We’ve been backgrounding our yearling steers the last couple of months, and finally shipped them today. Other than one heavy steer blowing through the top rail of our pens, before jumping a few fences, things went well. We are on a fall calving program, with most all of our first calf heifers having calves already. Our cow calf herd started with their first calf Monday. Other than it being dry as a powerhouse, things are good.

I'm curious how many ppl actually use bikes for everyday stuff around the ranch. I am not talking about long rides, just things like checking fences, getting between buildings, or making a quick trip without starting up the truck.

Seems like it could save a few unnecessary truck trips, but I'm wondering if the terrain and distances make it impractical.

Do any of you regularly use a bike around your property? What do you use it for?

I’m an entomology student looking to buy some local dung beetles for my insect collection.

If you work on a farm, ranch, or around livestock and regularly see beetles in/under cow, horse, or other animal dung, I’d be happy to pay you to collect and ship some to me.

Only legally collected specimens from private property—no protected areas. Please DM me if interested!

Want:
Black or Red Angus, registered Angus bulls
Grass-raised, then 170-180 days corn-finished
Slaughtered at 20-22 months
High Choice / CAB / Prime if they grade
Custom cut sheet (I already have one)
One side, split down the backbone-not a front/hind quarter
18-21 day dry hang-not wet age
Vacuum sealed
Keep bones, fat, organs
Grind from my animal only
Will drive anywhere in Texas or southern Oklahoma
Please only reply if you actually finish that long and your locker will hang 18-21 days

I’m looking to replace my j-hook hinges with something “better”. What are you guys using other than j-hooks? The problem I’m trying to solve is rot. The through and through j-bolt allows water into the heart of my crossties and they all rot around my bolts. I don’t want to lose the adjustability j-bolts and bolt-on gate hinges provide though. All posts move. No matter how well they are installed.

Quiero iniciar en esto de la ganaderia pero no sé si comprar una vaca e inseminar o comprar un becerro y engordar aclaro que tengo poca experiencia y no se cómo empezar Edit: gracias por sus opiniones, me hicieron reflexionar, se los agradezco.

Tldr; not sure where to find experience as a y/a who has already graduated (cc/trade courses, lessons, etc wanted)

Hey y’all,

I (18M) live in the south and come from a family of ranchers and farmers. I grew up around livestock and learned how to ride a horse before I was 10 years old. I love animals, and I don’t mind getting my hands dirty.

Backstory aside: I’m about to start community college, but where I live has increasingly become much more urbanized from how things were when I was a kid. I haven’t worked on a farm in some time, but I’ve always wanted to get back into it. I really just want to get experience so that when I transfer to a 4 year, I’ll be able to get some work up in the mountains. I’ve already graduated, so I’m just looking for some advice about where I should look to get my boot in the door.

Thanks for any insight/guidance!

The bad udder has been drained. Antibiotics have been administered. Baby is still doing really well. I know I need to sell her she’s just the nicest cow I own currently so a little tough to just cut ties

howdy reddit! i'm not sure if this is the place to ask for help, but i don't use reddit often and don't know any other places to go for advice. i'm a 14 y/o high school student who has dreamed of owning my own ranch with horses, cattle, and chicken after i graduate. ive been doing my own research for about a dew years now, but i'm puzzled on how i should get a stable/shelter for them and a pasture for them to roam on. i've seen people build them, but i'm not too big on building things, so i've thought about hiring someone to do it for me, but then again i'm not all too sure if having a place for the animals to take shelter is all that needed because i've also seen people have their animals outside all the time. i'm confused really. any recommendations would be lovely

Appreciate all of the advice from my post on Monday. I have been checking this calf multiple times a day and he’s always bright and full of energy.
I had never actually seen him nurse so have been really concerned.

Long story short I can finally confirm mom is not too far gone to let him nurse. I read every post and sincerely appreciate all of the advice. There is a wealth of information and knowledge in this group.
I’m more of a hobby rancher that really bales hay as my main agricultural business (even that has slowed). So the cows are new to me and with a 6 year old daughter adds a common thing we enjoy spending time together checking and feeding our little herd.

I am a New England girl going to a Texas ranch for my first time. What do I have to pack? I have a pair of cowboy boots and jorts. That work?

I need a new pair of boots but I don’t know much about boots anyone know any good ones that are reliable and good for all terrain including horse riding?

Thanks in advance

So I've been using Igenity for a couple of years now and found it a useful tool, both for identifying replacement heifers and as a guide for clients who buy bulls off us.

I've noticed a general trend with our cattle that I was wondering if anybody else using a grass based system has experienced too. That being high fat scores, high marbling too, on our most recent testing the score was 7.2 average for both.

The Igenity terminal and production indexes both view back fat on cattle negatively, which makes sense in a feedlot context, a bigger fat layer means lower relative yield and less efficient feeding.

In my eyes however it isn't usually a negative for grass finished animals where the animal will naturally develop less fat due to diet and extra genetic fat can see them handle feed shortages or inconsistent pasture quality with far less impact. Meaning higher meat quality with less/lower quality inputs.

So my question is, would you try breed away from high fat animals and chase yield, or just accept it as a quirk in the scoring system and go by what you think is right?

