High tensile fence or Red Brand 7 in. Square

[newbiemike]

Apr 13, 2023 7:27:55 GMT -5 mommasquilts said:

Okay, I just read on the other post that he’s 9 months old. I still don’t think you’ll get much for him. He is worth more to you in the freezer. If you can build a working pen out of corral boards and posts and a working chute (26 inches for the inside measurement) with a head gate you can band this guy yourself with the Calicrate bander. You will need help and it’s not cheap, but it is doable if you can’t get a vet out or transport the guy to the vet.

How do you plan to take him to the butcher, or do you plan to do that at home?

Yeah I think it’s way past that point now, I mean I’ve called multiple vets and none would come up the mountain. I think at this point, it’s best to just let the 9 month Jersey calf go and focus on the small Dexter herd that will be here in two weeks.

from everything I’m reading here, not if but when he is going to turn on me and be dangerous. It’s getting warm here now so yeah fly season is probably right around the corner.

He was a good learning experience but to be honest I can’t eat him at such a young age, it just doesn’t seem right. If I could make him a steer I would keep him until he was 24 months then I could send him to freezer camp.

I was planning on butchering him myself but again, I have zero experience and had planed on watching videos on YouTube and there is a guy on our mountain that could dispatch and gut him for $300 but again I’m not wanting to eat a veal or such a young animal.


More than about money, I wanted him to have some kind of decent life before freezer camp, however I mean if he turns and kill me, what was the point? Obviously my good intentions were misguided by my ignorance.

it seems to me, that I’ve made a big mistake by not banding him, then I made another mistake by treating him like a pet. At least with the new herd, they won’t be right by the house and I won’t be bottle feeding and all that. I will have to remember not to get attached or overly friendly.

I mean I am doing this because I want food security for my family and want to know what we are eating. But obviously I’m not 
In position to castrate or butcher at this moment.

I was excited and ready to get this Dexter herd and had been working non stop on fencing before I joined here for the Jersey bull to give him a bigger area and away from the house anyway and thought I’d get him some mates but now people got me doubting if I can keep the new herd in and now I’m wondering if I should just lose my deposit and forget it…

I mean someone here was right, I couldn’t even vaccinate my bull calf,  maybe I have no business doing this and I’m just setting myself up to fail.

[newbiemike]

Apr 13, 2023 8:20:03 GMT -5 simplynaturalfarm said:

There are larger cheap bands that don't take machines out there, but if you are in fly season banding is not recommended for his size.

I think they are zippo bands - I hadn't heard of them till last year when a neighbor used them on his yearlings and they worked perfectly

Yeah everything I’m reading says it’s too late or would cost a fortune, plus I worry about complications. Flys will be bad real soon too. I think I should cut my losses and let the Jersey bull go, someone else will probably eat him but I’m not sure I want to eat such a young animal. He is a baby in my eyes and let’s be honest, I messed up over handling him and being overly friendly and getting attached.

I mean I slept outside with him in the hay because he was a baby and didn’t have a mom so he wouldn’t be lonely, obviously I did everything wrong. People here are saying the more you handle them the worst they will be!! I totally thought the opposite and have literally spent every single day with him so he would never be lonely and I thought it would keep him tame.

I mean my wife was complaining that I spending more time with the calf than her and the kids……. Lol

[Kelsey]

What about castrating him and training him to be an ox? In that scenario, the amount you've worked with him would be a real bonus.

[newbiemike]

Apr 13, 2023 10:54:24 GMT -5 Kelsey said:

What about castrating him and training him to be an ox? In that scenario, the amount you've worked with him would be a real bonus.

I mean I’d love to keep him, but it seems like I can’t get anyone to do that, and I’m too green to do it myself. I worry about infection or flys now too. Plus the new herd will be here in two weeks or I can lose my deposit and forget it.

might actually be cheaper to lose my deposit, coming here has shown me how ill prepared I really am.

I’m totally freaking out now…….

[suzorse]

Apr 13, 2023 11:10:08 GMT -5 newbiemike said:

Apr 13, 2023 10:54:24 GMT -5 Kelsey said:

What about castrating him and training him to be an ox? In that scenario, the amount you've worked with him would be a real bonus.

I mean I’d love to keep him, but it seems like I can’t get anyone to do that, and I’m too green to do it myself. I worry about infection or flys now too. Plus the new herd will be here in two weeks or I can lose my deposit and forget it.

might actually be cheaper to lose my deposit, coming here has shown me how ill prepared I really am.

I’m totally freaking out now…….

everyone has to start some where, do you have neighbors with cattle that could menter you , as I remember the first time I gave a shot , I was terrified and it was on a horse , and she had to have them every 3 days and it was me or nobody , I do have a good vet now , but there were times I did not or lived 2 hrs away , and had to haul in an emergency 2 hours to the vet , so have had to learn how to do stuff myself , I have 3 bull calves right now to get banded , and when the vet comes out on the 21st for TB testing and preg check , I will have him dehorn any that need it , I have my own disbudding irons ,
Suzanne

[mommasquilts]

Cut yourself some slack!! Buy the Dexters and get some more practice under your belt. Branch out from there. If they don’t work well in your situation, sell them and get something that does work. Your facilities will get better and you will adapt to what works best for you.

Your Jersey calf will taste good at any age. Don’t get all anthropomorphic. Meat is meat. I bottle feed my calves and love on them all the way to the freezer.

[newbiemike]

Thanks everyone, unfortunately I already told the Amish guy I changed my mind and forfeit my $1000 deposit yesterday. figured I’d rather lose $1000 than set myself up for a huge financial mistake. I mean let’s face it, no barn , no alley, no handing facility, and no livestock trailer and worst of all no vet care available.

I put my jersey bull calf up for sale this morning, I think I’m just gonna focus my energy towards woodworking.

[jerseyrose]

Apr 14, 2023 18:31:17 GMT -5 newbiemike said:

Thanks everyone, unfortunately I already told the Amish guy I changed my mind and forfeit my $1000 deposit yesterday. figured I’d rather lose $1000 than set myself up for a huge financial mistake. I mean let’s face it, no barn , no alley, no handing facility, and no livestock trailer and worst of all no vet care available.

I put my jersey bull calf up for sale this morning, I think I’m just gonna focus my energy towards woodworking.

I would ask for at least some of my deposit back? I think you are wise to put cows on hold. You will definitely enjoy it more if you have the proper handling facilities/ pasture fencing in place first.

My son enjoys woodworking. Not as near as stressful as handling uncooperative cows

There will always be cows for sale.