One Fine Acre - 2023 4H Steer Project Update

[farmerjan]

Are you one of those people that have 100s and 100s of paperback books stacked everywhere?
(My wife is.she has the bookcase full and every empty nook, cranny and cabinet full of them and has finally begun filling cardboard boxes.)
I finally implemented the "If you buy one, you have to get rid of 2" rule. Love has it's limits.
"But I'm gonna read them again someday!!"

Yes, I have books and more books. I have been a voracious reader since I was a kid. I also plan to do the "yard sale / flea market" idea once I slow down a bit at work too. I have several boxes already labeled as duplicates, and/or for sale... and we have a once a month "yard sale" at our local drive-in movie theater that rents spaces and the proceeds go to the repaid and "extras" at the drive-in. I have started going through some stuff and am making some plans to try to do it once a month or every other month to clean out some "clutter", clothes, other stuff. And put a few dollars back in my pocket from things I do not use much/or at all, anymore. I am a "saver" and it runs in my family as my great grandmother and grandmother were the same way. I also heard there is a used book store that will trade you.... bring in 2 for everyone you choose... so am going to look into that so that I can move out some and get some I haven't read. I also figure that if I do have to have ankle, knee and possibly even shoulder surgeries, I am going to need some books to read/re-read.
But yes, I do love to read. I get several magazines a month, all ag related, as well. I do not like reading on a "screen" so doubt that I will ever get into the "kindle" or whatever it is called. I like having it in my hand, and not have the glare of a screen/computer/ or other type device. I also loan and trade off books with friends.

 

[farmerjan]

I smoked my last cigarette 3 months ago today

CONGRATS on 3 month anniversary!!!!!

 

[B&B Happy goats]

Thank you

 

[OneFineAcre]

So Maurine and I have been cattle farming lately. Some of you remember that Maurine's dad has a farm and raises cattle. He's 89 years old now, and has had some problems at the farm. First problem was thieves stole the livestock trailer, some gates, batteries, and 2 cows. We have since recovered everything that was stolen. Found 3 cows dead when all of the stealing started. Cows were getting out because the thieves stole the batteries for the electric fence. Based on the fact that Maurine counted 47 head this summer it appears that 4 are unaccounted for at this point.
The corral and chute were in poor shape so besides getting the fence working we had to get it fixed because there was no money to buy hay and needed to sell some. So, we got that fixed. Cattle prices are not great now but we had to do what we had to do.
Sold 7 bull calves and 1 heifer last week. They were between 600-700 lbs and sold from $1.05 - $1.30. We took 7 heifers and 1 bull calf to the sale this week. They are all in that same size range 6-700 lbs. Hopefully they will bring at least the same.

There are 24 head out there now. 2 bull calves, 5 young heifers, there are 3 cows/heifers that are older about 1000 lbs but Maurine doesn't think that they have ever calved, and the other 14 are cows.
We have the vet coming next week to pregnancy check everyone and go ahead and castrate those 2 bull calves. What the pregnancy tests show will determine the next steps.
If those 3 that Maurine thinks have never calved are in fact open we know someone that wants to buy 1 to take straight to the slaughter house. He's her meat vendor at the farmer's market and he is going to sell as 'grass fed" beef. We will probably pen the other 2 and grain them to eat ourselves. The 2 that we make into steers we can eat next.
Considering that there were 10 bull calves that were close to 700 lbs, some or most of the other cows should be bred. They may not have been tall enough to reach some of the mature cows. We will see. If some are open will likely take some to the sale.
Since the numbers will be more manageable and we have the semen tank already with nitrogen in it for goat semen will likely go the AI route in the future. Maurine want's to get short horn semen since some of them are red and have some short horn in them. Maybe have a smaller registered herd and start showing them at the fair.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Glad the stolen items were found! That was horrible.

 

[Southern by choice]

Any leads on the thieves? How horrible.

 

[Mike CHS]

You rarely hear of stolen farm items being recovered so I'm glad that worked this time.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Any leads on the thieves? How horrible.

Yes, they got them. They had the trailer in their yard and the cows penned. They were "known" to the sheriffs department. They recovered some other stolen items too.
We are going by the assumption that they were responsible for the cows we found dead. At least as far as the criminal charges the are.

 

[farmerjan]

Cattle stealing was a hanging offense.... still ought to be in my opinion. Sorry, but I am getting to the point that I have no patience, no sympathy, not much of anything else for people that steal and kill someone else's animals, unless someone killed an animal because they were LITERALLY starving. I remember you raising those 2 steers at your place for the beef.

Sorry that you had to sell right now, and I understand the circumstances. It is about the worst time due to all the wet, rain, and such, because there is a glut of cattle on the market, now that people can try to get them out of pastures etc.. We always try to sell before rifle season in Nov., because then it just goes downhill til after the new year. The prices you got were not bad considering that the ones were bull calves instead of steers. And be glad that they were in the 6-700 lb range as the bigger calves are bringing as much or MORE per lb than the 4-550 weights. But yes, prices are off and look to be that way for the next month or two at least. It is really hurting us right now. We are holding on to about 40 steers and 20 to 30 heifers and hoping prices will rebound towards the end of Jan or Feb. They are still on the cows, we will be pregnancy checking in a couple of weeks. They won't be starting to calve until mid-late march, so the cows will get a 60 day dry period so not the end of the world. They will also be bigger. Right now they are in the 400-550 range with a few smaller from some old cows, and some late spring/early summer births.
I would not be surprised to see some of the cows bred, but would not count on too many of them unless you saw alot of activity. 700 lbs is like a transitional weight and often the calves are "acting" like bulls but not doing alot. Do you still have a bull in there? I can't remember...
I would encourage the friend to try to market the "grass-fed" beef as you can get a little better price than what they would bring at the market.

Cull cows are really at rock bottom right now. Most here are in the 30's and low 40's so if you can hold off on selling open cull cows, I would. I realize that you will have to buy hay though, so maybe gone is better than waiting. Just wanted to give you a heads up on the general overall cattle situation at least in this area. On Cattle Today forum, prices are some higher in other areas, but not great. Everyone is talking about how much they are off in their area.

How did they recover the stolen stuff, and I hope that you all are pressing charges to the limit? I also would hope that the sheriff and whoever has been working on this has checked with the stockyards etc to see if any other stock was sold by the same parties.... maybe be able to account for the other 4 head? Also, were the dead ones shot? Any farm insurance to cover?

I am very sorry that you have had to deal with this. I thought that after you got those 2 steers fed out and butchered, that the cattle herd was going to be alot smaller and easier to deal with. Guess you are going to have to take a much more active roll in the cattle now with her dad's age.
Here's hoping that you can get things better straightened out, maybe find the outcome of the missing ones, and have a quiet holiday season.

 

[farmerjan]

Just saw the post about catching the thieves with the trailer in their yard... and the cattle penned. I hope that you all push to get the book thrown at them and then get them buried under the jail!!!!!!!
Takes alot of BALLS that's all I can say......