# Pics of my baby cows



## Rammy (Apr 7, 2018)




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## Alaskan (Apr 7, 2018)

that one with the white circle on its face is something else... what breed?


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## Rammy (Apr 7, 2018)

Its suppose to be an Angus as well. I think some can have white in their face. Doesnt really matter to me. Shes my favorite just because shes different.

Rammy


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## Alaskan (Apr 7, 2018)

I agree. .. different is fun!  I just haven't ever seen one with a white ring like that.


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## Alaskan (Apr 7, 2018)

Are these calves to breed or to eat?


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## Rammy (Apr 8, 2018)

Eat.  And sell two this fall. Whoever gets fatter will be the winner at the dinner table. 

Rammy


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## Alaskan (Apr 8, 2018)

yum!   Happy baby meat is the best meat!


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## farmerjan (Apr 8, 2018)

They are probably angus but the one with the white face has something else in it.  Either hereford or maybe simmental.  They are known as black white face or "black baldies" but are a composite.  They are supposed to grow a little better as a composite breed than most straight bred animals. Think hybrid vigor.  Purebred angus do not have white on their face and actually cannot have any white forward of the "belly button" and then only on the underside and perhaps a little on the udder.  Unless you are breeding purebred and selling them with papers, it really doesn't matter for raising them for meat.


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## Rammy (Apr 8, 2018)

Your probably right. She is a little bigger than the other two. The other two have some brown or red on them so Im sure they are not purebred. Doesnt matter as you said since they are being raised for meat and two will  be taken to auction this fall.
The one that escaped, if you read that post, escaped from my neighbors place when a tree branch fell on the fence. She is in with this guys cows. So my neighbor is going to get her back when the guy next door cuts some of his and she is going bye bye.
She is just too wild. Will let someone else deal with her.

Rammy


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## farmerjan (Apr 8, 2018)

AGREE, ship her asap and be done.  We do not keep any fence jumpers or "high - headed" cattle as they will teach all the rest to be that way.  I always like to give them a chance as they sometimes have just had a traumatic experience.  But, the older I get the less tolerant I am.  If that neighbor is getting some of his in to ship to market, then just let him take her on with his and have him put her in your name.  Give him something for hauling and don't even worry about your neighbor having to deal with her.  If he is going to cut out some of his but not ship them, then I agree, let the neighbor get her on the trailer and not get off til she is in the stockyards.  Give him something fair for taking care of her and transporting her and be done.
If the others have some brown or reddish in them then they could very well have some other blood in them besides angus.  Or they could be a little vitamin deficient, as that will cause hair coats to be reddish sometimes.  Make sure they are getting minerals along with a salt block, or use a mineral mix that has salt in it.  They will grow better if they have the needed minerals.


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## Rammy (Apr 8, 2018)

My neighbor is freinds with the guy who now has the runaway cow. Thats one reason I didnt want her back when she escaped twice out of my field, then three more times from two other pastures.
I know it was a fluke that a branch fell on the fence giving her another opportunity, but the fact she took it tells me she is more trouble than she is worth.
Im sure Russ, my neighbor, will compensate the guy who has her now. Since Russ has only paid me for one cow out of the four we got total, the runaway cow is HIS problem. 
I do have a mineral tub out there for them but thought about getting the loose mineral another member suggested to make sure they are getting enough.
Right now Im giving them feed from the Amish place we get feed from. The guy there recommended it and they really like it.
I was wondering if these cows were red/ black Angus crosses. In the long run, they are just walking lawnmowers for the pasture and possibly hamburger later on.

Rammy


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## Alaskan (Apr 8, 2018)

I love hamburger!


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## Jennifer Hinkle (Apr 9, 2018)

farmerjan said:


> They are probably angus but the one with the white face has something else in it.  Either hereford or maybe simmental.  They are known as black white face or "black baldies" but are a composite.  They are supposed to grow a little better as a composite breed than most straight bred animals. Think hybrid vigor.  Purebred angus do not have white on their face and actually cannot have any white forward of the "belly button" and then only on the underside and perhaps a little on the udder.  Unless you are breeding purebred and selling them with papers, it really doesn't matter for raising them for meat.


