Show Cattle Equipment

The peace of mind that comes with knowing your herd is going to be comfortable and content during the winter can easily be achieved with a little forward thinking in late fall. Well, no one, if offered the choice.

See the "Fun Facts" list below for details.hile the weather wasn't exactly heavenly (cloudy, cold, and lots of wind), spirits were high.The sun did manage to come out during a wonderful potluck lunch, the wind died down a bit, and it even got somewhat...

The tenor in the threads appeared friendly and honest - so typical of DG. I buried my head deeper into this DG-thing only to find myself being drawn like an ant to sugar! Once this ant tasted the sugar cube, there has been no looking back.[Pictures below...

Or maybe a friend told you about it. Many of us escaped into our gardens and let the world go by. There is something about this place... When watching some of the earlier Disney classics, like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty or Song of the South, you can't...

Some Mothers just know priorities, ya know?Everyone has or has had their difficulties with their Moms. There's a lovely poem by William Ross Wallace. I've been blessed with a Mother in law who is a cherished friend and fellow gardener.

It is nice to look out the window everyday and to watch them come and go.The most rewarding part about building these is it keeps my mind busy from daily pain and it gives me a reason to keep fighting.John builds two different styles of houses; the shape...

There are thousands to choose from. Instead of giving cut flowers and chocolates that will be gone within two weeks, bring home a plant for the yard or patio that will last for many years to come.language of flowers lists.

You need to be sure the bull maintains its body condition,” Troxel says. Discover what's in store for your farm. Ensuring fertility is essential, especially for small-scale farmers who have only one bull to service a herd.

If there's one cattle relative that has what it takes to withstand cold temperatures, it's the yak. From winter to summer, a herd would typically move in a circular route that covered 400 miles each year, following the seasons to maximize nutrition.

Courtesy Janell J. Courtesy Adam B. What is a farm without a cow ? Courtesy Charlie P. Here are some of our favorites. Readers show their appreciation for farm cows by sharing their favorite photos.

Courtesy Hasheem B. Courtesy Joe G. Want to share photos of your farm's calves and other baby animals? Celebrate calving season with these baby cow photos from reader hobby farms. Head over to our Facebook page through the month of April, where we'll...

Select Locally Raised Breeds “Look within 50 to 100 miles of where you are,” suggests Lemke. Your animals will not look the same as the cattle in the feedlot down the road. If you're serious about starting a grassfed-beef herd, go out and visit the...

Step 2 Rachael Brugger Before milking your cow, observe the udder and teats for any signs of mastitis, such as swollenness or fever. Use a plastic or stainless-steel bucket, Estes says, and sanitize it with bleach before each use.

Let's raise a glass of tea or red wine, (both also on the list of heart- helper foods,) and toast this love affair between gardens and gardeners. Little sprouts called slips are planted, grow into ground hugging vines, and make tubers to dig at the end...

Here are some aspects to consider when weighing options for the best time to raise young stock. Market Prices Fall-bred calves can frequently be sold at higher prices the next summer because the market supply at this time is low and demand is high.

This cuts off the blood supply to the testicles. You see, springtime is the season not only for babies but also for castrating said babies. Understandably, with surgical castration, you are immediately left with two things: an animal missing a pair of...

Your local extension office should be able to help you with this. It's good to have a sturdy, adjustable corral on the farm to move them for sorting, culling and the like. You might not be able to find non-genetically modified grain in your area, for...

A backstop that pivots on the top can be easily rigged with a remote control rope. Bud box systems are simple and economical, and they work well for cattle. V-shaped chutes work well for younger cattle handled in feedlots.

When that happens, its ability to absorb nutrients drops and ulcers develop. But hang in there—this is where the grass vs. Hobby farmers aren't going to operate on the level of the feedlots, and may only be growing meat one animal at a time.

Cooperative extensions and universities often host field days and workshops, too, where you can meet other farmers and people wanting to start a cattle farm. Factory farms are defined as operations with 500 or more dairy or beef cattle and can be problematic...

They're gentle and easy to handle so they make good oxen; my great-grandpa had 25 yoke of them to help log the virgin ‘yeller' pine forests of south Mississippi. Native cattle exposed as calves to diseases like babesiosis and anaplasmosis developed...

Some advocate vaccination of newborn calves while others advise waiting because the energy of immune response is better used elsewhere so early in life The complex issue of vaccinating newborn calves is explored in a peer-reviewed article called Does...

That lower critical temperature depends on hair coat and weather conditions: With a summer or a wet-to-the-skin hair coat at any temperature, the lower critical temperature is quite warm at 59 degrees F.

In a pen, use a feeder or feed bunk, so cattle won't lie on or poop on the hay; otherwise, they'll waste it. If feeding hay on the ground, feed on clean grass and not in the mud. Adequate Clean Water Water is just as important as food; cattle won't do...

“The grass never has an opportunity to recover,” Buchanan says. “I don't like eating the same thing,” says Chad Lemke, production manager for the Grassfed Livestock Alliance , part-owner of McCollum-Lemke Ranches and secretary of the American...

The worst are horn and face flies, but deer flies, horse flies, gnats and black flies are attracted to cattle too. Finally, do you recognize cattle ailments, afflictions and conformation anomalies when you see them?

(See a list of dairy terminology below.) At calving, most cows require more energy than they can consume and consequently lose body condition. (For more about BCS, read “ Why Body Condition Score Your Cows?