Darn Deer

Poor wheat! Our wheat pasture has bare spots but it is not from cattle or not growing well. Dad went out to the wheat field the other day and counted 97 deer grazing our wheat field.  That’s almost as many wheat pasture calves we own in all!

[1]

My dad informed himself on the deer issue in our county.  From recent studies we have found out that the average weight of a doe has gone down from 120 pounds to 68 pounds. It is a dramatic decrease in weight is it not! The population is so high that there is not enough vegetation for all the deer to get enough groceries; therefore, the average weight for deer is on the decline. Every hunter is worried about getting the big buck, but then the small bucks breed their bad genetics into the deer population.  I have been noticing that in the past few years I have been seeing less massive bucks and moor smaller framed bucks. I guess the positive side to the now smaller deer is that if you hit one in your vehicle the damage will be less. Hahaha!

[2]

Just this morning my brother was on his way to work and he waxed a deer hard core causing a lot of expensive damage! 

So those who think deer have a right think about a car hitting a deer and it coming into the vehicle harming or even killing the passengers inside.

                For the deer population to get back down to the correct number about 1900 deer need to be killed in the county. If you are wondering what will be done with the deer if the hunters do not want the meat; the meat will be gathered in certain towns. In each town there will be a refrigerated truck trailer waiting for the unwanted deer to be stored in. When the trailers are full a near buy prison will use the meat for the inmates so no deer is going to waste!

Well until next time good hunting!

Sources-

1.       South delta hunting club. “deer in the cross hairs.” Photo.  southdeltahuntingclub.com2008.    

12-3-2010 http://www.southdeltahuntingclub.com/Deer.html

2.       My safety sign. “deer on the road.” Photo. mysafetysign.com 2010.

12-3-2010 http://www.mysafetysign.com/Crossing-Signs/Deer-Crossing-Signs.aspx

Fallow up

Have you ever felt bad when a change in weather occurs? Cattle feel the react the same way as humans would. You can get a runny nose and so can cattle.

 

[1]

In my last post I talked about pneumonia which is a respiratory infection, this post is more so a fallow up to it. There are many other respiratory infections other than pneumonia. Bovine Respiratory Disease [2], BRSV [3], and many more are infections in the respiratory system that are very contagious even can cause death! Once the animal has come down with a respiratory infection, it is the beginning of a very strenuous process of doctoring the animal. Keep an eye open for more that may come down with the same sickness. The medicines you will need to get the animal heeled up are not cheap! Prices for medicine rage any where from $50-$700 dollars a bottle. Expensive necessity! If you were thinking that, you would just let them either recover or die on their own think about this. If the cow that is sick is weighing in at about 950 lbs. and has a calf still on here she will more than likely bring any where from $800-$1250. If you let her die, you have lost a good amount and if you do not have, the meds to doctor the next you can loose a lot of money quick fast and in a hurry!

[4]

Most of the infections can be treated with Nuflour Gold. A bottle of Nuflour cost about $130. Not to bad when $130 is against a $1000 cow. Take you pick. The weather can be more than just cold, rainy, snowing, or just hot. Weather can be the worst nightmare for any farmer rancher or people who just do not like the cold. Keep your eye to the sky![5]

[6]

Sources_

[1] http://www.clipartoday.com/clipart/cartoon/cartoon_266435.html

[2] http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/ah_beef_04.pdf

[3] http://calfranch.com/Disease/Calf%20Respirtory.html

[4] Andy. “Guide to Make Money.” Photo: 7-24-09. 11-17-10. Retrieved from: http://www.uk2.net/blog/guide-to-making-money-online-pt-1/

[5] http://www.weather.gov/\

[6] Bradi.“The winter sun, just above the horizon creates a red sky.” Photo: 6-16-08 11-17-10 Retrieved from: http://www.wjon.com/ShareYourWorldPictures/Pictures61662208/tabid/5848/Default.aspx

The weathers toll on animals

Have you ever felt bad when a change in weather occurs? Cattle feel the react the same way as humans would. You can get a runny nose and so can cattle.

In my last post I talked about pneumonia which is a respiratory infection, this post is more so a fallow up to it. There are many other respiratory infections other than pneumonia. Bovine Respiratory Disease [2], BRSV [3], and many more are infections in the respiratory system that are very contagious even can cause death! Once the animal has come down with a respiratory infection, it is the beginning of a very strenuous process of doctoring the animal. Keep an eye open for more that may come down with the same sickness. The medicines you will need to get the animal heeled up are not cheap! Prices for medicine rage any where from $50-$700 dollars a bottle. Expensive necessity! If you were thinking that, you would just let them either recover or die on their own think about this. If the cow that is sick is weighing in at about 950 lbs. and has a calf still on here she will more than likely bring any where from $800-$1250. If you let her die, you have lost a good amount and if you do not have, the meds to doctor the next you can loose a lot of money quick fast and in a hurry!