My grandparents raised holsteins for milking and had beef cows also. We used to call the white faced ones( Molly Face). Don't Know if they were the same as these, but they look the same.  I haven't really been around cattle since I was a teenager. They retired the Dairy back in '98. But I used to love living the life with this experience. Not very many people have Dairies any more It is lost in history.


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## Rammy (Apr 9, 2018)

I wish I had more room for more cows. Cant put too many on 3 acres. Would love to have cows year around but the pasture wouldnt sustain cattle longterm unless I was able to rotate or reseed with something that doesnt die off in the winter.

Rammy


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## Baymule (Apr 9, 2018)

I love cows, I miss having cows. But I went with sheep as being more sensible on 8 acres that is mostly wooded. And I have 3 horses as well. Horses are a hole in you pocket that you dump money in. 

On the minerals, I keep sheep mineral mix out for my sheep, but noticed my newborn lambs licking up dirt from new gopher mounds. Hmmmm...... I had bought Azomite for the garden, which is rock dust from an ancient lava flow in Utah. So I offered some to the sheep. They ate it with gusto. Then I studied grass tetany and calcium issues with lactating ewes and offered dolomite lime. They chow down on that too. So even though the mineral mix supposedly is complete, my sheep told me different.

My point is, it might not hurt to offer your cows a choice of minerals along with the mix you give them now. Do you have a 3 sided shed or shelter where you could put the minerals out to keep them dry?


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## Rammy (Apr 9, 2018)

I went to TSC and got some loose mineral for cows. I have an overhang they can go under behind the barn where I have thier trough and figured I can put the mineral in a flat feed pan my horse used to eat from and just give them free choice.
They also have a purina mineral tub they can lick on. I do want to make sure they have everything they need even though they will be gone this fall.
Im also giving them a little hay.

Rammy


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 9, 2018)

They need a high mag mineral to keep them from getting grass tetany until the grass turns brown...we feed it to all of our ruminants March to October usually in Southern Indiana.


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## Rammy (Apr 9, 2018)

What is grass tetany?

Rammy


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## Rammy (Apr 9, 2018)

Nevermind, found it on google. I think between the tub and the loose mineral they should be ok. If its not, will get something better. So far they are doing well. I plan on taking them to vet end of the month for health check and vaccine boosters.

Rammy


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## greybeard (Apr 9, 2018)

We only use himag here just before and during the initial spring greenup. I'll go back to summer blend by June1.


Rammy said:


> If its not, will get something better.



Know this!! By the time you know "it's not", they'll likely be dead. Grass Tetany/grass staggers works incredibly fast..often, a matter of hours. You won't have much time to correct it, and once it begins, the last thing they are going to be interested in is eating anything. Treatment is usually only successful via IV Mg.
If it doesn't say "High magnesium" or "Hi Mag" on the bag, it isn't.
Most all-season or summer blend cattle mineral is around 3-5% Mg but,  Hi Mag will be 10-14- or even 20% Mg.

The up side is, tetany affects older animals more often than younger ones, but the bad thing is, it tends to affect Angus more than some of the other breeds.
(it CAN however, affect all breeds and all ages!!!)


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## greybeard (Apr 10, 2018)

To expound...pay attention to the percentages:
The following is from a common bag of all season mineral sold at Tractor Supply:
_Producer's Pride Range Mineral is a high-quality livestock supplement that provides magnesium and other essential nutrients to your beef and non-dairy cattle. This blend of minerals offers the perfect balance of critical vitamins and a taste your cattle will love.

*Guaranteed Analysis:*
Calcium (Ca) (min.) 13.50%, Calcium (Ca) (max.) 16.00%, Phosphorus (P) (min.) 6.00%, Salt (NaCl) (min.) 20.00%, Salt (NaCl) (max.) 24.00%, Sodium (Na) (min.) 9.50%, Sodium (Na) (max.) 10.50%, Magnesium (Mg) (min.) .50%, Potassium (K) (min.) .50%, Copper (Cu) (min.) 650.00ppm, Iodine (I) (min.) 50.00ppm, Selenium (Se) (min.) 12.00ppm, Zinc (Zn) (min.) 750.00ppm, Vitamin A (min.) 15,000IU/lb, Ruminant meat and bone meal free._
That, is *.50%*  A half percent!!!

