We are sure a lot further ahead than last year when we were feeding full feed by the 3rd week of November because of 2 feet of snow..
Started the morning with about an inch of snow on the ground- then the temp started rising- and the Chinook winds blowing and the snow just went..Temp was 45-50 degrees with 25 mph NW winds...
Cows are still out grazing - and just rolling them out about 10 lbs of hay to supplement whats lacking in the dry hay meadows (also lost some hay meadows in the spring/summer flooding)... Lot of times they walk away from the hay to go grazing/or don't even come to the hay... Hay here is cheaper than any other supplement this year...
On the 8th of Dec. I attended the local Stockyards Bred Cow Sale...
First thing is they sold 350-400 ton of good grass/alfalfa hay (tested 14+% protein) which sold for just under $55 Ton...(A fellow that had all his hayland flooded out- bought it all)..
The top cows I saw sold were part of a dispersion- 1150Lb coming 4 year old blacks that sold for $1725 Mid March- Mid May calving... Some 1000lb coming 3's sold for $1650...(Reds in the herd sold for about $150 cheaper)...
But anything with a calf in it- even broken mouths and old shorttermers were holding strong at $900 to $1250 when I left...
Definitely a time to have cows-- cheap hay- pricey cows !!
I haven't got to see that very often !!! Its usually just the opposite....
Weather was so nice I snapped a few pics while riding around thru the cows this afternoon..
The whole creek bottom was spread out with cows- picking on whats left of the hayfields..
Some of the coming yearling heifers were in a group- took a few pics of them...
L B B Juanada 128 # 17083246
127 L B B Chezney # 17083247
L B B Pidge 125 #17049643
L B B Floret 126 # 17049644
L B B Floret 124Reg: AAA 17049645
L B B Juanadamere 123 #17049642
L B B Juanadamere 129 #17083245-- the youngest of the calves saved..
Heres a heifer that will have her first calf this spring that my son bought from Taylor:
W C R Katherines Lass 017X #16769667
And here is a little cow he got from Cole Creek-that if I could have all like her I would be happy....A true 4 frame cow that would probably not weigh 1100lbs that has brought in all 3 calves she's had at an actual weaning weight of over 600lbs- which included a bull I'm using now (Lazy Bar B Juanada Rito 06X #16741353) that weaned at 690...
Cole Creek Juanadamere 5U #15822851
Only time will tell if she can keep on doing that- but so far I sure am pleased with her..