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Cow Comfort Inn

E

EmptyPockets

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 2, 2006
Messages
325
Location
Western South Dakota
Every year thousands of ranchers experience the first calf of the season. Each ranch is different, yet many are alike in some ways. We start the 1st calf heifers earlier then the range cows, so bring them home so we can tend to them closely as they experience their 1st born.

I thought I'd put ours to a different perspective, after all aren't we a business just like motels, cafe's, only we cater to our livestock. This is what our add would look like if we were mainstreet USA. :wink:




Cow Comfort-Inn

It's that time of year once again
When things just start to hoppin
Warmer temps and melting ice
And heifers start a poppin

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While feeding heifers the other day
A black spot I did see
A baby calf lying in the grass
Born a full two weeks early



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So I hustled home and set up pens
And moved the girls all in
Now I'm ready and open for business
At the old Cow-comfort Inn
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Our hours are really flexible
We're open both night and day
Our season starts by the middle of March
But shuts down early May

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The rooms are clean and spacious
Complete with water and hay
The price is really reasonable
Have a baby and you can stay!

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We specialize in 1st calf heifers
Here at the Cow-Comfort Inn
And if you have any problems
We've a modern calvin pen

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You'll find plenty of shelter here
As you enjoy your stay
And don't worry about hunger
We've the finest hay buffet

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Our satisfied customers are many
And I don't mean to brag
But they usually leave here with a baby
And a brand new matching tag

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I don't claim to be Tom Bodette
And this ain't Motel 6, that's true
But our office is always open
And we'll keep a light on for you!
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[/img] :wink: Y'all come back now ya hear! :roll:[/img]
 
Wow, I'm not going to let my cows see your set-up, they'd feel a little abused if they did :D Thanks for sharing, and I hope your calving goes well.
 
Great poem ya wordsmith! The "cow palace" is neat too. My old sisters would hold thier milk till i built something like that, but i keep em' away from the computer. The loafin' shed and sage brush will have to do. Nice set up and good luck to ya and your bunch!
 
:clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2::clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2::clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2:
:lol2::clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2::clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2::clap: :lol2: :clap:

Spectacular! Your Cow Comfort Inn looks pretty clean and plush compared to the Super 8 in EB.

Do you have any lambs yet?

Thanks for sharing all of your talent EP!

Cheers---

TTB :wink:
 
How do you like your calving pen? We bought one just like it at the BHSS this winter. We really like it. My husband thinks it beats a lariat and a barn post. :)
 
Sundancer said:
What brand of calving pen is that? Is that one made in South Dakota?
Click to expand...

Sally is right---It's a calving pen from Box S Mfg. out of Baltic S. Dak. I saw it out at the stock show in Rapid City 3 years ago and had to have one. A very good investment for our operation.



Sally : your husband is going to really like calving pen. Main thing is to really anchor it firmly and you won't have any problems. A very handy outfit, If I had a chain of "Cow Comfort Inn's they'd be standard equiptment. :wink:



TTB---no lambs till late April, I hope!




Business has been booming at the Cow Comfort Inn, we corralled the heifers on the 15th and are already over 1/2 done. So far a lot of satisfied customers!

Glad you all enjoyed the post, thanks---EP
I'm the night manager so better get back to my shift :roll: :wink:
 
fatcow said:
why are you feeding with all that tall grass?
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fatcow...I obviously am not Empty Pockets, and don't intend to speak for him. I speculate it is for range management practices as well to meet the cows nutritional requirements. We live nearly due north of EP aways, and we too leave a lot of grass and feed cows closer to calving. One of the major reasons is to give the "new" grass a better start. Lots of research has been done up here on range management in our native grass pastures, and one of the more effective ways to improve production is to leave dormant carry over.

We have been in a pretty major drought for the past five or so years. EP has had it worse than we have. I think he should be congratulated for maintaining great range conditions through several years of very bad drought.

The down side to having all that great carryover (which most of us here graze all winter and into spring if we can) is that it likes to burn when it gets dry. There have already been several fairly large grass fires this spring :shock: :mad: :shock: :mad: Hopefully we'll all get some moisture to decrease the danger of fire.

It looks like he's getting a nice wet spring snow. I am sure he'll offer more insight when he gets a chance.

Welcome to ranchers by the way.

Cheers---

TTB :wink:
 
Turkey Track Bar said:
fatcow said:
why are you feeding with all that tall grass?
Click to expand...

fatcow...I obviously am not Empty Pockets, and don't intend to speak for him. I speculate it is for range management practices as well to meet the cows nutritional requirements. We live nearly due north of EP aways, and we too leave a lot of grass and feed cows closer to calving. One of the major reasons is to give the "new" grass a better start. Lots of research has been done up here on range management in our native grass pastures, and one of the more effective ways to improve production is to leave dormant carry over.

We have been in a pretty major drought for the past five or so years. EP has had it worse than we have. I think he should be congratulated for maintaining great range conditions through several years of very bad drought.

The down side to having all that great carryover (which most of us here graze all winter and into spring if we can) is that it likes to burn when it gets dry. There have already been several fairly large grass fires this spring :shock: :mad: :shock: :mad: Hopefully we'll all get some moisture to decrease the danger of fire.

It looks like he's getting a nice wet spring snow. I am sure he'll offer more insight when he gets a chance.

Welcome to ranchers by the way.

Cheers---

TTB :wink:
Click to expand...



Very well written TTB. You basically hit the nail on the head! Thank you. :clap:

We got a wonderful wet 7" of snow out of this little snow event. That should settle the dust for a couple of weeks! Hope you folks got some up your way also.


Fat Cow--- First let me welcome you aboard!


We're an older ranch---and my dad has always said "anyone can winter a cow, but it's the getting them thru spring that's tough." We've pretty much taken that old saying to heart.

So we've basically found that the key to getting the cattle thru spring in good shape is good nutrition and that means supplemental feeding before calving and till good grazing.

Maintaining a healthy grass cover is very important in this country. It also helps catches any snow we might have, which is crucial, because sometimes that's the only springtime moisture we get. Like TTB stated old grass is a great for helping the new grass get a healthy start.

Grass tetany is rarely a problem in a pasture with some old grass mixed in with the new. Of course we still put magnesium tubs out just in case, but as long as we feed and maintain the cow during the crucial times before calving and afterwards we haven't had any problems.
There's been a lot of cows lost around our area due to grass tetany and it's all from mismanagement.

If you range calf like we do, the newborns sure do a lot better if they can find some draw with some taller grass to bed down in, you'd be surprised how much a little calf can withstand.

The calendar might say spring but in this part of the country we are still a month away from any good grazing, depending on the moisture situation. Basically if you do a little supplementing now you can stretch that old grass further into the spring till the new grass gets going good.

Thru years of trial and error it seems to work the best for us, so we'll probably keep doing it.

:tiphat: Later---EP
 

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