Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Raising beef?

My kids are part of our calves lives from birth to the dinner table and all parts in between. When they were younger they did name most and never had a problem when it came time to take em to the locker or slap em on the grill.

All part of life here.

My daughter named the last one Magellan,because he likes to go places and see new things.

He does taste good!

Bacykard beef on a couple acres sounds so bucolic. I suggest backyard chickens.

Unless they are being raised on a farm.

Several years ago, were invited to eat with the neighbors and they said they would grill steaks. Now these neighbors had a cow/calf operation and 2 elementary age girls that would bottle raise the calves, if it was needed. Of course, every calf that was bottle raised had a name.

Knowing that we were eating steaks, I asked in front of the 2 girls, which calf we were eating. I fully expected to get a blank stare, but instead...

The smallest girl, 1st or 2nd grade, answered real quick, "We're having some of Tammy, today".

To say I was surprised by her answer, was an understatement. So I asked how she knew and the answer was, "Cause its written on the package".

Thinking fast, I said to prove it, and she went to the garbage can and dug out the wrappers. Each was labeled with the cut of meat and the name "Tammy"!

Her dad explained the girls insisted the calf's name be on every package!

my daughters named the last 2 Ham and Burger, another was Sir Loin. Doesn't bother them a bit when we send them to freezer camp

You don't find many animal rights types among farm kids. They know where the groceries come from.

You could get one of these, and he could double as a guard for the ranch...

My kids must lack imagination. Most our calves get named Blacky, Red, and Bob.

2014 Blacky.



and Bob.

Yes, but it is an efficient way to "handle" hay. It is also has a higher nutritive value than long stem hay and far less waste.

I threw that out there to show the OP some options he might not otherwise be aware of.

Muleshoe, that is a nice dry place to be born, sure beats a cold snow bank!

Every year we lose a calf or two because the sack doesn't get off the nose soon enough. Usually in heifers having their first calf, slower births and slower to get up and lick the calf's face.

You fellows are making the cattle racket sound so easy, maybe Sam, and I should throw together, and start up in business rakin' in the easy money!

Oh, wait!

Richard, that is an idea!

It was hay yard tractor work this afternoon. Which was nice because it was about 2F outside, I had to turn down the heater....grin


Set down a bunch of bales for the pickup and about 3:30 the hay chopper showed up so we dumped bales in the chopper until about an hour past dark.

The guy running the chopper is almost too busy. After he left our place he had to go fill back up with diesel and head to another place to chop for a couple hours. He's probably still going right now.



No breakdowns and got a bunch of chit done so it was a pretty good day.


Couple days ago down by the calves.



Some of the bred heifers.

Nice pictures Sam.
I get the shivers thinking calving of all those heifers.
I hope you, and your father know your calving ease bulls, as
you must.

Ever hear that more cattle bums are hurt by cows, than bulls?

Sam, you guys out west have it made!! Let's see you will be out every day from about now for the next month or 2 finding the heifers dropping their calves over God only knows how many square miles, then things get easy and you sashay up to the branding and all the partying that goes on there, then you have to go driving around just mowing the hay with all them fancy machines Boy you got it made. Makes me jealous

Richard, I would bet that more people get hurt by cows.

Calving is always an interesting time!

Sam, most, if not all of that easy money gets away paying the bank SOME on the note!

We need to form a corporation, plenty of investors hereabouts.

Got a catchy name for our firm?

Blanket, calving date is around the middle of March-May. Couple more months to wait.

They need to be fed everyday from now until then which is the chitty part. That and you spend all Summer raising things for them to eat all Winter...grin

Its a never ending cycle, but what would you rather be doing

Richard, Dry Cow Ranch, DCR for short.