Calving & Meeting Season

So right now we are in a "break" between finishing calving heifers & beginning calving cows. So, we don't have night checks, but we do have some cows who have decided not to wait....

This morning I was headed out to another meeting, & as usual I checked the "heavy pen" (our pen that we put the cows that are close to calving so it makes it easy after they've calved) before I left. Well, even though chores were finished a half hour earlier & cows were checked, we had feet. So.... I climbed the fence & let the momma in the alley (because she was close to it & had stood up. Red Feet!! Yeah, I love red calves!

Now, I'm a nervous midwife & this was a cow (momma who has had at least one calf); so the kids & I played in the yard for a while. Just so you know, its a 100 yards away & I was listening, but couldn't see her. : )
Sure enough, just about 20 min later, I heard "THE MOO" and went over to check. She had a new calf & was just starting to lick him off. So wonderful! It was a Red Bull!! So that's a positive!

If you check out our Facebook Page or follow me on Twitter, you. Can see a great pic of the new momma licking her calf just moments after it was born.


I know, you must all think that I want all boys, because we sell beef. But, I really want heifers! I love our cows, so each girl we have is one step closer to her being good enough to be a cow. Plus, if you're going to be born a boy, a red one is a skittle different, so he might be good eno ugh to be a bull on someone else's ranch!

Now, I'm in a meeting, blogging & thinking of new calves!!
Hope you're enjoying this great spring weather!


Shanen ~Mama to the Momma Cows @ the ECC

Teenage Bulls are stUpid

So, here on the ranch if you're a bovine between 10 & 36 months, we consider you a teenager.

Many, many reasons why.  And remember, my kids are 11, 8 & 3 so I have no personal experience with teenagers.

1- They never stay where they're supposed to stay.  If their pen is full of grass, the ditch grass looks better to eat.  If you're in a nice toasty barn & its snowing; you go lay in a big snowpile until you're shivering. 

2 - Hormones  - ugh!  We sort the heifers (girls) from the bulls (boys).  We even leave the steers with the boys.  But, for some unknown reason even the steers feel the extreme desire to knock over gates to get into the heifer pen.  Apparently, their hay or grass is much tastier.  We know why the bulls want to get to the heifers, but reAlly. 

3 - Hormones - Boys!  As a bull, you've been raised with your group of brothers for your whole life.  The overwhelming urge to fight is ridiculous!!  Especially if you choose to get into a MAJOR fight the night before harvest with 3 of your brothers.

4 - Bulls!  Turnout time here on the ranch is upon us.  We turned out (well really, they turned themselves out to the cows) the 2 young bulls this past week.  Ultimate is about 2.5 years old & it will be his first year out with a big group of cows. He thinks that he is really tough, even though he is a sweetie on a halter.  "T" is 4 this year and our bull we use on heifers.  They have been neighbors for several months & seemed to get along ok.  But, when we gathered the cows this week to pull off a grassfed beef.  The two bulls were total PAINS.  Unfortunately, I wasn't paying attention.  Ultimate tossed T into the fence where I was standing.  I was able to move a bit & get into his flank area & not squished too bad.  Bruised my back & pretty sore.  But I was Lucky.

So, there's four reasons I really DISLIKE teenage bovines right now.

Hope you're all having much more fun with your teenagers than I am right now.

Btw, we put T in his own pen until we can sort cows & let him have his own group.  That way he doesn't have to deal with the little cocky bull that wants to fight.  T will be much happier with his group of heifers in a couple of weeks.

~GreenRanchMom - Mama to the Momma Cows @ the ECC