• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

May 3, 2011

Help Support Ranchers.net:

Soapweed

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
16,264
Reaction score
61
Location
northern Nebraska Sandhills
Thislittleyearlingheiferhadacalfyesterday.jpg

This little yearling heifer had a calf yesterday. The one on the left is her calf, and it came unassisted. :)
ShewasbornMarch122010.jpg

She was born March 12, 2010
AndhadacalfMay22011.jpg

And had a calf May 2, 2011, just ten days shy of her being fourteen months old when her calf was born.
Hopefullyshewillhaveenoughmilktosustain.jpg

Hopefully she will have enough milk to sustain her new little daughter.
KosmoKidandLazyWPofRanchersnetfame.jpg

Kosmo Kid and Lazy WP (of Ranchers.net fame) ready to start branding calves.
Lisaallaroundcowgirlandleatherworkersupreme.jpg

Lazy WP's wife, Lisa--all around cowgirl and leather worker supreme.
LazyWPintheropingpen.jpg

Lazy WP in the roping pen
Busyday--wedid185calves.jpg

Busy day--our small crew did 185 of our oldest and biggest calves today. Sleep will be refreshing. :wink:
KosmoKidinaction.jpg

Kosmo Kid in action
Mysisterstayedbusyloadingthewheelsandcoilingropes.jpg

My sister stayed busy all day loading the wheels and coiling ropes.
 
the calf cows got one of them younger generation hair doo's, all the ones i've been around sure are good mama's . she's got a year of credit.
 
That hiefer might deserve a little grain and coddling - - - I would be worried she might not be in condition to breed back in time for next spring but she deserves to be held back for your fall calvers if you have any!
 
Had one calve at 14 months old here once. Done decent with her first calf and grew out to be one of my best cows. Talk about a fertile animal that she was! I believe a straw of semen mixed in her feed and she would have had a calf. That heifer speaks volumes for your program in my opinion.
 
There is a cow in our herd that was born in 2006. She had her first calf (which she raised) in 2007, and has had a calf every year since. It stunted her growth a little bit, but she is still a nice-sized good-looking cow.
 
Just thought I would add a few from my perspective.

Soapweed004.jpg


Soapweed003.jpg


Soapweed001.jpg


Kosmo and Soapweed sorting calves from cows.

Soapweed006.jpg


Soapweed005.jpg


Lisa castrating a calf or maybe taking a nap. :) It was a fun time, sorry we couldn't stick around to finish that day out.
We had to head home and move cows 2 miles up the river. Got started around 2 and finally made it into the house after dark. Never got any pictures, but the cows got into the trees, as they tried blowing over the top of us.
 
That one picture is a keeper........It has Soap holding a sorting stick instead of a camera :shock: . I'm glad he holds a camera, though, as we all enjoy the pictures. Thanks to both of you for the pictures.
 
Shortgrass said:
That one picture is a keeper........It has Soap holding a sorting stick instead of a camera :shock: . I'm glad he holds a camera, though, as we all enjoy the pictures. Thanks to both of you for the pictures.

That's no sortin stick, its a Golf Club
 
Nice pics, Soapweed. I've been out that way before (not really in the Sandhills), south of North Platte, around McCook, and it is beautiful country. I can't get enough of that open country. I noticed each time you brand a group the number seems to be around 185 and it's got me curious (hope I'm not being too nosy). Are your cows grouped for grazing a certain size piece of ground and that is why the number is similar? By the way, I was wondering how many pairs you can run on a section in the Sandhills? It varies quite a bit back here, but you'd be hardpressed to put a piece of ground together that would cover a section, that is if you could afford it.
 
gcreekrch said:
I remember you posting a photo of that heifer as a calf. She apparently has a target at both ends. :wink:

That is a superb and succinctly successful summarization of the situation. :wink: The heifer now has a new name, "TARGET," thanks to you. :)

WVGenetics said:
Nice pics, Soapweed. I've been out that way before (not really in the Sandhills), south of North Platte, around McCook, and it is beautiful country. I can't get enough of that open country. I noticed each time you brand a group the number seems to be around 185 and it's got me curious (hope I'm not being too nosy). Are your cows grouped for grazing a certain size piece of ground and that is why the number is similar? By the way, I was wondering how many pairs you can run on a section in the Sandhills? It varies quite a bit back here, but you'd be hardpressed to put a piece of ground together that would cover a section, that is if you could afford it.

At this time our cows are grouped for no particular reason other than convenience. The only sorting we have done so far is that the 2-year-old first calf heifers and their calves are separate from the older cow/calf pairs. Before going to summer pasture, our older cows will be sorted into three classifications--cows with steer calves; cows with heifer calves; and cows with off-colored calves, along with any blimps and blemishes on either cows or calves. The cows with the biggest and best steer calves will be pastured with a neighbor and will have to be trailed for a few miles to arrive at their destination. We will probably make three separate trips to accomplish this task.

Carrying capacity on our ranch is roughly 25 acres per cow/calf unit year around. It takes around 15 acres of pasture-type ground for the five-month "summer season," and about 10 acres of better meadow type ground for hay production and grazing for the other seven months. Amount of rainfall and the grasshopper situation all become factors in the equation, also.
 
Soapweed said:
gcreekrch said:
I remember you posting a photo of that heifer as a calf. She apparently has a target at both ends. :wink:

That is a superb and succinctly successful summarization of the situation. :wink: The heifer now has a new name, "TARGET," thanks to you. :)


Just don't blame me if she has any faults. :D
 
gcreekrch said:
Soapweed said:
gcreekrch said:
I remember you posting a photo of that heifer as a calf. She apparently has a target at both ends. :wink:

That is a superb and succinctly successful summarization of the situation. :wink: The heifer now has a new name, "TARGET," thanks to you. :)


Just don't blame me if she has any faults. :D

Actually, her name has been amended. Instead of TARGET, a more appropriate name would be BULL'S EYE. :roll: :wink:
 

Latest posts

Top