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Post by hook on Jul 9, 2019 16:51:02 GMT -6
This time of the year around here lots of cows will go several months without seeing or being seen by human eyes. About mid September people start riding the hills to bring cows out. The majority are out by November but a few will hide good and not be seen until next spring. If it is a bad winter some may never be seen again. Ive always been enamored by the western ways of running cattle, and think that we (as a whole) baby them too much. Have we really made cattle better doing so? |
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Post by deepsouth on Jul 9, 2019 17:41:28 GMT -6
I'm constantly checking mine. Some of you people should be ashamed of yourselves.
But then again I can see them most of the time from my recliner.
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Post by tcranch on Jul 10, 2019 6:29:50 GMT -6
This time of the year around here lots of cows will go several months without seeing or being seen by human eyes. About mid September people start riding the hills to bring cows out. The majority are out by November but a few will hide good and not be seen until next spring. If it is a bad winter some may never be seen again. Ive always been enamored by the western ways of running cattle, and think that we (as a whole) baby them too much. Have we really made cattle better doing so?Good question. Maybe? The answer is probably subjective depending on your operation & geography. Is there a measurable difference in carcass quality, general health, how well calves sell, etc? |
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Post by M-5 on Jul 10, 2019 6:38:00 GMT -6
I seen some laying on a hill thru the fog this morning. They acted like they were fine.
Since this year I have every thing open and they go where they want they check on me most afternoons.
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Post by greybeard on Jul 10, 2019 11:05:08 GMT -6
Mine all come running up any time I go out in the pasture on 4 wheeler or my pickup.
Was able to get a good look at one yesterday morning, as I was sitting on the front porch and she came walking up along the side of the house.
Still can't figure out how she got in the yard..all fences good and all the gates were shut. Dunno how long she had been inside the yard either but she was glad to get back in the pasture, probably because there is no water in the yard.
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Post by M-5 on Jul 10, 2019 11:08:53 GMT -6
Mine all come running up any time I go out in the pasture on 4 wheeler or my pickup. Was able to get a good look at one yesterday morning, as I was sitting on the front porch and she came walking up along the side of the house. Still can't figure out how she got in the yard..all fences good and all the gates were shut. Dunno how long she had been inside the yard either but she was glad to get back in the pasture, probably because there is no water in the yard. Thats what that jackass I have does except it's in the middle of the night and he will sound off right by my window |
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Post by dave on Jul 10, 2019 22:24:35 GMT -6
Ive always been enamored by the western ways of running cattle, and think that we (as a whole) baby them too much. Have we really made cattle better doing so?Good question. Maybe? The answer is probably subjective depending on your operation & geography. Is there a measurable difference in carcass quality, general health, how well calves sell, etc? The answer and reasons for it really do depend on the operation and geography. Not far from here there are huge irrigated pastures cattle can be checked daily with ease. There is also open rolling hills rangeland that the cattle can be checked regularly. I am part of a 10,000 acre BLM permit that is really rugged. Bighorn sheep live there. I saw a small band this afternoon. Lots of steep rocky canyons that are semi wooded. There are very few roads, most of which are unfit to drive. Experienced cowboys on horseback with good dogs take multiple passes to gather all the cows.
Are there measurable differences? Carcass quality is genetics and feed. Everyone here uses good quality bulls. The finish is up to the feedlot. General health? Poor doers and sickly cattle simply don't survive here. They will come up missing when fall gather time rolls around or they will be in such poor condition that they will get shipped. How well they sell. The calves off this type of ground sell very well. Buyers describe them as hard calves. They will always sell better per pound than the soft pasture calves. The down side is they probably weigh less. Hiking up and down these hills and walking distances to water they build muscle and frame but not fat. |
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Post by tcranch on Jul 11, 2019 8:24:53 GMT -6
Good question. Maybe? The answer is probably subjective depending on your operation & geography. Is there a measurable difference in carcass quality, general health, how well calves sell, etc? The answer and reasons for it really do depend on the operation and geography. Not far from here there are huge irrigated pastures cattle can be checked daily with ease. There is also open rolling hills rangeland that the cattle can be checked regularly. I am part of a 10,000 acre BLM permit that is really rugged. Bighorn sheep live there. I saw a small band this afternoon. Lots of steep rocky canyons that are semi wooded. There are very few roads, most of which are unfit to drive. Experienced cowboys on horseback with good dogs take multiple passes to gather all the cows.
Are there measurable differences? Carcass quality is genetics and feed. Everyone here uses good quality bulls. The finish is up to the feedlot. General health? Poor doers and sickly cattle simply don't survive here. They will come up missing when fall gather time rolls around or they will be in such poor condition that they will get shipped. How well they sell. The calves off this type of ground sell very well. Buyers describe them as hard calves. They will always sell better per pound than the soft pasture calves. The down side is they probably weigh less. Hiking up and down these hills and walking distances to water they build muscle and frame but not fat. Great answer, Dave. Thank you! |
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