lazy ace, I don't know where to start with you. :roll: :wink:
No, we did not lose any ears during that storm last year. They were either dead or alive after it, but no frozen ears. It was 32 degrees during the whole storm.
Second, we did build some windbreaks, but windbreaks aren't only built for calving time. We do not want to screw with cattle too much during a storm, and we hope they blow into the windbreaks if they do not find other natural shelter.
I am sure most of this is in reference to my other post on seedstock operations, and it probably belongs there, but I will try again to explain myself.
Again, my other post was regarding how I think ranchers marketing bulls could help to improve their customers herds. I also said that I know all operations cannot fit that mold, but it still is how I feel about it. You tried to make a point that calving in mid April can still be prone to snow storms, but I do not really think calving then can be classified as calving on green grass. Maybe May 1 or later on most years would be, but even the first part of May can be tough weather sometimes. But that is arguing a minute point. Late calving does not work unless a ranch is managed as a low cost operation either. There is less input, but most of the time less return too. If we took a 10% calf loss once every ten years (which we have not), that would only lower our ten year average calf crop by 1%. I hate dead calves any time, but with less labor here, we have too many cows to calve them all in close. And the added sickness and work involved does not appeal to me anyway. I want to get our two's so that they can calve mostly on their own out on pasture, and we are nearly there. I guess that is why I like angus so well. Good genetics can be trouble free cattle.
If you want a better example of what I meant, then here is a better one.
We decided that when we expanded our ranch, that we should spread our risk out some, and calve one bunch of cows a little later. The last herd started calving around the 23 of April, give or take a few days. These are cows that were mostly purchased, and came from several different ranches, so there would be a better sample. We bred them to 3 hereford and 6 angus bulls last summer, turn in date July 15. Starting on Jan. 20th of this year we fed them 3# of 30% cake every other day till April 20th. So they were supplemented for 90 days, or 45 feedings. So at 200$/ton for the cake they had 13.50$ per head in them plus the cost of the fuel, pickup, etc... They also were fed a total of a third of a ton of hay per head, and I will value the hay at 60$/ton, which may sound low for last year, but it was pretty bad hay that was put up late last year. So that is 20$/cow for the hay. They were fed some salt too, but that could not even add up to a dollar a head/cow. So added up, the cost of the hay, cake, and salt would be 34.50$/cow for winter feed.
When the cows started calving we tried to see them every other day, but it got to be 3 or 4 or even 5 days when we were busy fencing, or helping at the neighbors. We have found just a few dead calves,(yes, I did say found on purpose, cause we may have missed something) and one dead cow. She died just recently with all 4 feet under her like lightning hit her, but it may have been calving problems, but I doubt it. For some reason the problems you encounter later on are just very few. I have heard several reasons for this like smaller calves, and cows being scattered out grazing are not knocking into each other and causing the calves to be abnormal presentations. Who knows, but I do know it is a fact that it is so. On our homeraised cows, we helped one cow out, and she would have had the calf, but the head was swollen and he would have been dead by the time she got him out. Not trying to pat ourselves on the back by any means, but trying to let others know how much fun life can be if you let it.

:roll: :shock:

If it worked in this herd, it can in others.
Be open minded my son.

lol.
If you don't quit jabbing me, I will rescind my invitation to you to come over, and only invite TTB.
I might add more, but my brain is shot and my fingers are tired.
:? :wink: