Wehner Homestead 2018 Calving: Done

[Wehner Homestead]

Congrats!

Thanks! I just wish we didn’t have so much mud. It makes it harder for them to get steady on their feet and I worry about them getting tromped.

 

[Hens and Roos]

we have mud but nothing like your pictures show.

 

[greybeard]

Thanks! I just wish we didn’t have so much mud. It makes it harder for them to get steady on their feet and I worry about them getting tromped.

How much acreage do you have total--is it all in mud?

 

[Wehner Homestead]

How much acreage do you have total--is it all in mud?

We have 42 Acres. There are 14 cows and 2 heifers on 12 Acres for the winter. We don’t have any gates for them to go through regularly. They have two areas where we feed hay that are spaced out. We’ve put out bales without rings to create waste so that the calves and cows have somewhere that isn’t mud to lay. There is a hillside and “back” area but they avoid it when it’s cold and windy. The back area is an exposed slope that they graze. The hillside has ravines and and some trees. We occasionally have one hide up there to calve. Melody actually did last night!!

The girls are just having and keeping their calves in the muddy areas.

The bull and a cow are in a 12 acre pasture but it’s pretty exposed without much for a windbreak or shelter right now. We also mow it for hay for part of the year so we hate to let them out there for that reason too.

There is a 12 acre hay field that doesn’t have a perimeter fence. We have two 1 acre paddocks and one 0.5 acre paddock behind the barn that are fenced. The balance is hard and driveway. I’d have laid things out a bit differently!

 

[Wehner Homestead]

Melody delivered her bull calf 13 mins before midnight last night. He’s doing great and the first calf out of our bull. We are at 1 heifer and five bulls now!

Melody and her bull calf!

Miss Indy and Maddie just because!

Dolly’s bull. You can see some of the roaning on his tail.

 

[Latestarter]

Are you happy about most being bull calves?

 

[farmerjan]

We would give our eyeteeth to have 5 to 1, bulls to heifers. Have had over 75% heifers for the last 3 years, both spring and fall calving groups and from a total of 7 different bulls. Since we are commercial, bulls to become steers are preferable most of the time. I think we are starting out with about 50/50 but only have about 12 on the ground.

The mud firmed up a bit, we had about .2 inch rain yesterday then it got windy and we have had trees down; the neighbors barn tin roof is half off, there have been scattered power outages, with continued wind until tomorrow noon, then strong "breezes". Gusts actually hit right at 60 mph. But it is supposed to be A LOT WORSE in the east and northeast... flooding with alot of rain, trains and flights cancelled.
We are also supposed to drop temps again, down in the 20's for the next week or so at night. I was afraid of this. Only blessing is I could get to the barn today , so picked up some feed and can get to the barn to put in the can. Will haul another 10-12 5 gal buckets of the pellets from the bulk feed bin too while I am going so as to make the trip worth it. Sun for the next 3 whole days...YAY....

 

[greybeard]

We have 42 Acres. There are 14 cows and 2 heifers on 12 Acres for the winter. We don’t have any gates for them to go through regularly.

Less than 1/2 acre/adult animal.that would explain a lot of the mud.

Yep, unless one is herd building and wanted a closed herd, bulls are preferable to heifers.
Some years I get more heifers, some years more bulls but average 50/50.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

We didn’t have a preference this year. We have one breeding that we really want a heifer out of and that’s Abby Jane. She hasn’t calved yet.

Show cattle are a little different from commercial in that there’s a great market for heifers too. There are the breeding classes and the market classes so most fit in somewhere.

We’ve put heifers in the freezer before though and they cook up just as nicely as the steers we feed.

@greybeard its actually just under an acre each. (14 cows to 12 Acres. We just turned the two heifers out in the last week or so.) Our numbers will be dropping some as we have at least two cull cows to send this fall after their calves are weaned, with two to three more on the line for various reasons. We had kept several to see what our Angus bull was doing (as a clean up and heifer bull) and we are now going in the Simmental direction with AI and herd bull. Trying to specialize a little but slowly.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

Some more updated pics...I took some and my dad took some and sent to me.

Melody’s bull calf standing. He has a little bit of white on his belly. He moves nicely and has a thick top. His rear isn’t quite thick enough, being a quarter Angus is probably to blame for that. (Mel’s rear isn’t the best either.) DD1 has named him Beast (from Beauty and the Beast.) We don’t typically name calves that will be steers but the kids insist!

Bailey’s bull. He looks a little rough because he started scouring. We treated him this afternoon and will continue close monitoring. He still looks really good though. His top and foot size is impressive. He’s a little leathery though. DS has named him Reggie as he’s into basketball players currently.

Maizy and Scarlett are still successfully co-mothering Maizy’s bull. He’s growing really well! He also moves like a cat! DS has named this one Jordan after Michael Jordan. Lol. Pic courtesy of Dad.

A pic Dad grabbed of Indy. We love our girl! (Maizy is to her left and has been scratching. DH ordered pour-on to treat her.)

I’ll try to get another of Dolly’s bull soon. The kids haven’t named him yet...

Reagan is due next on 3/20. She’s started a small udder with noticeable rear swelling. It’s a waiting game until then!