New Beginnings

4 posts
Tue, 06/27/2017 - 18:47 #1

Member for

7 years 4 months
GeorgieF
Last seen: 07/12/2017 - 06:59
Joined: 06/27/2017 - 18:05

New Beginnings

I own 120 acres!

I'm on my own and I need advice on where the hell to start

I share farm 12 acres down to irrigated lucerne.

My husband used to take care of this side of the business!

I need to make decisions now and any advice/questions would be GREAT

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Thu, 06/29/2017 - 17:48 #2
Hyacinth
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 06/29/2017 - 17:37

Good luck with your farm.I am far too ignorant to offer advice but I wanted to offer solidarity. I have around a hundred acres and am on my own since my husband was killed in a tractor accident. He was the farmer, not me. I went with cattle because I love them and it's hard to work with anything that you're not passionate about. I chose to have 6 cows because I can (more or less) handle cows. I am working on breeding the cattle that I DO want through embryo transfer. My aim is to breed seedstock cattle that are individually valuable because I certainly cannot keep large numbers of beef cattle. Good luck with whatever you choose to do

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Thu, 06/29/2017 - 18:50 #3
GeorgieF
Last seen: 07/12/2017 - 06:59
Joined: 06/27/2017 - 18:05
Talk about ignorance! What are seedstock cattle? Do you have an alternative income? What are your plans for the cattle
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Fri, 06/30/2017 - 10:05 #4
Hyacinth
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 06/29/2017 - 17:37
Ok. I bought 4 Murray Grey cows and 2 Murray Grey x Angus cows. Some have had 2 calves and some 4. I took an experienced cattle farmer with me. The cows were supposed to be empty ie not pregnant. I turned them out for a couple of weeks to get used to the new place. They were wormed. They were vaccinated. I found a bovine reproductive specialist aka vet who is very experienced in embryo transfers (it makes a difference). I chose the embryos that I wanted and could afford. Then Hyacinth dropped a heifer calf! She had a sixty day rest and then I had to program the cows so they'd ovulate at the same time. A week later Doug came to implant embryos He managed 2. One cow was pregnant and dropped a bull calf 2 weeks ago. 3 were too fat (mea culpa) and produced poor follicles. I had a bull in to cover them. The embryos if heifers will either be kept for breeding (seedstock) or sold for breeding. Bull calves will be castrated and sold to a feedlot at about 11 months for beef. I have absolutely no idea of what I'm doing but I've learned heaps. I work 3 days per week because the farm just costs money at this stage. If there's any way I can help I'd be glad to but I know very little. I'm determined to give this my best shot because I love this place and this life. I miss Chris like part of me's been amputated.
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