Ot no more cows

Mark6005 · Oct 16, 2012

For several years always kept a few cows/calves around kind of a hobby seems that"s what I did, take care of them. Taking 3 angus feeders and 2 fat cows I didn"t back breed to the sale barn Thur. Hays hard to find and high and grain is high too. Bad drought this summer. Might seem strange not doing the feeding I"m used too but I tell myself some days this winter might be nice to throw another log on the fire and stay in. Bet some of you might be doing the same with the drought we had.

Kow Farmer · Oct 16, 2012

There are days I would feel like doing the same thing as you. But I am too stubborn to just sell the steers. Even when the weather is -20 or more to +100 degrees in summer here in Southern Minnesota, I still enjoy going to the barn twice a day. There is just something I really enjoy about cattle that most people will never understand (especially my wife). They don't make me alot of money, but we sure eat good. Best of luck Mark. I'm sorry your situation turned out the way it did.
Kow Farmer

paul · Oct 16, 2012

I gotta keep mine for winter work, or the wife would probably mke me get a real job!

--->Paul

NEKS · Oct 16, 2012

Sometimes when it overly hot or cold I cuss a little when I go feed them or put up hay, but probably go crazy if didn't have them. It does give me a good excuse to get out of the house. When the wife says she is bored, I tell her to follow me for a day.

Mark6005 · Oct 16, 2012

Believe me I'm with you guys but the feed thing this year was bad heading into the winter even with my little herd. Lol. in the spring I'll be looking to start again with a cow with a new calf. Won't take down any fence.

JayinNY · Oct 16, 2012

Funny, I thought the same thing this morning! But for a different reason,, Mine are really good, but they decided to go threw the hot wire and knock down the wire fence! Thought maybe I should rid myself of them! Lol,

GeneMO · Oct 16, 2012

Our family had raised cattle on the farm for over 100 years. It ended with me. Sometimes I miss them, but most times I dont.

But let me tell you, the hogs went first, and I never miss those damned things.

Gene

Mark6005 · Oct 16, 2012

Jay, Paul been there done that and I still kept em. It's what we do. Therapy maybe or keeping peace.

Walt Davies · Oct 16, 2012

Sold my last cow this summer don't miss them because my friend has 11 here. I like to watch them out eating or chewing their cut while lying down in the sun.
Walt

JDseller · Oct 16, 2012

I am sorry that the high feed cost made you make that move. I like doing my cattle chores. I don't even mind the cold. They just kind of give me piece of mind.

When I used to work in town I could have a real bad day. Then come home and spend a little time with the cattle and I would fell much better with the world. I bet they where cheaper than the bar bill many of my friends run up trying to get the same peace of mind.

2x4 · Oct 16, 2012

just sold my last Highland cow today at the stockyard. 'Twas no mistake!

donjr · Oct 17, 2012

I gotta have something to make me get away from this playtoy- might as well be a bunch of knotheaded critters. They may well go down the road one day when I can't take care of them, but that day still isn't here.

Deere Scotty · Oct 17, 2012

I some days wish I had a few; but not being tied down every day to the farm... it quickly goes away! I will just keep the childhood memories alive. & this year would have been a nightmare *weather wise* having cattle!!!

Nebraska Cowman · Oct 17, 2012

That's me too. I thought a couple years ago I would get out. But you can't be a cowman if you don't have cows. My livestock is my get-away-from-it-all therapy. I'd have a breakdown if I had to stay in the store every day. No, I culled pretty heavy and am watching my Ps and Qs. But I am buying feed and adding more cows. It will rain again someday.

