When I came home from work today I decided I was just going to try and get the truck and trailer on the gravel. I figured if I could do that I could figure something out. So, after a little slow going I was on firmish ground and I thought maybe I could make it to the pen if I took a run at it driving towards it instead of backing up to it. My plan worked and with the help of a cattle panel and a 16 foot gate all three of the new Dexters are in place.
So, you may be wondering why three new Dexters and why now? Well, we are going to need a bull this summer and if I have learned anything over the past couple of years I have learned that it is somewhat difficult to find a decent bull when you need one. So, when I saw this group for sale at a good price I jumped at the opportunity. I figured it was best to at least have something.
This was a package deal though, so I came home Monday (after about 7 hours of driving) with an almost three-year-old bull and cow along with their 7-month old heifer. While he isn’t the greatest Dexter bull ever he is a decent looking bull and will work for our herd. The cow and the heifer also have added something to the herd.
I am beginning to think that I want to focus mostly on the dun or red cows mostly for heat resistance and the way they look. So, this summer (maybe after calving) I’m going to sell two black cows and keep these two dun cows. This will help with the money we just spent and will also bring us closer to the dun/red herd I’m looking for.
One more thing … none of these three are registered yet. That means they don’t have names! Do you have any good suggestions?
I have noticed that often there is some sort of coding system (detailing the year, sire, dam, etc.) in the pedigrees of registered livestock, so wouldn’t it be possible to devise or adapt some sort of ‘code’ to apply to the names of your cattle?
A simple one might be if Bob was the sire, and May was the dam, a heifer calf would be named something like Betty May Stoneyfield. (the first letter of the bull’s name would be the first letter of his heifer’s name and the first name of the cow would be the middle name)
If Betty May was then bred to a bull named Karl, her heifer would be named something like Kate Betty Stoneyfield.
I’m not sure how a bull calf would best be named, but a calf out of Bob and Mary might be named Bill M. Stoneyfield. (again using the first letter of the bull in the calf’s name, but only using the first letter of the cows name so the other calves don’t make fun of him because he has a girl’s name)
Glad you scored against the mud!
Did you ever get any more news on what happened to Hershey?