[Tim Harrigan]

@dominiquer60 25514 wrote:

Thanks Tim,

I did have a good scare last week when my hog of a roan calf was found consuming a large quantity of the the dairy pellets that I feed them.

I am certainly glad to find that I am not overdoing the feed. The cattle here mainly get fed grain in the creep and small amounts for training purposes and ease of handling. To the Dale and his father the amount that I feed seems like a lot, without weighing it, I would guess that they are getting about 1.5 pounds a day (19% CP dairy grower pellet).
Erika

Be careful with that, they are observant and know where the grain is. Best to put a lock or latch on it that they can’t open. A lot of animals have been hurt by that trick.

Maybe it seems like a lot, we have a tendency to be more generous with working steers than market steers. I would expect it to be moderate growth, maybe 1.5 lbs per day. I put a weigh tape on them on the first of every month to check their growth rate. You will probably see them up to 3+ lb per day on good pasture. You might want to weigh a can of those pellets just to see, for my mix a coffee cup makes about 1/2 lb.

[Tim Harrigan]

Erika, it looks like you are on the right path, no need to make it complicated. If they are on pasture the hardest thing will be to keep them from getting fat as they get older. You need to decide how fast you want them to grow. In the first year they can pasture free-choice and eat all they want and they will put it all into growth. They will do that as well in the second summer for the most part, but it will be a good idea to begin managing their access. It is easier to keep them in condition than it is to take excess weight off them later. It seems like you will be like most of us, looking for an opportunity to work them, so you can’t count on work to keep it off. Mine are on pasture and I have always (after they were 2) tried to restrict their access to new growth by moving to small paddocks on a daily basis. That way the quantity and quality stays pretty consistent. I found that if I turn them loose in a larger area to graze for a week they will eat 80% of it in the first 2 days.

There are regional issues with selenium and other trace minerals that you will want to be aware of, cattle folks or extension in your area would know about it if there is. Minerals, salt, water, drop a magnet in their reticulum, no rapid change in diet, you know that stuff.

Our pasture is grass/legume, no alfalfa. Feed grass hay in the winter. When they are growing I like to kick up the protein a little in the winter because I am sure it is low in most of the grass hay. I like to mix 1/3 extruded soybean meal with 2/3 cracked corn. That is about 20% CP with a little extra energy in the corn it provides a way to give a little extra to the young ones if they are in with older cattle that just need an average grass hay. They get round bale free choice in the winter. I would have to think about how I would do it if I had to feed alfalfa, tends to have excess protein and potassium for older steers.

For example, for your steers I would probably be thinking about 15 lb of medium quality grass hay, 1.5 lb of cracked corn and 3/4 lb of SBM and adjust from there. Steers are really pretty easy as long as you cover the basics. Like I said, if they are on pasture your biggest challenge over the long haul will be to keep them from getting fat.

[Tim Harrigan]

I have had good luck using rope for crosshauls but I can see where nice high strength 1/4 chain would work nice and be easy to handle. That is one reason why I was so interested in the rope discussion a while back.

[Tim Harrigan]

Rotation of the yoke is affected by the line of draft as well as the depth of the yoke. A higher hitch point as with a wagon or a long tow chain on a sled will cause less rotation, and that will be accentuated by less belly in the yoke.

[Tim Harrigan]

Thanks, nice view. If you look close you can see the additional holes for load distribution based on the ability of the teams.

[Tim Harrigan]

Nice thread, a short video would be sweet.

[Tim Harrigan]

I think that might be a good idea. If you have to crab that thing around 46 times in 30 degree increments thats going to get old. 92 times with twin rows:eek:

[Tim Harrigan]

Seems like you could use a hammerlock with that George.

[Tim Harrigan]

It seems to me that weed control will be the tail that wags the dog. An advantage to solid seeding is that you use the entire surface and give more plants an equal opportunity for sunlight. If they jump quick and you get even coverage that will help with weed control. If you plant in rows, stick to the recommended rate for rows. You may very well get acceptable weed control with twin rows but you will for sure want the option to cultivate between rows. You might as well have subplots with different planting strategies the first year and do some experimentation. For me, I don’t like the thought of hand harvesting or running a mower through a solid mat of peas.

[Tim Harrigan]

Nice story, and it is nice to see the next link in the value added chain unfold.
Good stuff.

[Tim Harrigan]

The only problem I see is turning is going to be tough. If you tilt up it will drive the coulter in the ground and it will be really tough to side-shift or swing it around. You might want to ditch the coulter and mount a pneumatic or semi-pneumatic tire instead, something that will keep it out of the ground a little better.

[Tim Harrigan]

@dominiquer60 25350 wrote:

I don’t get the RR Alfalfa, especially since I can’t seeing the need to spray it, we’ve been doing alfalfa for years and the worst enemy we have are the wet spots, sure it is not off the truck from the west perfect, but it doesn’t need to be.

Erika

I agree, Erika. The guys that are most interested in a pure, clean stand of alfalfa reseed every 3-4 years anyway. We lose stand because of winter kill, often we get volunteer brome or orchardgrass or something to fill in and I am not sure why I would want to kill it. Seems to me roundup doesn’t really kill alfalfa anyway.

[Tim Harrigan]

Well, I’ve never seen one like that before. Go to work.

[Tim Harrigan]

I don’t see this getting any better in the current and foreseeable political climate.

[Tim Harrigan]

Erika, I noticed in your picture that you have the 2 year olds in the back and usually the wheelers are heavy pullers. With oxen the tallest team would be the lead team whether or not they were the heavy pullers. Having the tallest team in front and the dropped point of the evener lower on the back team will help keep the correct line of draft from the front team to the load. It is hard to tell in the picture which team is taller.

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