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

Soapweed in the Sandhills

CattleArmy

Well-known member
July_day_at_the_ranch_023.jpg


These pods are where the cows can't get to them.

July_day_at_the_ranch_016.jpg


Podless

July_day_at_the_ranch_018.jpg


Dried up pods.



Wonder how many people clicked on this thinking I had pictures of the posting Soapweed instead of Soapweeds and pods?
 

CattleArmy

Well-known member
Yes they are pokey. Cattle eat the pods off of them when they are fresh. Cows can also in a sense be forced to eat the soapweed if forced to. Where I used to live an 80 year old neighbor used to not hardly put up any hay and the neighbors would let him graze there summer ranges in the winter because his old cows were so used to foraging they would even eat and tear up soapweeds. In the end the older gentleman was making the larger profit he put very little in his cows for so long they got used to it and he was weaning off calves that were the average size of the neighbors. Maybe we the modern cattle producers have made our cows soft. :???:


Thank you for the compliment! :D
 

cowboyup

Well-known member
Jinglebob said:
CattleArmy said:
. Maybe we the modern cattle producers have made our cows soft. :???:

Ya think? :roll:

everybody has a right to do things as they please but everytime I hear people talk about running cows without feeding hay, at least up here in the mountains, A painting of Charlie Russells goes through my mind, I think it was titled "the last of five thousand" but it could of been more. I don't think those fellars liked to feed hay either. :wink:
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
cowboyup said:
Jinglebob said:
CattleArmy said:
. Maybe we the modern cattle producers have made our cows soft. :???:

Ya think? :roll:

everybody has a right to do things as they please but everytime I hear people talk about running cows without feeding hay, at least up here in the mountains, A painting of Charlie Russells goes through my mind, I think it was titled "the last of five thousand" but it could of been more. I don't think those fellars liked to feed hay either. :wink:

Yep-- Last of the 5000-- or "Waiting for the Chinook"...Charlie drew it when the foreman couldn't figure out how to tell the ranch owner that they had lost all the cattle in the winter of 86-87...That was all the explanation the owner needed.

http://www.charlierussell.org/lastofthe5000.htm
 

Jinglebob

Well-known member
cowboyup said:
Jinglebob said:
CattleArmy said:
. Maybe we the modern cattle producers have made our cows soft. :???:

Ya think? :roll:

everybody has a right to do things as they please but everytime I hear people talk about running cows without feeding hay, at least up here in the mountains, A painting of Charlie Russells goes through my mind, I think it was titled "the last of five thousand" but it could of been more. I don't think those fellars liked to feed hay either. :wink:

I would by no means ever advocate never feeding cattle what they need, especially in the north where we get snow and cold.

But, why feed hay when there is ample supplies of roughage for the cows to fill their daily nutritional requirements?

If cows can utilize roughage, with some extra protien added in, what is the problem with that? Any of them ol' boys who fed cows on soapweeds were usually feeding that good old cottonseed cake too, that was roughly 44% protien and 12 % fat.

I suppose if it was buffalo doing it, it would be alright? :roll:

I think we need to match the livestock to the country instead of matching the country to fit the livestock.

As long as cattle or the land they run on do not suffer, why find fault with how anyone else does things?

I'd rather feed my cows soapweeds and cake than straw and cake. At least I know that I'm not hauling in any noxious weed seeds.

Maybe we all need to roll our eyes at those cattle who have been eating the flowers off the soapweeds?

I don't think you have to force cattle to eat what is thought of as less desirable feedstuff, as long as it naturally grows and they stay in good shape. If they eat it, it must be alright, as long as it isn't a poisonus weed.

I'm thinking of teaching mine to eat thistle. I hear it's about 15 % protein and I can't seem to kill the damn stuff!

Anyone is welcome to come see my "skinny" cows, at any time. Must be doing alright if they are breeding back at 17 years of age.
 

nonothing

Well-known member
Ok last time i saw soapweed in the sandhills he was on a horse entertainiing us with cool pictures.....What have you done to the poor man? :wink: :D ...Its one thing to say a man's pods have dried up to but to call a man podless is just not right. :p ... :D .All kidding aside nice pics keep them comming :lol:
 
Top