Nebraska Cowman · Oct 17, 2012

That's the only thing I miss Kow Farmer. When it's snowing and bowing I miss the BARN. My cattle have to live their entire lives with nothing but the sky for a roof. Sometimes it ain't a lot of fun.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 17, 2012

May you always have cows around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0hBn10mQPI&feature=related

Kow Farmer · Oct 17, 2012

My neighbor has an open feedlot for his cattle too. There are many days I wonder how those tough critters can handle the extreme weather either hot or cold or whatever with no roof over their head. But I guess they do just fine. I know I couldn't handle that. LOL
Kow Farmer

MFPoor · Oct 17, 2012

Years ago, I milked a couple dozen holsteins on average. Early '80's, decided that was a bad plan and got shed of them. Best decision I ever made. Never regretted it for a second. I discovered there was an entire world outside of the milking parlor.

thurlow · Oct 17, 2012

Had cattle (commercial cow/calf beef cattle operation) for 47 years; it was a business, not a hobby. Was running almost 300 head of mama cows, in addition to 1000 acres of row crop. Sold the last of 'em 5 or 6 years ago; I often run into someone that'll ask, don't you miss 'em? Wouldn't you like to have just a few? I AIN'T MISSED 'EM ONE DAMN TIME!!!!! I've got numerous hobbies, but none of 'em involve something that must be fed or managed.

jbp · Oct 17, 2012

Twenty years ago I would have said "no way" to not having cattle around. A cow helped me change my mind when she trampled me breaking my leg. When there are more reasons for not having than having, its time to hang it up.
It sure is nice to only have to go out to feed the dog or get in more wood for the stove on a bitter cold or rainy day. Joe

dcarp · Oct 17, 2012

Sorry to hear that. Last year lot 's of folks here in Texas had to do the same thing because of no grass, no hay and no water.
I'm still down on numbers but think I have enough hay for the winter. I bought all the feed I will need back in early August because I could see where the prices were going. Trying to hang on to this years calves because of the prices now.

rrlund · Oct 17, 2012

The dairy cows went out of here eight years and eleven months ago. That was sweet relief. I'm not ready to get rid of the beef cattle yet,but some days would sure be more peaceful if they were gone.
Are you going to buy any back when the weather changes?

JMS/.MN · Oct 17, 2012

Same here after 30 years of dairy. Averaged one day off per year. Last cow kicked me, getting her on the trailer, 10:30 am, Sept 23, 2001, but who"s keeping track? Haven"t missed them yet. There is life after cows.

Mike (WA) · Oct 17, 2012

Had a "weekend farm" in the 70's and 80's- got up to about 25 mother cows, worked my 8 to 5 job all week, farmed on nights and weekends. Hay got to be a bigger and bigger problem, when I needed so much. But the kicker was when the oldest boy got to the age where he had ball games and activities, and all the kids wanted to go swimming, to the park, etc. in summer. Finally decided my kids childhood was just going to pass by without me, and I wasn't having that much fun at it anyhow, so the whole outfit went to the sale in about 1983 or so.

Haven't had a cow critter since, and I honestly can say I haven't missed them. Wife has horses that she mostly takes care of, and they're friendlier and more pleasant to be around, too. And 3 goats that follow you around like puppies.

thurlow · Oct 17, 2012

For the 1st 3 or 4 years after they were gone, I could tell you the date and hour that the last load left and how many were on that trailer. The last one to load was a crazy 2-year old; I had to 'bait' her into the pen and hide behind a couple of sheets of plywood made into a blind. Took the better part of a half-day; all I remember now is that it was in May..........'06 or '07........probably. I lied when I said I didn't miss it; I miss pulling a calf as it's getting dark and it's raining/sleeting; I'm lying on my belly in the mud and she's a 2-year old that I'm not sure is gonna make it. Typically, there's only the nose and ONE foot showing. I miss the sheriff's department calling at 2:00 A.M. and saying, "Ain't you got some cows on Patton/Orysa/Hurricane Hill/Carney/William Switch, etc Road". Well.........reckon why they wanna know; the ones that are out are ALMOST never mine, but you still gotta get up and go see. I can't imagine dealing with dairy cattle; beef are 'bad' enough. In the '50s and '60s, there were 4 dairys within 3 miles of where I'm sitting; they......plus the others that were in the county.......are all gone.

JMS./MN · Oct 18, 2012

I started farming from scratch in 1972 on April Fool's Day (Yeah, right!). I live 4 miles from town, can drive 4 roads to get there. In '72 there were 32 farms on those roads, 28 were dairy farms. We were the last to quit.

Ot no more cows

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Similar threads