Making your own hay not profitable

[nobull1]

Funny it was only 8 years but how you forget.The other part of the job was using a rake with a seat on back that you made your windrows with.Never used the seat just a trip rope.Our barn has tie stalls so all animals are feed by hand the same now as they were 130 years ago.I agree with you on the round bales, the ones I purchase are left outside for up to a year and have little waste.I only wish I could use all round bales but due to our barn construction I have to feed about 2000 square for about 5 months.
As far as you being in the dark ages just come up and visit our farm and you will think you are there /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.Other than baled hay and running water we do the same as 130 years ago as far as handling the animals.Our floor is suspended 3" plank so the urine can drop through and not rot the floor and with this type of setup you cannot use a barn cleaner just a grain shovel and a strong back /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

 

[jimg]

Im not disagreeing about the amt of labor just who provides. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Those farms engaged in selling only usually have a clientele willing to load in the field.

Up here hay is still mostly sq baled even for cattle b/c of the high initial cost of the equipment. Also the round bales need to be moved and that cant be done easily w/o equipment. Then theres the storage issue.

Have to agree about haylofts and your plan to use first floor drive in storage. Ive done my share of working in them and its none to pleasant.

 

[slowrev]

Rich,
Yes for us small farmers it is cheaper to buy rolls than to hire help to do the hay.

 

[cowboydoc]

I agree with you on the Angus Hickory. We rarely have to pull a calf. I only lost one calf last year and that one was a twin. The mother took the one twin but wouldn't take the other one. We nursed the other one for a month but he wasn't right from the beginning and finally died.

 

[Ole_Hickory]

I will take an Angus over <font color="blue"> any </font> other breed of beef cattle any day.

Less calving problems.
( 60 to 70 lb calves versus 90 to 100 on your larger breeds).
More resistant to pink eye.
Naturally polled.
Good gain on the calves
Mothers have good protective instincts.
Angus cattle winter well.
Excellent marbling qualities in the meat.
Not near as much waste on boning etc when processing.

 

[Egon]

Oh I got to sit on the seat and pretend to drive several horses. They new what to do better than me and all I had to do was step on the dump.

Really felt bad for the horses with all the flies and such. You could run your hand over the horses side killing flies and just see a red streak from the blood.

Your operation sounds interesting.

Egon

 

[cowboydoc]

You're exactly right on all counts hickory. Many people confuse weight with meat. That isn't the case. Most times an angus will butcher out more than any other cattle because of the excess bone weight in your bigger cattle. The Charolais cross works for getting bigger cattle but you don't get more meat as a general rule.

 

[Ole_Hickory]

I was cutting teeth on Angus cattle. My Grandfather had a herd(Black Angus,my father had a herd(Black Angus) I had a heard of the Red Angus.Being a farm boy in WVa we never had more than 25 or 30 head.
Its no wonder there are more Black Angus cattle registered in the USA than anyother beef cattle.

 

[tough451]

I will have to chime in on the Angus thing I have none of my own right now but Dad has about 50 head of Brood cows. In 20 + years we have lost only 2 calves 1 Due to weather one due to a Heifer that jus wouldnt accept her calf . She tried the same thing with her next calf so we sold her and bottled fed the calf.
Our biggest worry around here is getting the calves tagged or identifed as ours as most farms here also have Angus.

 

[Wannafish]

"I was cutting teeth on Angus cattle."

What kind of saw did you use? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif