For Mother's Day...I got something Ive wanted for a LONG time...a Brangus Heifer! Meet Jam, she is a two years old. For the time being, she is staying across the street and mowing my neighbor's pasture for him. I will bring her home and Drylot in afew weeks, after shes eaten the pasture down and my plans include some halter breaking lessons. Being she is MY cow and the only one we have, I need to halterbreak her...it will make my life alot easier! She is friggin HUGE, but very stunning to look at. Possibly bred too!

My son also got to meet their Hereford/Simmi bottle calf...he sure is a hoot, he loves to be curried. My son has said he'd like one like him..I dont know if he realizes the amount of work a bottle calf takes. They also have a Angus Bottle Calf..

Im very pleased with her. She is abit on the short side, but my god, she is big framed and wide. She will also do ANYTHING for sweet feed. :)
Here are 2 photos...sorry about the darkness..she was in the shade eating her cubes and this is off my phone.

Sarah

I don't know anything about cows, but I like her ;) What are your plans with her?

Jessi

Well that is quite the mothers day gift. I guess she's nice looking as far as bovine go, I don't have any idea myself but I take your word for it. LOL

As for halter breaking a 2 year old, all I can say is good luck and wear old clothes that you won't mind getting dirty. LOL

jessi

She is going to produce some calves for us to slaughter for ourselves.

I think it it very important for children to understand where food actually comes from. My husband showed 4-h steers extensively as a youngster and he wants Casey, our son to have the same oppurtunity. I like knowing how that steer was treated and what it ate before he was slaughtered.

I really like the Brangus cattle, and she is very lovely.

Sarah

Ive got lots of tips from a girl who has broken all ages of cattle to the halter...The key is letting her teach herself, lots of tieing!

It will be an interesting experience!

 She is a beautiful Heifer. Good luck with her.

Thank you....Im very excited about her!

coyotecreek:

I think it it very important for children to understand where food actually comes from.

Sarah she IS lovely!

And I think it's awesome that you can teach Casey where food comes from! In an urban area, you can't imagine how many HIGH SCHOOL kids do not know that meat comes from animals.

I could never slaughter an animal I owned! Nothing against those who do, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, I just personally couldn't do it ;) But that is really neat that you will get to do that!

How do you breed cows when you don't own a bull (or will you get one?) AI or do you take her to the "stud?" Just curious ;) As I said, I don't know anything about cows, other than they're cute :) I especially like jerseys.

Jessi

She's really nice.  We have a month old Brangus bottle bull right now.  His name is Billy Goodnight.  My friends husband works on ACs and one of his customers gave him the calf for payment.

Thanks Cita! I think she is beautiful too!

I agree...MANY people dont have a clue...they think meat comes from those swinging double doors in the supermarket! LOL

I am planning on send the cattle out to be slaughtered..drop off cow-pick up meat. :) I couldnt do it myself..

I dont plan on eating Jam...I know I couldnt. HEr babies though, at 18-24 months will go into our freezer. The heifer Calves I think we will sell, its the steers we plan on keeping and eating...but it could go either way too..depends on whats bringing more money in the sales..sometimes its steers, sometimes heifers.

You can AI a cow or you can take them to a bull. Jam has been covered by two angus bulls about 2 weeks ago..it was only one day, so I am hoping for a miracle that she took..she was in "standing heat" so Im hoping the timing was right! :)

We probably wont get a bull anytime soon...my husband would like to raise corriente cattle...they are the horned cattle team ropers use. They can also be used for meat..they are smaller and because they are used by the ropers, there isnt such a huge push to get weight on them...as beef cattle are sold by the pound. I had wanted my one beef cow to raise calves for our freezer and I got her! My friend's father has different bulls and has said he wouldnt mind letting Jam get bred by one.

There are also "breeding stations" that have straws from many different bulls they will sell..

I looked at getting a Jersey, they are neat cows..produce milk, but not like a Holstein, are gentle and when crossed on a beef bull, produce pretty good freezer calves!

Neat! How is he coming along?

congrats on your new heifer!!! Now there is someone else on the board with well a cow. So are you planning on getting Casey in 4-H to show the calves to be? It's alot of fun I would really suggest it.

ohh! what type of cow do you have? :)

I would like too..I think he will be old enough NEXT year..but I have to double check.

I have talked with my husband about getting another heifer...something young, that Casey can mess with and show. I dont mind taking on a bottle calf, Im just nervous about buying one from someone I did not know..Thinking about a weanling possibly.. Let Casey mess with it and then turn it out with Jam.

My husband did hogs and cattle in 4-h...I did horses...so weve got enough information between us for Casey to get his foot into SOMETHING!