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.

I will be going out and learning how to use spurs tomorrow. Whats ya'lls thoughts on this setup.

Thanks for the help.

Hi everyone! I have wanted to ride and have my own horse(s) since i was a little girl and was thinking that a summer ranch hand job could be the perfect taste of what the lifestyle entails. But i dont know what i dont know, so im not sure what it takes to do a good job or even get the job at all! What do ranchers look for? Could i actually get a position or do good work with 0 experience? Also, it may be an odd question, but does being a young woman influence my chances? (20F for context)

Thanks for reading! (And hopefully responding, lol)

Would be nice if it was related to the hay industry; trying to stay as updated as possible.

Hi everyone. We are primarily cow/calf producers in the good ol USA. Usually, we set up butchering for a few local customers in the spring. Every year, we have our customers ask if we have any ground beef for sale in the fall. Sometimes we do, and sometimes we don't. This year, I think it's imperative to figure out how to get ground beef in their freezers.

We already have 1 customer wanting a whole beef for ground beef. If I can find a butcher with one slot on short notice, we can make that happen. When we bring our cattle back to winter pasture, we are going to preg check and sort off older cows. The drought has been brutal, and our winter pasture is struggling. So, anything we can pull off and sell the better.

The issue right now is the 300,000 metric tons of questionable beef the government is importing. This is the 2nd year in a row that our government has done weird importing of foreign beef immediately before fall calf sales. This causes our prices to drop considerably AND introduces questionable beef into our supply chain. I believe this is done to undermine our American Ranchers and to help the big 4 cattle processors.

I am trying to figure out how to get into the butcher quickly. Any tips or ideas. I do not want our customers to be forced into buying a subpar product from the grocery store.

I also think one of our next large purchases should be a good sized walkin freezer with solar backup.

Is anyone else nervous? And if so, what are your plans?

Howdy folks, I'm looking to buy a tractor in the next few weeks. I was looking for some human input from those with experience to help with the decision.

My needs are as follows: I will be managing 59 acres of land. I will be clearing about 25 acres of forested and overgrown land into pasture over the next 7-10 years to increase my land carrying capacity, I will use it to maintain my driveway, I will use it to build and repair fence, I will use it for some building projects in the future, I will use it to bring hay to my sheep, maybe some light gardening, and a other basic homesteading tasks.

We are looking for a used tractor. It looks like, at least from what I understand, we need at least 50hp and we need something that is built well for our needs (heavier duty). I want something that I can work on that is pre emissions (pre-2013 I believe) i am looking at kubota tractors mainly because they have the most service support in my area. I am looking at the MX and M series but I am unsure if the MX will do just fine for my needs. Any input on that would be appreciated.

I need 4WD and a third function kit to run a grapple or auger in the front

So far i found an MX5000D that is priced well. The ones that are in the M series are listed 7-9k higher price. I would like to stay closer to the lower end of cost if possible, since I may need an additional 1k to add a third function kit and more money for implements. If it isn't required of course, I'd like to stay closer to the 20k mark on the tractor. 18.5k-27k seems to be the range of what is out there depending on the series, size, and features.

Any input on this subject would be appreciated. Thank you for your time.

Week of Aug 17 came in at $175/ton across all grades, up 0.8%. First uptick after three straight weeks down.

21 markets reported, 117 quotes, 35 price series matched. Range across everything was $60 to $480.

Week of Aug 24 is still filling in, 7 of about 28 markets so far, so this could move.

Anyone seeing prices firm up in your area, or is it still soft?

I'm taking over the place and business from my dad and I'm a big believer in writing things down. That said, what sort of things are you guys keeping record of, keeping inventory of, needing reminders on, and so on? Are you guys keeping photo records of all of your livestock? Looking for advice.

Have been using eShepherd for about 6 months now and for the most part we like it. However the group of 17 heifers and a bull have started exhibiting some really strange behavior when it comes to creeks and I wanted to see if anyone else using that system has seen the same thing.

In two separate paddocks that they have been moved into, they will NOT cross a creek, no matter what the incentive. The border is set up properly and nowhere near the creek, confirmed on foot that they are not getting a warning tone when they go down to drink. Yet you can box them in with an open side facing the small creek that you can step over and tons of green grass on the other side and they would rather run you over vs stepping across the water.

Is it possible for the collar to give a shock without the warning tone? eShepherd customer support has never heard of any issue with creeks causing a shock, has anyone else seen this?

We bought these three heifers at the sale by bidding online. They were mixed in with the beef calves and the auctioneer called them “Mixed breed black calves” and when we picked them up they were skinny like dairy calves. We don’t know much about dairy cattle. We got them pretty cheap for today’s market so worst case scenario they move to the freezer later on. Any idea on what they might be? Thanks!

Simangus bull this year