It's been a busy week and I have not kept up with blogging the way I usually do. We had family visiting from out of town and had a wonderful time with them. In addition to all the normal activities, I had the vet out this week and we spent 2.5 hours getting vaccinations caught up on all the animals, trimming (goats) hooves, drawing blood to send off for biotracking, a health check on a young bull calf going to Michigan, Brucellosis vaccinations and tattoos for the young heifers and a new experience for me..............cutting a bull calf.
Normally, we band shortly after birth any calves that we want to be steers. However, this particular calf was suppose to be a herd bull for someone and we never banded him. When the deal fell through on little Nellson and I could not find a buyer in a reasonable amount of time, I had to make the decision to steer him. I could not have him accidentally breeding the heifers that I have here because that is Davie's job. I assumed that the vet would band him with a callicrate bander, but he told me that he has found cutting the bulls that age to be much better. After watching and assisting with the procedure, I am not so sure about that but I guess I will take his word for it. After all, he is an experienced vet and a man and what do I know about either of those things? All I have to say is it is not a job for the faint hearted and although I am glad for the experience, I have to say that I will do all I can to either make sure future bull calves are banded when small, or given every opportunity to use what God has given them rather than have them cut off!
(Picture of Elliott Folmar courtesy of Damon Folmar. Elliott and his family sold me Emmy and Elliott use to show her as a heifer. He made a trip with his dad last week and was able to stop and see Emmy's new baby calf, Ezekiel.
The other picture includes all of my Jersey girls (cows and heifers) except for Emmy.)