First bottle calf ever journal

[Kettle Creek Cattle]

Very impressive work on the steer. Congratulations, you have good reason to be proud.

Thank you! It took us 17 hours to get him from hanging beef to packaged beef. Well worth the effort!!

 

[farmerjan]

Carcass looks good. Having your bull out on "breeding duty" is a good way to keep him happier and give you the chance to keep him away from the heifer and the cow while calving so that she will be ready to be rebred when he gets back. That might be a good route for you to go with him.... providing a service for a couple others and still have him to do your breeding. If he stays fairly quiet for you that is good. Often a beef bull is more content and easier to work with if he is not a "FRUSTRATED" bull. Many dairy bulls are kept for what they call "cleanup" for cows that don't get caught being bred AI. They are kept in small lots, can get exercise and such, but are within sight and smell of cows and when they cannot get out to do what their hormones are telling them to do.... so they often get more aggressive and difficult to handle. They are not mistreated or anything.... but their SOLE purpose is reproduction..... beef bulls often run with the herd for months, and even when they are taken away from the cows, like ours are, they are in with other bulls and they get to do their pushing and shoving and all that and then they get over it and get along. But they are not near the cows so have no big temptation.... and then when it is time, they gladly get on the trailer and go to pasture with the "girls" for the breeding season. They are not dealing with the separation that dairy bulls are, or with the close proximity to cows that they cannot get to when they want even if it is not in the best interest of the cows.
Don't be a stranger here... come back and visit.

 

[Kettle Creek Cattle]

Carcass looks good. Having your bull out on "breeding duty" is a good way to keep him happier and give you the chance to keep him away from the heifer and the cow while calving so that she will be ready to be rebred when he gets back. That might be a good route for you to go with him.... providing a service for a couple others and still have him to do your breeding. If he stays fairly quiet for you that is good. Often a beef bull is more content and easier to work with if he is not a "FRUSTRATED" bull. Many dairy bulls are kept for what they call "cleanup" for cows that don't get caught being bred AI. They are kept in small lots, can get exercise and such, but are within sight and smell of cows and when they cannot get out to do what their hormones are telling them to do.... so they often get more aggressive and difficult to handle. They are not mistreated or anything.... but their SOLE purpose is reproduction..... beef bulls often run with the herd for months, and even when they are taken away from the cows, like ours are, they are in with other bulls and they get to do their pushing and shoving and all that and then they get over it and get along. But they are not near the cows so have no big temptation.... and then when it is time, they gladly get on the trailer and go to pasture with the "girls" for the breeding season. They are not dealing with the separation that dairy bulls are, or with the close proximity to cows that they cannot get to when they want even if it is not in the best interest of the cows.
Don't be a stranger here... come back and visit.

Thats what I'm hoping to do with him, to let him do his thing on 2 other farms where I know the farmers. I know he won't be mistreated and he'll get to let out his "frustration" and keep busy with the other girls. Then when I bring him back in July I can let him be with his own girls till calving season the following year.
As far as him being calm...I'm hopeful that he'll stay the way he his now especially with having the opportunity to run with 10 other girls plus his 4 at home.
You should've seen it....I put the new heifer in with them and he was snorting and pushing her out of the feed bunk. I reached through the fence and swatted him in the nose. Oh he carried on and shook his head and pouted like a little sissy...like I hit him with a club or something...it was hilarious lol.
I appreciate all your help! Things are starting to calm down around here now so I'll have more time to post on here. I think we're on the downhill side of winter....fingers crossed!