The following is from a spring mineral, also sold at Tractor Supply:
_DuMOR Spring Mineral Bag is a high-quality livestock supplement that provides magnesium and other essential nutrients to your beef and non-dairy cattle. Designed to help grazing cattle avoid grass tetany - a potentially fatal disorder that"s common during the Spring season - this premium blend of minerals provides the perfect balance of critical vitamins needed to support optimal health, reproduction and growth in cattle.

*Guaranteed Analysis:*
Calcium(Ca) (min.) 11.00%, Calcium(Ca) (max.) 13.00%, Phosphorus(P) (min.) 3.00%, Salt(NaCl) (min.) 17.00%, Salt(NaCl) (max.) 19.00%, Sodium(Na) (min.) 6.70%, Sodium(Na) (max.) 8.00%, Magnesium(Mg) (min.) 13.50%, Potassium(K) (min.) 1.00%, Copper(Cu) (min.) 675.00ppm, Selenium(Se) (min.) 20.00ppm, Selenium(Se) (max.) 21.00ppm, Zinc(Zn) (min.) 1800.00ppm, Vitamin A (min.) 60,000IU/lb, Vitamin D3 (min.) 15,000IU/lb, Vitamin E (min.) 100IU/lb, Ruminant meat and bone meal free._
*13.5%*
Much better, tho I like to see it a bit higher for my area.


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## Rammy (Apr 10, 2018)

I hear you and will correct the mistake today. I will be picking up some Hi Mag from the CO-OP today after work.  I dont want anything to happen to these girls and if this is what I need to do, then I will do it. Thank you for alerting me to how serious this can be if it should happen to my calves. I will do everything necessary to prevent it.

Rammy


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## Rammy (Apr 10, 2018)

greybeard said:


> To expound...pay attention to the percentages:
> The following is from a common bag of all season mineral sold at Tractor Supply:
> _Producer's Pride Range Mineral is a high-quality livestock supplement that provides magnesium and other essential nutrients to your beef and non-dairy cattle. This blend of minerals offers the perfect balance of critical vitamins and a taste your cattle will love.
> 
> ...




I got the first one you mentioned on here yesterday at TSC. Since it doesnt say the higher percentage, I called CO-OP and they have a HI Mag at thier business. I was going to get that. I will just keep the other for later on when they dont need the higher magnesium supplement. Is that ok?

Rammy


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## greybeard (Apr 10, 2018)

Only you and those nearby that have the same forage types as you can determine your specific mineral needs. Hi-Mag is a preventative step. Generally speaking, cattle nearing breeding age or of any age with a risk of any kind of lameness will need only about 4oz/day each of a good chelated general purpose mineral supplement. 
'Chelated'...maybe a new term for you to look up.   
It's not enough for a min supplement to have the trace elements..they have to have a good rate of bio-availability, and of course palatability..taste good. Bio-availability simply means the body can easily absorb and make use of something, usually in the rumen. 

Not everything that is in that bag is always declared on the tag. 
If you are going to raise cattle, learn which minerals are a positive move and which may cause problems. 
Usually tho, following the directions is pretty much bulletproof unless you have a forage that is high in a specific mineral..such as iron or calcium. Iron 'can' be a "rumen antagonist", meaning too much iron can interfere with the rumen's ability to absorb certain elements. Iron is a problem out in the Western states..too much in the grass, because there is a lot in the soil.
Something to read:
http://www.cattlemineral.com/unintended-consequences-and-chelated-trace-minerals/
http://www.cattlemineral.com/just-say-no-to-cheap-fillers-in-range-minerals/

Like many older cattlemen, I once thought lick blocks were enough. I learned tho, that it takes a heck of a lot of licking to get 4oz per day out of one of those rock hard red blocks, and that's time the cattle should be out turning grass into muscle and milk. 
You can make a pretty weather proof loose salt/loosemineral feeder from a plastic drum. Mounted on a fence or a wall, but I prefer to hang them from a rope or chain at an angle. The wind turns them so that the hole is away from the wind and the angle keeps most of the rain out of the drum. 
(salt and minerals should be reasonably close to a water source, but not right next to water...cattle will go from feeder to water and back again repeat..repeat..repeat.. if the salt is too close to water and too much sodium is as bad as not enough)

This one isn't mine and I prefer the hole not be that large. I have  @ least 2 in each area of pasture so I don't have to be moving a feeder around as I move the cows.


