Cattle

Our operation is diversified by having livestock and crops. On our livestock side, we primarily raise beef cattle ranging in breeds from Saler, Hereford, Simmental, Angus and Charolais. The lifecycle of the beef cow starts as a newborn calf, raised till around 2 years old for meat or if a replacement female or intact male are not fattened for consumption due to their breeding characteristics, they will be placed back into the herd for reproduction of offspring. 

We have two divisions to our beef herd – Cow/Calf and Feeder. 

Cow/Calf Division ... more to come 

Feeder Cattle Division .... more to come 

For the livestock producers who raise their own stock - could be cattle, sheep or hogs - they are on the clock 24-7, 365 days out of the year. Just like humans, animals need daily care and some sort of monitoring. For some species, the winter months are easier to have the livestock, some may say the summer months are the easiest. Each Season brings its own set of challenges but if you prepare, implement, and, well, have a backup plan, you should have a good product. But don't expect to be paid $22/hr for your labor. Livestock care is a livelihood; you are expected to be there even when the weather isn't cooperating because the animals cannot fend for themselves.  

For us, we have primarily beef cattle. We raise our own calves and also purchase more weanlings or yearlings to feed out. The cow/calf operation by far takes the most labor but you decrease your input cost because you do not have to purchase the animal. The feeder cattle operation takes daily commitment and sometimes your day goes sideways because you notice a couple sick ones who need treated (similar to you and me being ill and needing the doctor to prescribe medicine - but it can even be as simple as needing to take ibuprofen... well cattle can't do that themselves... so we need to notice the animal being 'off', droopy eared, not coming to the bunk to eat - then we know they need some attention). So not only feeding daily, as you want the best gain in the cattle, you have to observe their health. Treating a calf who ate too quickly or might have gotten pregnant in the pasture as a 6-month-old... it's happened to us - nature: always keeps you guessing.