2014 Winter Update

They say time flies when your having fun, so if that’s the case we must be having a blast. I have often wondered what it must be like to winter in an environment without snow. This is the first time we have ever gone this long through winter without snow. The Cows have stayed in incredibly good condition and on quite a lot less feed, being able to graze reserves and crop aftermath all winter.

The 2013 calf crop as with the cows have all had a stress free winter so far as well, staying dry and clean and performing very well on the forage based rations.

The bull calves were weaned in mid October with a week in the weaning pens after vaccinations and wormer. They were fed strait grass hay as they became accustomed to feed bunk ethics and then returned to pasture. They remained on grass until mid November after freeze up when we began feeding a starter ration of 4 lbs. of concentrate and grass hay. The on test ration began in mid December. The last 45 days represent the first half of the feed test. The bulls have performed very well for this feed period.

As in the past, the bulls will be fed a high roughage ration consisting of native grass hay and haylage, no alfalfa is fed to the bulls. A 14% concentrate blend is fed at 1% of their body weight through the test period.

This years offering consist of 50 yearling bulls, over half of which are calving ease bulls. We have listed them separate on the spred sheet for your convenience. Many of these are AI Sired.

We will also be adding a small offering of Simmental bulls from our long time friends and neighbors, Harvey & Leslie Lippert. Harvey grew up in the Simmental breed and has spent his early career as a progressive cattle breeder/hay farmer culminating his Simmental herd. With the ongoing collaboration between RAAA and ASA it is a natural fit. The two breeds complement each other emensly for a cross breeding program and the multi breed genetic evaluation established between the two associations allows the EPD’s to be compared evenly across the board.

Much information will be gathered on the bulls in the next 60 days as they develop and are prepared for the upcoming breeding season. Watch our web site for added information and as always we welcome and encourage visitors to come walk through the bulls for a sneak peak.

We will again be hosting our Opening Day Sale Event on the 3rd Friday of March, the 21st this year. Hope to see you then and Good Luck Calving!!

The Wood’s, Leonard & Naomi, Ben & Dana, Levi, Josie, Logan