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## Rammy (Apr 10, 2018)

How to raise cows 101 by @greybeard ....looks like I have alot of homework to do. I will do my best to make you proud .

Rammy


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## Rammy (Apr 10, 2018)

P.S. I mean what I said previously in the most respected way. I am taking everything you say seriously, but sometimes teasing online is hard to make come across.  

Rammy


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## Rammy (Apr 10, 2018)

greybeard said:


> Only you and those nearby that have the same forage types as you can determine your specific mineral needs. Hi-Mag is a preventative step. Generally speaking, cattle nearing breeding age or of any age with a risk of any kind of lameness will need only about 4oz/day each of a good chelated general purpose mineral supplement.
> 'Chelated'...maybe a new term for you to look up.
> It's not enough for a min supplement to have the trace elements..they have to have a good rate of bio-availability, and of course palatability..taste good. Bio-availability simply means the body can easily absorb and make use of something, usually in the rumen.
> 
> ...



I just read these attachments you added. Very informative. Thank you for attaching these. I thought also that I would contact the local AG office and see if they can give me some information about minerals, forage, types of grasses good for cattle, and any other information they think would be helpful. I think also I may take a soil sample in to see if it can tell me what minerals may be in the soil or what needs to be added.
I found a barrel online Im going to get this evening to make into one of those you showed me in the pic. I will have to hang it under the over hand since I dont have any trees in the pasture. That way it will be out of the wind and rain but available to the ladies.
Thank you so much for taking the time to post all this information for me to read and to consider when it comes to raising cows. Im going to look into either finding info online or find some books, talk to other cattle farmers, get as much info and learn as much as I can so I will as informed as possible.

Rammy


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## Rammy (Apr 10, 2018)

Ok. Got the Dumor hi mag from CO-OP, got the barrel set up. Dang cows better appreciate all this! 
Rammy


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## greybeard (Apr 10, 2018)

Good mineral isn't in-expensive is it?


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## Rammy (Apr 10, 2018)




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## WildRoseBeef (Apr 11, 2018)

The brockle-faced heifer--that's what cattle with that kind of face is called (with that "ring" around from the ears to the chin)  --is most definitely a Hereford-Angus cross. She's similar to the cow in my avatar.  I've never seen that kind of face when an Angus is crossed with Simmental.

Everything else has been covered, so I won't speak any more on that LOL.


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## Rammy (Apr 11, 2018)

Well, thats what I get for buying from CL. In the long run, doesnt matter since they are just expensive lawn mowers. Yes, I have had alot of replies and good advice from several members. Newbie cattle owner but if @greybeard has any say, I will be an expert in no time. 
They are suppose to be angus , but looks like they arent. Oh, well. Live and learn.

Rammy


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## greybeard (Apr 12, 2018)

Depends how much of each is in the mix.
You can get a brockled face calf out of a brockle faced Simm cow bred to Angus bull. Most of the time tho, it will be a blaze face calf but about 1/4 of the time it will be brockle.

Rammy, if you depend on me to make you an 'expert' cattle person, you liable to be in for a disappointment. I make (and have made) lots of mistakes and a lot of what I know, I learned from someone else, tho paying my own 'stupid tax' has been the hardest and most enduring lessons I learned.


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## Rammy (Apr 12, 2018)

Greybeard, with all the information and advice you have given me its helped me to not make a mistake that could potentially harm my new babies. It has prompted me to read up and learn as much as possible to make sure I dont make some mistakes that would of and can be preventable. I read and re-read all the posts you have answered to absorb the information and advice multiple times and have been going online to read about cows, bought some books about management and other cow related information, am talking to the local beef farmer this weekend to ask stupid questions and get some smart answers. 
Im sure I will pay alot of "stupid tax" but as someone said, and ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Rammy


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## Rammy (Apr 12, 2018)

P.S. Thank you to all the members who have answered my posts with your suggestions, opinions, and information you have given me on the questions I have posted about. I really do appreciate it! and I have made some wonderful freinds in the process!

Rammy


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