Next years beef supply

[Terri9630]

We've taken care of next years steak supply. Brought these two guys home this weekend. My old boss picked them up for almost nothing for me. They are a bit thin and the black one had an infection where one of his horns was scooped. The infection is clearing up and they are settled in and eating well. Just have to deal with the long feet. Pretty friendly considering their background.

Like my puppykitty? She's the 4 month old Australian Sheppard I bottle fed. She acts like a cat. Climbs everything and her favorite food is headphones.

 

[hiwall]

You're not really going to eat those innocent cows?

 

[Terri9630]

You're not really going to eat those innocent cows?

Oh yes I am! They already look delicious.

 

[zoomzoom]

You're not really going to eat those innocent cows?

Why not? My daughter had her favorite calf when she was really young. It was delicious the following year.

 

[Sentry18]

You should feed them McDonald's and have them watch The View. That'll fatten 'em up nice and fast!

 

[Terri9630]

You should feed them McDonald's and have them watch The View. That'll fatten 'em up nice and fast!

If I wanted crazy cows is have bought brahamas.... Or range Longhorns!

 

[angie_nrs]

Good for you Terri! Hubs and I don't have the heart to raise our own meat. However, we have family that have no problem with it, so we get it from them or a local farmer if they don't have extra.

Wild game is a different story though......freezer is full of venison that dared trespass during open season Even then, hubs will only shoot nice bucks. The kid, however, is a bit more trigger happy. I told him not to go hunting when he is hungry.

 

[Terri9630]

The only wild game we had left was some Oryx. It was really good, almost like beef.

 

[Supervisor42]

Oh yes I am! They already look delicious.

What a wonderful thread!
I was so worried that it would be another 'end of the world' whine-a-thon with links to Ice-age-Farmer's endless apocalypse videos

.
For someone living on the 64th floor of a Los Angeles high-rise, it may be a problem next year.
For the rest of us

, make sure they have enough hay to make it thru the winter - easy.
Feed 'em out with sweet-feed for 2 weeks before you drop the hammer on them. Money well spent.
...not that I know anything about that

.
Delicious? Oh Yes!

 

[Weedygarden]

Good for you Terri! Hubs and I don't have the heart to raise our own meat. However, we have family that have no problem with it, so we get it from them or a local farmer if they don't have extra.

Wild game is a different story though......freezer is full of venison that dared trespass during open season Even then, hubs will only shoot nice bucks. The kid, however, is a bit more trigger happy. I told him not to go hunting when he is hungry.

I think the secret of raising your own meat without being attached is to have so many that you don't know them all by personality and name.

 

[Weedygarden]

We've taken care of next years steak supply. Brought these two guys home this weekend. My old boss picked them up for almost nothing for me. They are a bit thin and the black one had an infection where one of his horns was scooped. The infection is clearing up and they are settled in and eating well. Just have to deal with the long feet. Pretty friendly considering their background.

Like my puppykitty? She's the 4 month old Australian Sheppard I bottle fed. She acts like a cat. Climbs everything and her favorite food is headphones.

View attachment 43221View attachment 43222

That is a worthwhile investment. You can get them fattened up. Does you have enough grass on your property to let them graze? I know you can supplement their feed with grain, and you could bring in bales of hay and alfalfa.

 

[Bacpacker]

Good looking beef. Named T-Bone and Porterhouse I bet???

 

[Terri9630]

What a wonderful thread!
I was so worried that it would be another 'end of the world' whine-a-thon with links to Ice-age-Farmer's endless apocalypse videosView attachment 43234.
For someone living on the 64th floor of a Los Angeles high-rise, it may be a problem next year.
For the rest of usView attachment 43235, make sure they have enough hay to make it thru the winter - easy.
Feed 'em out with sweet-feed for 2 weeks before you drop the hammer on them. Money well spent.
...not that I know anything about thatView attachment 43236.
Delicious? Oh Yes!View attachment 43237

They've got 10 acres (hopefully soon to be 20 and soon after 41) to graze plus hay for summer. I prefer grass fed, no corn.

 

[Terri9630]

I think the secret of raising your own meat without being attached is to have so many that you don't know them all by personality and name.

We know all of ours and they have names. These 2 are Big Mac and Whopper. To keep reminding us that they are food. Its easier to check their health when you handle them and learn their temperaments/attitudes.

 

[Terri9630]

That is a worthwhile investment. You can get them fattened up. Does you have enough grass on your property to let them graze? I know you can supplement their feed with grain, and you could bring in bales of hay and alfalfa.

We feed through the summer and graze through the winter.

 

[Terri9630]

Good looking beef. Named T-Bone and Porterhouse I bet???

Not these 2. Those were a few years ago.

 

[Bacpacker]

Are you feeding alphalfa? The really green grass looks like it.

 

[Weedygarden]

What kind of plants grow on your property that they might be able to graze on?

 

[Terri9630]

Are you feeding alphalfa? The really green grass looks like it.

Yes. Alfalfa is the main hay grown out here.

 

[Terri9630]

What kind of plants grow on your property that they might be able to graze on?

Buffalo grass and a fescue mix that we are starting.

 

[Weedygarden]

Buffalo grass and a fescue mix that we are starting.

Is your soil clay, or is it decent for growing things? Will you have to do some serious amending to it to get stuff to grow?

 

[Bacpacker]

Yes. Alfalfa is the main hay grown out here.

I always liked our Alfalfa best. We always got 4, maybe 5 cuttings in a good year. Much more nutritous as well

 

[Terri9630]

Is your soil clay, or is it decent for growing things? Will you have to do some serious amending to it to get stuff to grow?

There's some cliche with lots of sand and rock but the buffalo grass is native and doesn't have any issue. The fescue requires water to get started and then it will live or not. I'm not watering everyday.

 

[Terri9630]

I always liked our Alfalfa best. We always got 4, maybe 5 cuttings in a good year. Much more nutritous as well

It does better with our heat and lack of rain. The alkaline soil doesn't bother it.

 

[Cascadian]

Aww I love the red ones, I call them red delicious.

 

[Double R]

Looking forward you following their progress.
Definitely agree on the feet. Were they on soft ground before your place or in an area with no room to travel? Looks like you have space that may wear them down “naturally“. I’ve trimmed a lot of cow feet over the years. Definitely don’t look forward to doing anymore.

 

[Terri9630]

Looking forward you following their progress.
Definitely agree on the feet. Were they on soft ground before your place or in an area with no room to travel? Looks like you have space that may wear them down “naturally“. I’ve trimmed a lot of cow feet over the years. Definitely don’t look forward to doing anymore.

I'm not sure. My boss picked them up as part of a lot at the sale barn. They were all thin and they aren't range cows, far to friendly for that. Arena/pen kept on a small property would be my guess.

 

[Weedygarden]

What a great investment.

I wonder if each head of cattle has to be registered?

 

[Terri9630]

What a great investment.

I wonder if each head of cattle has to be registered?

Not registered exactly. New Mexico is a branding state so they have to be branded after being sold and your supposed to get travel papers from the state livestock inspecter before entering the state or moving them to a new place.

 

[Cnsper]

Grandparents always had two on the property. Each was a holstein steer after grandpa banded them. Raised from a calf, we knew they were dinner in 2 years. Since they raised them for two years they were a year apart. the oldest was butchered and a new one purchased.

They were bottle fed and each 9ne was named Jimbo. Just the name grandpa stuck with except when we had the cow, her name was Betsy. She was a dairy farmers dream, she had a heifer every year. Grandpa just could not raise a heifer for slaughter so he would sell the calf and buy a bull from a nearby dairy.