Most of the infections can be treated with Nuflour Gold. A bottle of Nuflour cost about $130. Not to bad when $130 is against a $1000 cow. Take you pick. The weather can be more than just cold, rainy, snowing, or just hot. Weather can be the worst nightmare for any farmer rancher or people who just do not like the cold. Keep your eye to the sky!

Hot or Cold

These past few weeks have been grueling for my sinuses. One week it has been cold and the next it is hot! I wish it would make up its mind! For cattle the trend of being hot one day and cold the next, can cause respiratory diseases that can be fatal. Pneumonia a fast acting respiratory infection is common during a period like this. Once a calf has taken to the infection many antibiotics and vitamins will be needed to help boost the animal’s immune system.

[1]

Pneumonia can be a very fast assassin. The animal can be fine one day and the next it could be barely walking. A few signs of pneumonia are downed head, white mucus from the nose or even a dry and pealing nose due to fever, constant coughing, and an un-fresh look about the cow, [2]. If you run across a cow that has the symptoms it is a good idea to gather it up a doctor it ASAP. Meds needed to get the job done are Baytril[2], Banamine, Neuflour, vitamin B-12, each being an antibiotic to fight respiratory disease.

[3]

                Pneumonia is not only hard on the animal but the owner too. If the animal goes through many vaccinations and still does not come through, it will be a big loss for the cattle owner. Between the medicine and what the what the calf is worth the farmer can lose anywhere from $100-$1000 just from one loss. The most vulnerable conditions for a calf to catch pneumonia are poor air, vitamin deficiencies, and castration. 

[4]

When Pneumonia is caught soon enough it is an easy fix and the animal will surely recover, but if caught to late it could be a long-term problem of respiratory problems or even death! Stay on top of things a check your cattle regularly.

 [5]

1)      http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2010/04/09/usda-report-boosts-cattle-prices/

2)      http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm136815.htm

3)      http://www.ekinos.com.ar/new_ekinos/productos_veterinarios.php?lab=9&prod=262

4)      http://www.planbooktravel.com.au/region-images/NT/central-australia/central-australia-400x272/ooraminna-station-cattle-muster-dusty-setting.jpg/view

5) http://www.sodahead.com/fun/dead-cow-and-the-vet/blog-70571/?link=ibaf&imgurl=http://images.clipartof.com/small/12934-Dead-Cow-Lying-On-Its-Back-Its-Feet-Strait-Up-Clipart-Illustration.jpg&q=dead%2Bcow%2Bfrom%2Bpneumonia

Blister Bug Poisoning

Sad to say this past weekend I had a horse die. We are not sure what happened but we went through a spell a few months ago where blister bugs were very very thick.

[1]

If a blister bug were to get into hay or feed and be eaten by an animal it could be a silent assassin [2]. There are a few ways to find out what happened but to spend that kind of money on a deceased horse isn’t worth the trouble or the expense.

[3]

When the animal eats the insect it can cause very intense ulcers in the stomach and intestines and will cause the animal not to eat; not eating will cause a rapid weight lose so if the animal were to recover from the insect  full recovery would be years down the road. If the animal is weighing less than it should other illnesses will set in and make the road to recovery even more vigorous. So the owner is pretty much in a no win situation. A few signs we had in this case was rapid weight loss, loss of appetite, and a combination of handing head on inactiveness.

A few tips [4] when feeding your animals; check your feeds you provide and check the hay you put out. A lot of times you will get a cut off hay during the thick movement off blister bugs, and when the hay is baled up, usually the bug will be swept up a baled. I think this was how my horse ingested the bug.  Also when you are feeding in any sort of trough, be sure to check for the bug. It is very easy to dump the feed and go on about your business, but if you animal gets a blister bug [5] you will wish you had paid attention.

 [1] Candee, Mary. "Close up bug shot." Photo. N.A. October 26, 2010. Retrieved form: http://brp-journal.blogspot.com/2009/06/more-adventures-with-texas-snowbell.html

[2]http://microvet.arizona.edu/AzVDL/infoAlerts/blisterBeetle.html

[3]

[4]http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef102.asp

[5]http://www.petmd.com/horse/conditions/digestive/c_hr_blister_beetle_poisoning

 [6]
N.A. “Danger symbol”Photo. Feb 15, 2006. October 26, 2010. Retrieved:

 http://www.sxc.hu/photo/468735

Is it True? You can decide.