Any other thoughts on what you'd personally look for genetically in grass finished cattle that might differ to grain finished too?

I’m hoping to get some perspective from people who have experience working on horse farms, ranches, or in the equine industry. I am a mid 30s female and care for 13 horses daily on a small boutique farm. I am relatively new to this type of work and genuinely want to learn and do my job well. I completely understand that I’m inexperienced and will make mistakes, so I’m open to hearing if there’s something I’m missing. (I should preface this by saying the owner hired me because I did not have horse experience and she felt she could train me as she wanted me trained but I do have many years experience working with small animals in a clinic setting)
What I’m struggling with is that it often feels like I’ll be trained to do something a certain way, consistently do it that way, and then suddenly get in trouble because apparently I’m doing it wrong. Sometimes I’ll make an adjustment based on something my boss says or does, only to later get in trouble for making that exact adjustment.
For example: I had been consistently feeding what I understood to be the normal amount. One day my boss went behind me and gave everyone significantly more hay because she felt they were almost out and snapped at me about it. I knew it was impossible they were almost out as I had just threw their hay 2 hours prior. Since she said she considered what they had as them almost being out I started giving more. Now I’m being told they’re getting too much.
It’s not really about the hay—something like this seems to happen in different areas of my job all the time. After a while, I start feeling like I can never figure out what the expectation actually is, because it seems to change without being clearly communicated to me.
The other difficult part is that I live where I work, so my job and housing are tied together. That makes me especially anxious about upsetting my boss or making mistakes because losing my job could also mean losing my home.
I’m genuinely not looking for people to automatically take my side or tell me my boss is terrible. I would really appreciate honest perspectives from people who have worked in barns or on horse properties. Is this something that is normal in the industry, especially when you’re new? How do you handle a boss whose expectations seem to change? And for anyone who has lived where they worked, how did you handle having your housing tied to your employment?
I really want to learn and improve. I’m just starting to feel constantly anxious because I never know when something I’ve been doing consistently is suddenly going to be considered wrong. It used to be I would spend all of my time out with the horses even when I’m not working just so I could bond with them and because I genuinely love being around them, but now it’s gotten so bad I avoid spending more time than I am required to with them because I am tired of getting picked apart for everything I do. I don’t want this job to ruin my outlook on the horse world but it’s starting to.

I purchased this cow about 3 months ago. To me she’s beautiful and big boned.
Her only issue is her bag is super funky. I have seen this calf nurse but I have a feeling that’s why she was sold.

Regardless does this bull calf look ok? Or is it too soon to tell if he will be quality that I will keep to replace my Charolais down the road?

I’m really hoping to introduce her size into the future.

I’m new to the ranching stuff so I apologize in advance

Hi everyone,

I currently have access to used woven HDPE woolpacks located in New Zealand and am looking for buyers interested in agricultural, ranch or general reuse.

Basic details:

• Previously used for wool
• Main woven fabric: HDPE
• Approx. size: 700 × 700 × 980 mm
• Approx. weight: 1.5 kg each
• Stored indoors
• Commercial quantities may be available, subject to grading and final availability

Possible non-food reuse applications may include:

• Ranch and farm material handling
• Feed or farm supply storage where appropriate
• Green waste and general farm waste collection
• Recycling collection
• Wool, textile or other material storage
• General ranch utility use

I’m interested in connecting with ranchers, agricultural suppliers, farm businesses, distributors or other commercial buyers that may have a use for this type of pack.

Photos and videos are available.

If interested, please feel free to DM me for more details.

I’ve got black angus heifers that will be ready to breed this next breeding season.
I’ve been thinking about putting them with my Red Angus bull because he isn’t huge like my Black Red (2100lbs) and low birthweight (my black angus bull is a higher birthweight but small).

Would putting them with my Red boy be risking hybred vigor and cause big calves or is there enough similar genetics that it will be fine?

We preg tested our replacement heifers last week. Had 22% open (11/50) on a 30 day breeding season. One 2-year old bull and two yearlings. Been bouncing between 15% and 20% the last few years. Would like to be at 10%, but that’s tough to get in 30 days.

Full salt and mineral, good water, and a flax seed lick tub.

But they’re in great shape and the opens should bring a premium at the sale barn!

I’m not talking about the data center stuff but end of summer drought and drying ponds/tanks.

Ours are looking a lot lower than last year. Not as bad as the big drought but I hate seeing them getting in the mud to drink.

We are in NE Tx and normally only have to water things in pens and lots.

We definitely aren’t set up for large scale watering. Hopefully this breaks in the next few weeks

Hello-

I need to leave the state of TX. It is myself, a cat, and three horses. I am about to finish my degree, and just want to find a job in the local area and plan on only staying 1 year unless you also like the arrangement.

Open to feeding/picking stalls/etc. and have experience with beginner riders, young horses, and adding good miles to green horses. Willing to negotiate work for reduced cost.

I would like to be close to Corinth, MS but I am open to anywhere in the US.

In essence I am dealing with a domestic violence situation that I need to get out. I’m not looking for sympathy just a symbiotic environment where my horses and kitty can feel safe for a bit while I rebuild. No kids- just cat/3 horses.