we use a small contractor, who farms a 250 dairy as well.
labour around us, is desperate, so we help with a tractor and man/son. This is great for him, as oft times he just cannot get another driver.
in return, we get our silage done at ideal stage, and part paid for. Also happy to do small...
permanent fencing can be very 'restrictive', temp gives you flexibility, to stock available grass, which differs through the season.
best thing we did, was to put a network of cow tracks in, not so viable for beef though.
water, pipe on top of ground, and portable troughs, unless you can...
You need a strong maternal instinct, to allow cow to bond with calf.
if predation could be a problem, you need a 'protection' mode.
you cannot have everything, so just accept hormone balance is out of normal, and could cause a temporary problem, and just be sensible and careful around cattle...
we mustn't forget cattle are domesticated wild animals
and at times of 'stress' they can revert to instinct
and maternal instinct, is one we want, it occasionally goes haywire. Then, run like feck !
not a lot of experience with longhorns, but when we had some nice kind walker, leaving gates open behind him/her/it, leaving us with mixed up lots of cattle/ sheep, l went and bought 5 l/horn cows and calves, and put them in the '1st' field trouble started from, never caught the sod. 4 cows...
it is on the 'market sticker' they put on the passport, to show the movement on.
you are only required to register your 'off' movement, to the mkt, mkt registers the on movement, and the new owner, registers the 'on' movement, some mkts will do the next 'on', for the new owner.
we move a lot...
not many industries are completely reliant on the weather, to the extent farming is, and no other industry is so important to maintain life.
and despite those two points, a large number of people seem to think they can manage without us. Ironic, isn't it ?
quite like the martial arts master...
as l said before, buying straight off farm, is great, but trust is needed.
bought a big bunch off 1 farm, pre-warned there could be 'problems', so only paid a large deposit, as requested.
calves duly arrived, less 7 strong lim calves, and plus 5 new born AAx. And problems with haulier loading...
we have to set stock some away ground, no alternative. Grass growth all winter, late turnout, lots of grass, trampling it all in, just looks like waste.
but what else can you do.
milkers are leaving the thistles, but shredding the docks :)
our problem, to much grazing grass, and not enough stock to eat it, certainly leaving a very good residual, good third, but, eating those dock leaf's, are their choice, must be looking for something.
but carefully planned grazing...
painkillers dull the brain
but stopped me drinking, hangovers were horrendous, anything over 2 pints.
future wife stopped me smoking some 45 yrs ago
life can be sooooo boring at times
bad udders, temp was ok, fertility was terrible, and fertility wise, we run a very tight ship.
4 bulls used, several hfrs couldn't get in calve, same with those that calved.
yet 1 that came in a group, no trouble at all. 🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️
totally agree, had to wire off to many.
the solution, vet techs do that, and vaccinations. And l don't even begrudge them the money.
mind you, a bit of blood occasionally, livens things up.
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