Cattle questions

[kenmac]

I think I read you were going to run 4 strands of barbed wire ?
I really don't think 4 strands are going to do it, But you'll find out whether it will or not.
I run 8 strands myself . keeping a few low to keep the calves from just walking through the wire .

You also mention storing hay outside ? I keep mine in the barn. Hay stored outside will get wet, mold and go to waste . Cows tend to not like molded hay.
The ones that do store hay outdoors are the ones that plastic wrap their hay

 

[paulsharvey]

I think I read you were going to run 4 strands of barbed wire ?
I really don't think 4 strands are going to do it, But you'll find out whether it will or not.
I run 8 strands myself . keeping a few low to keep the calves from just walking through the wire .

You also mention storing hay outside ? I keep mine in the barn. Hay stored outside will get wet, mold and go to waste . Cows tend to not like molded hay.
The ones that do store hay outdoors are the ones that plastic wrap their hay

I'm not locked in on exactly how I want to fence the additional areas yet. Barb is cheap and fast, but I haven't completely decided. We ran electric when I was young, but the world moved away from that until maybe last 5 years, it seems more popular again for new set ups.

 

[LHF2019]

I'm not locked in on exactly how I want to fence the additional areas yet. Barb is cheap and fast, but I haven't completely decided. We ran electric when I was young, but the world moved away from that until maybe last 5 years, it seems more popular again for new set ups.

What's young? When I was young we ran a single electric barb through hayfields to run cattle in. You would check to see if it was working with a piece of grass. The fencers I have now I wouldn't want to do that. I've been hit with them and it's not pleasant.

We are gradually moving to woven wire on our perimeter fences but that's mainly because of cattle being a small breed with calves. Cattle on their own no issues with 4 barb perimeter and single twine electric for rotational grazing.

Where I get the bulk of our supplies from

Electric Fence, High Tensile Fencing Supplies

Kencove Farm Fence product specialists guide you to the best supplies for your situation. Top Quality, Reasonable Prices, Fast Delivery - we want to make your fence project a fulfilling success. Kencove ships supplies and tools for electric fence, portable fence, plastic tensile rail fence, and...

kencove.com

 

[paulsharvey]

What's young? When I was young we ran a single electric barb through hayfields to run cattle in. You would check to see if it was working with a piece of grass. The fencers I have now I wouldn't want to do that. I've been hit with them and it's not pleasant.

We are gradually moving to woven wire on our perimeter fences but that's mainly because of cattle being a small breed with calves. Cattle on their own no issues with 4 barb perimeter and single twine electric for rotational grazing.

Where I get the bulk of our supplies from

Electric Fence, High Tensile Fencing Supplies

Kencove Farm Fence product specialists guide you to the best supplies for your situation. Top Quality, Reasonable Prices, Fast Delivery - we want to make your fence project a fulfilling success. Kencove ships supplies and tools for electric fence, portable fence, plastic tensile rail fence, and...

kencove.com

Dad died and we sold the farm in 1991, when I was like 8 or 9(we actually didn't sell in 91, I think mom tried till 1994, but it was all down hill from 1991). So, at this point 35 years ago. We also did some with the awful temp sheep netting stuff... that stuff was the worst product, always shorting out, tangling, ecr

 

[LHF2019]

Dad died and we sold the farm in 1991, when I was like 8 or 9(we actually didn't sell in 91, I think mom tried till 1994, but it was all down hill from 1991). So, at this point 35 years ago. We also did some with the awful temp sheep netting stuff... that stuff was the worst product, always shorting out, tangling, ecr

Can't like that. We are close in age

 

[Hay Dude]

I think I read you were going to run 4 strands of barbed wire ?
I really don't think 4 strands are going to do it, But you'll find out whether it will or not.
I run 8 strands myself . keeping a few low to keep the calves from just walking through the wire .

Heck I just had typical post/rail fencing with a wire strand on top and never lost a calf/cow. I prefer woven wire fabric, but that’s not how the paddocks were set up.

You also mention storing hay outside ? I keep mine in the barn. Hay stored outside will get wet, mold and go to waste . Cows tend to not like molded hay.
The ones that do store hay outdoors are the ones that plastic wrap their hay

Lots of variables there. True hay will hold up much onger stored inside, but outside storage on pallets with a tarp for a few months is perfectly fine. Did this for many years.
Some of my biggest buyers store beef cattle hay outside. I wouldn’t suggest feeding milking cows outdoor stored hay, but beef? Heck that’s how 75% of the hay is stored here. Outside, maybe with a tarp on rock or pallets.

When I put a bale in the feeder, it’s sitting outside for at least 1-2 weeks. Hay in net wrap holds up very well outside.

 

[Hay Dude]

Just like to add one factor one need to consider is the need of having a separate paddock for the bull, (that's required at times) they can get aggressive during the breeding season and if you want to space out your calves, plus it is not recommended to get your cow pregnant at her first heat cycle so one of the two need to be isolated for that to happen. Also there is a risk for injury for the cow if done naturally. All issued one doesn't have with AI... Not saying AI doesn't have it's challenges.

All ours were done AI

 

[Hay Dude]

So, I meant to ask about AI, for a longer term plan. How expensive is it? My first batch of likely just 2 animals, I really think steers, but it depends on if heifers come up super cheap.

That would avoid the inbreeding problem, and the need to rotate out bulls every 3 years. I know some people don't agree, but I've largely heard that it's not terrible to breed a bull to his daughters once, but you just don't keep doing that, for multiple generations.

Do you have a local University that runs an AG/animal husbandry campus nearby? That’s where we got ours from (U. Penn) Students along with an “old hand” would do AI cheaper.

 

[paulsharvey]

Do you have a local University that runs an AG/animal husbandry campus nearby? That’s where we got ours from (U. Penn) Students along with an “old hand” would do AI cheaper.

Yes, University of FLa has a beef research unit about 30 minutes west of here.

 

[Hay Dude]

Yes, University of FLa has a beef research unit about 30 minutes west of here.

Tell them your plans. I bet they would help you