Some people say that animals can sense [1] whether a storm is coming, or a climate change is in the works. I personally think that animals can tell, I think this because when we are getting ready for a winter storm we always have to search the hills of our pasture to find our cattle. Usually I will find our head in the southern most part of our land in low spots with tall hills and many shrubs. I know if I were an animal and I could sense a bad storm blowing in, I would try to find cover from the northern wind!

   [2]

“Plenty of studies have shown that some animals can sense major changes in the weather. Worms, for instance, are known to flee rising groundwater. Birds are known to be sensitive to air pressure changes, and often hunker down before a big storm. In Florida, researchers studying tagged sharks say they flee to deeper water just before a big hurricane arrives. They also may be sensing the air and water pressure changes caused by the big storm.” (Can animals predict disaster?) Studies have shown that animals can predict the weather. Stranger behavior in your animals gives away that there could be some sort of weather disturbance [3] coming in.

[4]

In addition, I have noticed even though the winter months are not here yet, animals start growing a thicker coat. This is an obvious sign that some sort of cooling in the temperature is in the near future. I have noticed already that many of our horses’ coats have been thickening every week and now in this week’s forecast[5] there is going to be a strong cold front moving in to the area  a cooling things down quite a bit! So from my horses’ coat, I have concluded that yes, animals can predict the weather! So pay attention to your animals they are smarter than you think.

[6]

[1]http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/can-animals-predict-disaster/tall-tales-or-true/131/

[2] Cybastean. “Cattle and looming storm.” June 16, 2007. October 19, 2010. Retrieved from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cybastean/561411522/

[3]http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?p=339644

 [4] Auto News. “weather map.” March 13, 2007. October 19, 2010 retrieved from http://www.blowupmyride.com/?page_id=4

[5]http://www.weather.gov/

[6] Mitchell, E. “Worlds ugliest dogs”. 2008. October 19, 2010. Retrieved from: http://blog.seattlepi.com/filmhound/month.asp?blogmonth=6/1/200

Gone with the Wind

Gone with the Wind

Wind it is an Ac in the summer and a nightmare in the winter! The wind has always been a major issue in the central U.S. The wind can have a major influence on the way winter crops and cattle produce. If the wind is blowing hard like it normally does,  and you have just planted your wheat, the top soil will blow off along  with the seed you paid for; Not a good thing! In addition, if you have a winter storm blow in and the wind is howling you can lose cattle in a white out or they could freeze; not a good thing either.

[1]

Sheltering cattle through the winter can be a very tough and tiresome job. Cowboys rarely get sleep in this time because usually the operation is calving out first time heifers. First time heifers are cattle that have not been calved out and 90% of the time, cannot have the calf by themselves. Therefore, the hands have to do a check every hour depending on how close the heifers are. The wind can be a major problem to a newborn calf. The calf just being born will have after birth left, which will freeze and cause pneumonia and can very easily kill the calf.

[2]

When the wind is up and the rainfall is down many wheat pasture crops a blown out and the rancher is out of ground for the winter. The solution to this problem is either sell your heard or find more pasture that isn’t gone and try to lease the country, but most of the time if you lose your pasture you probably won’t have the funds to lease more wheat ground. You probably did not think wind could do so much costly damage for a rancher. So next time the wind is up think of the hard workers trying to keep their lively hood running and give them a few prayers. This is what every rancher prays fore!

[3]

[1]Leiker, Dave. “ Black cattle.”Photo. Kansasphotos.com5Febuary 2009. October 11, 2010. Retrieved fromhttp://kansasphotos.com/wp/2009/02/page/46/

[2]Amateur Photo. “Newborn calf.” Amateurphotoart.com October 13, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.amateurphotoart.com/pics.asp?pCat=farm&crntPage=2&oldPageNbr=1&maxPageNbr=8

[3]Zadelew. “white cattle heard on wheat pasture.” April 29, 2006. October 13, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/59526103@N00/137649071/

 

Good Stuff!

