Cow Shopping

[CrealCritter]

It seems rather odd shopping for feeder angus. I mean it's not like they sell them at Walmart for me, I guess it's a good thing I live in Angus country. So this morning, I put the word out on the country grape vine. Looking for two angus black or red weened feeder steers or heifers, accept delivery Monday the 15th. The country grape vine is local word of mouth. It works as good, if not better than market place.

I've got 2 cattle accounted for and process date with our local processor for next fall. All I have left to do is hang 2 16' gates and set up a water through, Lord willing I'll have that done Saturday..

Offers are just starting to come in. First picture came in.

More to follow, I'm sure.


Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[The Porch]

It seems rather odd shopping for feeder angus. I mean it's not like they sell them at Walmart for me, I guess it's a good thing I live in Angus country. So this morning, I put the word out on the country grape vine. Looking for two angus black or red weened feeder steers or heifers, accept delivery Monday the 15th. The country grape vine is local word of mouth. It works as good, if not better than market place.

I've got 2 cattle accounted for and process date with our local processor for next fall. All I have left to do is hang 2 16' gates and set up a water through, Lord willing I'll have that done Saturday..

Offers are just starting to come in. First picture came in.
View attachment 17035

More to follow, I'm sure.


Jesus is Lord and Christ

OUTSTANDING!!!

 

[baymule]

If you, extended family and various friends will consume 2 beeves in a year’s time, back up your purchase with 2 weanlings. It takes 2 years for good beef. Time it right and you have 2 ready for slaughter date, 2 coming up behind for next year. Take 2 to slaughter, buy 2 more. Talk to your local growers. You may be able to buy yearlings, but most people around here take calves to auction at 6-8 months old.

 

[CrealCritter]

If you, extended family and various friends will consume 2 beeves in a year’s time, back up your purchase with 2 weanlings. It takes 2 years for good beef. Time it right and you have 2 ready for slaughter date, 2 coming up behind for next year. Take 2 to slaughter, buy 2 more. Talk to your local growers. You may be able to buy yearlings, but most people around here take calves to auction at 6-8 months old.

That's kind of my plan. But I need to get the other 4 acre pasture fenced in first. I'll be working over the winter to get that done, so by spring it will be completed.

Then I'll look for two angus spring calfs and a processing date for them in the fall.

Two 4 acre pastures for rotation should be ok for 4 angus (2 yearlings and two calfs) during spring, summer and fall and two angus yearling during winter, plus 1 full time dexter.

My wife also wants a dexter heifer to milk. Dexter's are small, so hopefully my plan won't put stress on the pastures.

I don't want too many head and not enough grass. Then again I don't want to few head and leave grass standing either. I realize there will be a balance, of number of head vs what the pastures can support. I'll just have to figure out what that balance is and adjust according.

I'm not raising them for profit. I'm raising them for food. Plus It will be nice to have animals take care of bush-hogging for me instead of me bush hogging with the tractor and have it go to waste.

For graining I can purchase corn right out of the field and have it loaded off the harvester from my neighbor. I think for starters I'll store in 275 gallon totes and see how that works at least they will be easy to move around with my bobcat.

I hope this all makes sense? Trying to live as local as possible and support my local community in the process. Hopefully by this time next year we can put an end to buying beef from the grocery store.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[baymule]

It actually helps the pasture to mow it after you rotate livestock out of that pasture. The grass they didn't eat, then gets chopped up and becomes humus for the soil. The grass is then all one height and the livestock likes the tender new growth. If left on the pasture too long, the cows will continue to nip off the new growth, not giving the grass a chance to grow. You have a good plan for raising your own beef.

 

[CrealCritter]

Almost done... Just need to set up the watering through. Fetch a old hay round out of the orchard and spread it out in the stalls might take two rounds?. I bought this rubbermaid "stock tank", 150 gallons should be enough I hope. If not it's big enough for both of us to take a bath in.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Well I'm quite sure that two Hereford Angus cross steers, will be delivered sometime next week.

We put my wife's Rottweiler and her Hunting dog on the 4 acre pasture. They couldn't find a way out. They both had a blast and are now passed out, snoring.

Familiar Stance

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Surprisingly there's a lot of good hay in those old nasty rounds. Still have 5 or 6 of those old hay rounds left. I guess I could use them for feed if I run out of this year's early summer hay.

Here's is their shelter, all hayed in with one round of old nasty hay. 2 undivided 12 x 20 stalls, open to the east. And a stretch of field fence to sperate it from the other 2 12 x 20 stalls that I'll use for storage.

8 1/2 rounds of early summer cut hay for feed. I stacked the rounds on pallets to keep it from rotting on the bottom.

Bring on the beasties, we are ready.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

I got my barn back \o/ wife's ducks are on the pasture and staying the night in the cow shelter now. I told her if you want to keep your ducks safe for the night put your hunting dog in the pasture. There's lots of hay he'll stay warm. She said I WILL NOT! he's too old and needs to stay inside, lay on his bed when he wants too. Then she said I'm going to have a time finding eggs in the morning in all that hay. She's something else, she has her ways . All she has to do is open the gate in the morning and I already know her ducks will run for the pond. As far as eggs, well we'll see.

Hi they call me Baxter, I used to be his dog. I used to be an outside dog, that slept during the day where ever I wanted to and I guarded the property at night. He would sometimes take me hunting, I loved it when he would shoot a rabbit and I got to go and pick it up and bring it back to him.

But now I'm her dog and I'm inside most all the time, except when I let her know I need to use the bathroom. When I'm done using the bathroom, I bark at the door and she lets me back in. This is my bed that I lay on, I sleep a lot now. When I'm not sleeping, I get spoiled beyond belief.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[baymule]

My husband always said if there is such thing as reincarnation, he wanted to come back as one of my animals. I told him not to come back as a chicken! And don't come back as a pig! Safest thing he could be is a dog!