Are we the only ones that have a really short list? I get calls for free vacations and all these things that sound so neat and wonderful, but then… who will watch the cows? What if something happens? What if the cows get out? What if a strange bull gets in with the cows? What if there is an earthquake…in… Read more »
There’s something to be said for experience. This is truly applicable to cows. The frustration of heifers is something I seem to go through every year. Even if there are no issues, I fret about what issues could come up. Heifers don’t know what the heck they are doing. They jump all over each other, even if none are in… Read more »
There has been much ado over frame scores over the last few years. Lots of opinions over what a proper frame score is for a cow. However, it needs to be noted that giving the frame score is not complete information. It’s not the whole story. And comparing cows based on frame score alone is not comparing apples to apples…. Read more »
Still on cow size. It’s a big deal when speaking of profitability and sustainability. It is also a highly debated topic. I always find it interesting that sometimes when I’m thinking of a certain topic that I want to do a post on and share information about, information starts just landing in my lap that reinforces information or brings up… Read more »
And what does that mean anyway?! What the heck is a moderate Frame cow? Reiterating: “Moderate” is a relative and subjective term. In Extreme Cattle Ranching, I clarified how there are things to be extreme in and things that should be “moderate.” Moderate, in talking about cattle genetic traits, could be taken to mean median, but there again it is… Read more »
I caught some flack for my extremism in Balance Is Bull. It was known it would; the post was to start a conversation and it served it’s purpose. A little clarification may be in order. Everything with cattle is intertwined. There are so many factors and variables that it is difficult to say that one thing is always going to… Read more »
Recently I heard there is a trend–maybe not intentional, but a trend nonetheless–to breed the muscle out of the back end of females? What?! The muscling is something that I really pay attention to–muscle is meat, marketable product. I know that everyone is big on the bulls, but the cow contributes half! Muscling in the back is necessary! Here are… Read more »
“We wean off 600-pound calves.” It is said with pride, listeners should be impressed. Or should they? Weaning 600-pounds can be impressive, but it is commonly mistaken as a measure for success. An operation that weans off 600-pound calves is presumed to be better than an operation that weans off 500-pound calves. 600-pound calves bring in more total money, right?… Read more »
“They grow better with love.” I’ve said it for years. It’s not just some saying to be cute, it’s the truth. In recent years, producers and all segments of the cattle industry have started paying attention to cattle disposition. Some bull producers have started to rate each bull and score them on their docility, notably Kit Pharo, who explains his… Read more »
I really appreciate the conversations on Facebook! If you haven’t read or joined in on some, please come and check them out!! One of the individuals I’ve really been enjoying conversation with is a producer in Canada that has larger frame cows. We’ve been having great conversation about large cows, cow selection, profitability, etc. She’s the one that I got… Read more »