Have you ever wondered what kinds of minerals you should have out for the season you’re in, the age of your cattle heard, or for the drought/ wet period. There are many different types of minerals you can put out so many I won’t mention them all, but I will mention the minerals that we keep out on our operation. During the summer we usually keep out high magnesium loose mineral. This mineral helps protect from nitrate poisoning. Nitrate poisoning is cause from the animal consuming too much nitrogen from the soil. We had a bad case of nitrate poisoning go through our herd this summer. We lost six head of cattle in two days. Not Good. We lost an estimated $7200. That was a big boo boo for us! At first we didn’t know exactly what was happening, we got with our local vet we use, he had us draw fluid from behind the retina. The reason for us drawing fluid from that location was because if the animal has died of nitrogen poisoning the only trace of the sickness will be found in the fluid. It came back positive for nitrate poisoning [1], so we put out high magnesium mineral quick fast and in a hurry! 

     

[2]

There are many ways you can provide cattle with mineral. Feeds you buy, mineral blocks, loose mineral, and the grass you have them on. For our operation we use loose mineral, salt blocks and 20% protein cake.

[3]

We like to make sure the nutrition is there when the animal needs it. This brings me back to the point that animals rely on us to survive, and if we fall short on the job then the profit will not be what it could be.  Be sure to pay attention to farm sources out there to find what is best for you and the animal you’re feeding. We stay on top of drover’s journal and Texas monthly to get what we need. Also pay attention to the weather [4] it plays a big part in your animals’ lives!

Stockade Brands[6-1-2008] High magnesium mineral. Stockade Brands. Retrieved from:http://www.stockadebrands.com/products.cfm?productID=47&cat=9           

Pet and animal Hardware store [2009] Mineral block. Hardware store. Retrieved from

http://farm-and-pet.hardwarestore.com/110-614-dairy-and-beef-supplements.aspx

Eiker, Kerri. [1-2-10] winter journals. Goose creek farm. Retrieved from

http://goose-creek-farm.com/2010/01/winter-journals/

AccuWeather. (n.d.). Forecast. Retrieved from

http://www.accuweather.com/us/-999/city-weather-forecast.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0

It's a little bit nippy this morning!

I woke up this morning with my ac blowing full blast and the room colder than an igloo. I wasn’t aware I woke up this morning with my ac blowing full blast and the room of the cool front that came in last night.  I love the cool weather of fall but it’s not always a good thing. If you have a freeze to early on a wheat crop you just planted it can be painful for the pocket book and will put you out of pasture for the winter, that pasture I’m talking about is the ground you put your cattle on when the other local grasses go dormant and don’t have the nutrition the cattle need to produce a lot of milk for the calves and the energy they need to stay warm.

[1]

Now doesn’t this grass look a whole lot better than this?

[2]

Wheat is one of the most popular winter crops for just about anywhere.  The nutrition stays high during the harsh winter months and when wheat goes dormant your love grass and other grasses are ready to be grazed. All of my life this grazing cycle has been a part of our ranch operations and has been very successful. I don’t ever remember our wheat freezing out to early and we not having a bad winter thank the Lord. I know that if we were to have an early freeze and our winter grounds went to pot we might have to consider selling our calf crop of even our heard because we couldn’t make it through the winter.  Many people have gotten mad at the way we do things because they think you will work enough when your grown but they have no clue of the responsibilities that come with owning and living on a ranch. That is the lively hood of our ranch so whatever needs to be done for the ranch takes priority over whatever is going on at the time. If I were to put off doing a certain job like checking water in the winter and it gets froze over the herd could die within a day from not getting a drink. Water in the winter is just as important as having feed for the cattle.  Cattle drink water and it helps keep them from freezing to death.  The winter is coming so I’ve got a list of everyday chores that must be done in order to keep things rolling in our ranch operation. Check your calendars and know when you should be preparing for winter.

[3]

Sources-

1)      Pennstate, . (Photographer). (2004). Winterwheat. [Web]. Retrieved from http://fcn.agronomy.psu.edu/2004/FCN0409.html

2)      B. E. DAHL and P. F. COTTER, . (Photographer). (2010). dormant lovegrass. [Web]. Retrieved from www.rw.ttu.edu/../images/mnote_5/photo_9.jpg

3)      Calender. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.mpscdrc.nic.in/calender.htm

Well should I?

Here recently I have been informed that now is the time to buy cattle, because Louisiana is running out of grass quick fast and in a hurry due to the lack of rainfall(1).

(2)

(4)

One thing a cattle buyer should always be on top of is the market.

Cattle markets are so very vital, if you go to sell a load of cattle and the market is lower then what you bought the animal for and you have already made deals to sell, then you have put yourself in a big hole financially. Not good!

