Friday on the Farm

soybeans are turning

Soybeans are maturing. The leaves of the soybean plants are yellowing. Fall is nearing! We hope for good yields this harvest.

 

 

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Weaning 2014 Calves

We weaned our 2014 calves yesterday. The calves were hauled in from the pastures to the feed lot to be weighed and vaccinated.

antique scale used to weigh calves

 

 

We are very pleased with weaning weights this year. I calculated weaning weights for heifers and steers at each farm. Heifers and steers weighed 30-50 pounds heavier than last year. Quite impressive. There are several reasons for the increased weaning weights. We had a milder summer. Temperatures were fairly comfortable. Cattle were able to graze the pastures most of the summer. With adequate rain, pastures grew well. We also started feeding the cow herds hay and some gluten to help supplement the pastures. In June, I started feeding calves. I filled creep feeders with rolled corn, oats, and cotton seed hulls.    

 



a lovely heifer calf 

In the evening, I fed the calves a bucket of oats. They quickly walked up to the feed bunks to eat.


Tonight, I had a visitor...I found a cow in my backyard. A cow from the pasture where I live walked up to the feeder calf barn. In the morning, she will take a ride in the livestock trailer back to the pasture.

Preparing to Wean Calves

As of this afternoon, we are prepared to wean our 2014 calves. Much effort goes into the preparation of weaning our calves. The feeder calf barn and lot have been cleaned and sanitized for calves, and the barn has been bedded down with straw. We have the scale and records ready to weigh calves.

barn is ready for calves

So much work has been put into redoing the For-Most cattle chute we use for feeder calves. Many calves have been vaccinated in this chute. My dad welded a new floor. It looks great! In time, I hope to sandblast and repaint the chute.
 



for-most cattle chute

After speaking with our veterinarian, vaccinations were ordered. We vaccinate our calves according to our health program we have developed with Dr Baird. Calves will receive four shots...Bovi Shield Gold, 20/20 Vision 7, Vitamins ADE, and BP48.




shots administered according to our health program

 

Every year, we weigh calves at weaning. We sort and weigh the heifers, steers, and bull calves from each herd. In 2006, I created a spreadsheet to better track weaning weights of our calves. The spreadsheet lists average weights from the farms, and shots administered to the calves. Information we collect is extremely valuable! 

weaning records

We are weaning calves from the two cattle herds on Tuesday. I am extremely excited about these calves! There are many high quality heifers and steers this year. These calves have been so much fun to watch grow. It is a proud moment for a cattleman! 

We are continuously improving every year. We can proudly say that we have improved from the previous year. It is something we strive for as cattlemen. Each year we evaluate what we do and make changes as we see necessary.

Friday on the Farm

foggy morning over soybeans

 

As the sun rose, a dense fog hovered over the fields. It was a beautiful way to start the day!

Friday on the Farm

kernels are beginning to dent

Looking at corn fields today, I opened a few ears of corn. Corn plants are in the R4 stage. Kernels are in a series of development stages. The kernels of corn in the dough stage and beginning to dent. We need rain to ensure a good test weight.

 

 

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Friday on the Farm

 


soybean pods



 

Soybean plants are in the R5 reproductive stage. The plants have set pods and soybeans are filling within the pods.

The fields of soybeans look great, but they are in much need of rain. Rainfall in August will ensure a good soybean yield.

Friday on the Farm

corn silks

The sun begins to sit on a corn field. Corn has pollinated and silks are browning. The weather was perfect during corn pollination. The kernels are now beginning to fill.

 

Friday on the Farm

soybean bloom

Soybeans are blooming in the fields. Fields are in the R3 stage. The soybean plants are blooming and starting to form pods.