagged, and just being lucky before, maybe it isn't such a good idea to have cows and calves with matching #'s. I have been know to call the kids stubborn and hardheaded, guess I should have known they come by it naturally, from their mom. Hope she don't read this, cause as a wise man once told me, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Taking bets on coldest day next year, but it will surely be day first calf hits the ground.
rjr
 

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