There is nothing hard about looking up the cattle market, you just have to search on the net for the national cattle market and bing there it is at the convenience of your fingertips. If you are interested in buying cattle, if I were you I would make a move if it’s possible. Welp I am out, night a sweet dreams!

(5)

Sources-

1).http://www.wwltv.com/weather/?nTar=OPUR&iq_id=7824019

2). Persure, Steve. "Drought in the bayuo" Photo. May 14, 2010.

September 21,2010.

http://chadpurser.blogspot.com/2007/05/drought-in-bayou.html

3).http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/09/prweb4551264.htm

4).Consumer world. " Empty Pockets". Photo. August 2, 2010.

September 21, 2010

http://www.consumerworld.org/archive/aug0210.htm

5).Istockphoto."sleeping cowboy."Photo.

September 21,2010 .http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-3529393-sleeping-cowboy.php

Louisiana has had a lull in their precipitation here lately, which has pushed ranchers to sell out their cattle crop this year. Droughts are never a good thing for the people in the area. If a cattle owner has his money tied up in his stock then is forced to sell because of the lack of grass he has. When a cattle owner sells out, like I am talking about it usually isn’t a good turn out financially and he will usually be in debt(3). Which to any person, is not good! Even though he sells out that doesn’t mean he clears what he has invested in the animal. There is always the chance of having to sell for less then what you had bought the animal for or having more money tied up in feed and medicine then what you sold for. The cattle operations is a very tricky business and if you aren’t two steps a head of the game at all times you may be in a world up hurt.

Dry, Dryer, And too Dry.

Good golly miss Molly! It is getting supper dry[1] around these parts?  It has been a fairly dry end of summer and the dust is flying and the grass is dying. Have you ever been in a mini dust bowl? Not fun, let me tell you about it.

[2]

I don’t guess I should be complaining, we aren’t anywhere close to the dust bowl of the 1930’s. It was so bad that the sand in the air would get into anything and everything! People during the time would try to keep out the sand by nailing sheets over the windows to hopefully keep out the dreadful terrors/sand trying to make its way in.  Keep any kind of livestock was almost impossible to keep alive and healthy. The animals that did make it for a little while weren’t in any shape to be eaten due to the lack of nutrition they weren't in-taking.

[3]

The cattle crop went way down during the dust bowl and drove the price of meat tremendously high. As the price of meat went higher the animals weren’t the only beings dying off slowly.   

So what caused [4] the dust bowl? Was it government stupidity, personal, stupidity, or just a natural disaster? We may never know the reason. The answer is out of our hands.

I know that things are running smoothly now days and I can have a steak just about whenever thank the Lord! I am so thankful for the cattle market being good[5]. If it weren’t for the high cattle market the past few years I wouldn’t have gotten my pick-up paid for when I did.  If you can manage a few cows and work the numbers right it is very possible to make a good amount of pocket money. Cows are animals that depend on us to take care of them so don’t take the job lightly.

[6]

Sources-

[1] Harris-Man. “LongRange Weather.” Link.www.longrangeweather.com 2009. September 14, 2010.

http://www.longrangeweather.com/Weather-Forecasts.htm

[2]  NASA. “Dust Bowl.” Photo. www.nasa.gov. March 18,2004. September 13,2010

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/view.php?old=2004031816664

[3] Horrington, John.”Dust bowl and the Great depression.”Photo.www.historylecture.org. July 2009. September 13, 2010.

http://www.historylecture.org/dustbowl.html

[4] Oblack, Rachelle. “What caused the dust bowl?”  Link.www.about.com  2010. September  14 ,2010

http://weather.about.com/od/weatherfaqs/f/dustbowl.htm

[5] USDA.” Livestock market report.”Report.www.cattletoday.com September 13,2010. September 13,2010.

http://www.cattletoday.com/livestock_market_report.htm

[6] Tomas099. “Fat Cows.”Photo. www.worth1000.com.  July 26, 2006. September 14, 2010.

http://www.worth1000.com/entries/300077/fat-cows

Oh Boy!

The world may never know why in the world the saying "the turtle is crossing the road, it must be going to rain!” I for one do not! [1]



I’ve heard all my life that when the turtle crosses the road there is going to be storms! The more I try to figure it out the more amusement I get out of the fact there is nothing behind the myth, but as long as the turtle crosses and the rain falls I won’t be asking any questions. So far there must be a lot of turtles crossing because all of the weather disturbances that hurricane[2] earl is spitting out towards the United States, it's quite amazing!



