Ride To The Auction

This last week we were able to nose clip and wean three more calves, this time two heifers and a bull.
After weaning alongside their mothers, we removed the calves from the herd and took out those green nose clips. The three pen mates are happily learning that fresh chopped apples along with grain and all the hay they want is readily available, and no big cows are pushing them from the goodies. There has been no discomfort and no bellowing from the cows or the calves (the mothers seem to be happy they are relieved from milking duties).
We needed to thin the herd before the bad weather hits when we can’t get the trailer in and out from across the river. These three along with a cow/calf pair (the calf being too young to wean) are headed to the auction.
This last hay season was very poor. The grass dried up in the heat and there was no vegetation growing back in the dry soil. We attempt to keep only the amount of cattle that we can support from our own hay, but we have already had to purchase several loads from a neighbor just to augment the amount we harvested. This trip to the auction will lessen the amount of hay that will need to be fed throughout the winter to keep the existing herd happy and healthy.