Back for the fall run

September 28, 2011

Hey fellow seekers,

I am back for a fall run with the Purpose Driven Herd. Talk about “Other Disappearances!”  That situation only got worse, including the effect as seen in this AWOL blogger.

I suppose it had to do with keeping busy on the job with CAB as I have been on more farms and ranches this summer than any for a decade… and being older than some other more prolific bloggers.

There was also putting up hay in the pastures (which turned out better than expected), and walking daughter #2 down the aisle on July 2.  Daughter #1 was last summer, and there is no daughter #3, so we can hope normalcy returns, whatever that is. Anyway, the big things continue to go well for us.

Not so much for cow 158, the victim of lightning in late July, making for another orphan heifer in the herd; and then there was 804 heifer… I know she WAS, but have no idea where she went because at roundup for pre-weaning shots in August, she turned up gone. Tough year to try raising heifers here. In the first place they made up an unusually small percentage of all at 35%,and with the other disappearances we only weaned 26 last week where it is often 40.  We do have 45 nice steers ready to join the load bound for Iowa and custom feeding in November,and we’re selling a stock-trailerload that fell short in one or more traits.

Take 154 heifer, for example… just kind of a dink, and a totally unexpected slacker. Her momma is from a good family and had a 101 weaning-weight ratio in the whole herd – but her February born, AI-sired heifer looks more like May born. Something just didn’t click, so away she goes. Mom will get one more chance unless by next May we see a disappointing pattern and therefore sell the pair.  But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Preg-check is the first weekend of October.

Anyway, we have some catching up to do, more stories to tell.  So until next time…

Let’s aim for profit, target the brand and keep building tomorrow together.

–Steve

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