So far there hasn’t been much precipitation for any of the dry land wheat to soak up and grow. Boys this little disaster is really starting to concern these farmers. Naturally wheat has to get good little showers over it early or the crop will just not produce like you need it, and if the crop doesn’t produce enough then the farmers can’t put cattle out to get fattened up for market!



If wheat production decreases then you can see your bread you like so well go through the roof, price wise. Times are hard as it is with out the prices of food going up.





This graph[3] shows the wheat usage for the past 27 years, I don’t know if you notice or not the recent wheat usage trend is going in an upward trend, so if the production is down and usage is up what is going to happen? There will be a shortage in what we can buy and an inflation on the wheat products we can buy.
So keep the rain here! none of that rain, go away sillyness! Theres not a whole lot that you can do but please reframe from saying you hate rain[4]!


Sources-



[1]Picture 1
Gamble, Tony. “Turtle crossing the road.” Photo. Bellmusem.org.2003. 9-8-10

http://www.bellmuseum.org/herpetology/turtleroad.html

[2]Picture 2

Sterling, Steve. “hurricane hermin”. Photo. Internettoblow.com 9-8-10. 9-8-10<http://intenttoblow.com/?p=43>.

[3]graph 1-
Big picture agriculture. “Wheat statistics”. Graph. Bigpictureagriculture.blogspot.com May 19,2010

http://bigpictureagriculture.blogspot.com/2010/05/on-wheat-production-and-stocks.html

[4] Long range weather forecast. "weather forecast".link. almanac.com September 12, 2010

http://www.almanac.com/weather/longrange

Get Ready!

Get Ready!


First blog I’ve ever done in my life so bare with me. A lot of ideas aroused in my mind about what to blog about but the fact that ranching and cattle are always on my mind so why not help others out with tips and ideas that I have. This blog is more so aimed for the first time farmers/ranchers who are trying to get their own spread started but haven’t a clue on feeding habits, how to treat sicknesses or how to conserve and save while getting good results from the animals you are feeding. Animals depend on us when it comes down it. Equally grazing a field, checking minerals, and having the right groceries they need to do a good job raising their young, so don’t take the business lightly they need to eat and stay healthy just as you do. I say this but if it comes down to it where your struggling to make the bills and put bread on the table you should consider selling before it gets too bad. Family first!

Supposively “the winter is going to be a bad one”, says the old timers in the in the community. Due to the rapid cool offs we have had and the couple of years since we have had a harsh winter, it could very well play out to be a dusey of a winter! (4)

(1)

Tips on getting the farm ready-(2)

Having hay stored up for the winter to feed your livestock is a fairly cheap way to feed in the winter. Hay being high in protein and nutrients it is a good ration for those winter months that can get very harsh. Alfalfa hay is a very good source for the minerals and extra protein you need. I know that in recent winters my Dad has found alfalfa hay very cheap because it was the older cut from the first of the summer. Cheap is always a good thing in the cattle market! The less expenses you have in the animal you’re feeding, means more money in your pocket when you sell it! Not too long ago a type of molasses came out for cattle that were the by-products of ethanol, the product had tons of fat and proteins that gave the cow energy and the groceries it needed for the cold winter days, this product was also fairly cheap!

Also a little tip, when you put your hay bales out, putting the bales in a draw or behind trees opposite that the wind is blowing will help keep cattle out of the wind which will help them burn their energy on producing milk for the calf rather than using extra to stay warm. A lot of times farmers/ranchers have trouble finding hay to feed, but there is always hay that you can feed! If you’re having trouble finding hay just ask the feed store workers where you buy feed or look in the news papers. There is always someone selling hay. A few sources that will keep you up to date on the latest cattle trends also all of the new and in-proved cattle feeds/medicines are Drovers journal and whatever (state you’re in )monthly cattle-men’s journal also farm bureau almanac. Well until next time “good farming!”

Reference-

1) (Aug 30)Picture retrieved from wildwhiteclouds.com

2) (Sept 1st)Hobbyfarms.com, The right nutrition and cheap ways to do it

http://www.hobbyfarms.com/crops-and-gardening/hay-feeding-14792.aspx (Thomas, HST. (n.d.). Hay and feeding advice for farmers. Retrieved from http://www.hobbyfarms.com/crops-and-gardening/hay-feeding-14792.aspx )

3) (Sept 1st) Farm bureau, . (n.d.). Farm bureau. Retrieved from http://www.arfb.com/

4). (Sept 1st) Weather forecast http://www.dryday.com/