Cows are home early in 21

[leanin' H]

As everyone in the west knows, it's been a dry son of a gun all year and several years running. I've always worked hard to be a good steward on the range I lease and run my cattle on. But when the grass is gone, it's gone. So I brought them home Friday. Hard to swallow when it's August instead of November
I have some meadow ground I save for fall but it's home now. I haul water down every night

I think the cows look pretty good for the lack of grass and rain. Y'all look at them and see what you think

Calves are fleshy. I plan to try and wean next Friday so the grass I have will go further and the cows can recover.

It's a smoky and hazy night thanks to California
Took a few landscape shots. This old desert is my home. It's a challenge sometimes. But I'm sure my Great Grandparents has dry spells too. I'll keep my head down and work as hard as is needed. They did it and so can I. Folks, We Can Do Hard Things! If ya quit you'll never know if ya could of done it. Have a fine evening!
H'

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

They are looking pretty good, calves are big.

 

[Nicky]

They look good, you should get some fall greenup with all that rain shouldn't you? We are still praying for rain for greenup, makes a huge difference for sure.

 

[leanin' H]

Hope the rain brings some fall grass. But it's been such a dry spell I'm not sure how much will come. Hope y'all get some rain soon Nicky.

 

[Faster horses]

They look amazing! Interesting how cattle can adapt to different conditions. Glad you are weaning the calves before they pull the cows down. I call that good stewardship!!! Best to you! I hope they wean easy.

 

[damengineer]

Good looking cows. I am not familiar with desert forage. It that sagebrush in the background. It looks like a lot of growth I see in far western OK. I always wondered if the land would respond to spray or if there just was not enough water to get anything but the coarse stuff to grow...

 

[leanin' H]

Well I weaned the calves and am speechless as to how well they did in this exceptionally dry year. Steers averaged 601 and heifers went 583.
I am over the moon with those weights.
Damengineer you are correct. Sage brush and some three wing salt brush and some rabbit brush as well. And you're also correct about spraying it. It can be done on years where we get enough rain to get the grass seed established. Grass will compete with brush once it's got a firm hold.

 

[leanin' H]

This cow may weigh 1300 on a good grass year. She weaned a heifer calf that weighed 645 lbs on September 4th that was born on April 13th.

And this cow one upped her. She is a nice moderate cow that weighs 1200. Her steer calf was born April 22nd and weighed 670 on September 4th. Grandad always said it takes as much feed for a bad cow as a good one. May as well run good cattle. I'm not saying mine are the best cattle, but I'm pretty dang happy with that kind of production on a year that has had such little grass. Ok, enough crowing

 

[Faster horses]

Congratulations, 'H and crow all you want. Your cattle did amazing!

 

[damengineer]

Well I weaned the calves and am speechless as to how well they did in this exceptionally dry year. Steers averaged 601 and heifers went 583.
I am over the moon with those weights.
Damengineer you are correct. Sage brush and some three wing salt brush and some rabbit brush as well. And you're also correct about spraying it. It can be done on years where we get enough rain to get the grass seed established. Grass will compete with brush once it's got a firm hold.

What kind of grass will work there if you get some rain?? I realize anything will grow if enough water and fertilizer....

 

[damengineer]

This old central Oklahoma red clay seems to be growing more rooftops than anything else....

 

[webfoot]

Did you keep that heifer calf out of the first cow?

 

[Nicky]

Good job, those weights are amazing for the conditions.

 

[leanin' H]

What kind of grass will work there if you get some rain?? I realize anything will grow if enough water and fertilizer....

The old stand by Created Wheat. Intermediate wheat grass, Indian rice grass, mountain brome.

 

[leanin' H]

Did you keep that heifer calf out of the first cow?

Yes sir I did. Hard to let a heifer like that go down the road. This be her

 

[leanin' H]

Well I had a small miracle happen. I was about convinced I would have to sell the cows. Out of grass and hay is too expensive to feed for the next 7 months. But a guy my wife works with said if we'd work over the fence and see about repairing and maintaining the pipeline from the spring three miles away to the pasture, he'd lease us his 200 acres. It's been a solid two weeks of work on nights and weekends but we got the water down and the fence repaired. Today I hauled the cows to pasture instead of the sale!!!!! Over the moon happy tonight. And a tad emotional

Water is pure gold!!!!
Speaking of gold, that good hard grass is priceless as well

 

[damengineer]

That is great news!

 

[Faster horses]

Hooray!! I love good news and yours was the best!

 

[gcreekrch]

One should never give up hope Old Man!

 

[damengineer]

Did you have to drill a well??