Topic: Farm
Well, we loaded up the bull that is ready for butchering to take to town tomorrow. He was purchased in the summer of 2003 as a bottle calf.
Bottle calves are separated from their mother due to either being a twin or some other unforeseen problem. This one got separated during a herd move, and since it hadn't been identified by the owner with its cow, he couldn't get the two back together in time to keep the calf alive. So we provided milk replacer for eight weeks and then grew him on mostly grass/hay.
We kept his testes intact because he was from a very good Black Angus herd. We thought we might get a good herd bull for our own breeding use. However, we had him tested this fall after finding he was only breeding 50% of our cows successfully. His test showed why. We marked him for slaughter since he was still under 18 months. (We'll see if the advice we've received is correct. Supposedly bulls under 18 months are just fine for beef.)
This picture was taken so the people I work with, who always see me in a suit, would see the other side of my life. This is the bull in question.
Moving and sorting cattle can be stressful. We try to stay calm, but I guess having done it with my father when I was young taught me to be impatient and soon angered. The Lord has been teaching me, and I have learned; except in this circumstance. I still struggle to maintain my temper when moving cattle. Some sins die hard.
Posted by Jim Cutler
at 6:38 PM CST
Updated: Monday, March 7, 2005 6:44 PM CST
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Updated: Monday, March 7, 2005 6:44 PM CST
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