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Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 3:58 pm
by Sylvia
We aren't quite there yet with our own beef (some coming back in the next week or two) but I have been selling it for another dexter breeder and therefore had several orders in my outside freezer waiting to be collected or delivered. When I finally got back on my feet after recent back problems I had reason to go to that freezer and found about £100 worth of beef missing. Apart from the loss, this has had a ridiculous knock-on effect on our sense of security in all respects on this tucked away, off the beaten track farm. So if you have freezers full of beef LOCK THEM UP!! 
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 2:54 pm
by Duncan MacIntyre
Sorry to hear of your misfortune, not a nice feeling when something like that happens let alone the financial loss.Being relaxed on security is a luxury of living in quieter areas we to tend to take for granted and unfortuneately sometimes we are proved wrong.
Duncan
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:17 am
by Martin
I live in a highly populated area of the south east, and if something isn't nailed down it will go walkies. I have lost chain saws,strimmers & tools. We suffer regularly from vandalism, & crops are constantly damaged by off road bikers & stolen cars, which are then burned out and left for someone else to clear up. Recently one of my nieghbors had a quad bike stolen, three days later another nieghbor had his tractor stolen by joy riders causing £3000 of damage. I have to padlock all gates, as I have had stock let out and mixed together, which doesn't do much for your calving paterns, and I have lost a building through fire caused by children, or brats as I lovingly call them. I live in the next village to my land, and as I cannot be there 24 hours a day security is a constant battle. I often arrive on farm and look round my stock & buildings, and although nothing is missing or wrong, I know someone has been there. It is not a nice feeling knowing that someone has been nosing around, but what can you do. The police don't seem to want to know, and if as we have done, told parents of children caught in the act, it seems that their little darlings are totally innocent and are not capable of doing the acts of vandalism witnessed. Sometimes I despair, & I put up with this for the sake of my hobby!
But still, look on the bright side, I have a healthy herd, at the moment running with my bull and I have only seen 1 heifer return to him which means we should have a nice tight calving pattern next year, this years calves are doing really well (vet on Friday for de-horning), fly control so far this year has been very good, hay in the barn with no rain on it, new building progressing nicely, and looking forward to the Kent show next weekend. Not all doom & gloom then.
Sylvia, you are not alone, look on the bright side, it could have been far worse! you could be my farming next to me!!
All thye best, Martin
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:52 am
by Sylvia
Good job you are a 'glass half full' person, Martin. I don't envy you your situation one little bit but as you say look for the bright side and don't the Dexters look bonny with their bright new summer coats at present and we too have plenty of hay and haylage already for winter feeding. So not all bad, then. If anyone moves I think it had better be you - in this direction!!
Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2005 11:33 pm
by Jo Kemp
Martin I am amazed you are dehorning in July! In our neck of the woods it ain't done between end May to endish September owing to blasted flies! ... think I prefer them to the vandals/thieves and downright nuisances you have around you
Jo... keep smiling
???
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:11 am
by Martin
After having no measurable rain in the last 3 months, & having a robust campaign on flies, we are fortunate that there are not many about on the cattle at the moment. I had left it a bit longer than I would like, but with only four cows calving this year it is a bit difficult justifying more than one vet visit just for de-horning. Besides, done correctly there should be little reason for flies to be attracted when the wound is dry, as it should be.
My main problem at the moment is that I'm having to feed hay as my pasture is so burned up. Not an unusual problem on the chalky north downs where my cattle are kept, exept this years hay aftermaths are slow recovering so they have had nowhere to go. Although not really ready they will be moved this week to make sure I have some hay left for winter.
It seems so strange watching the weather forcast and seeing everyone else getr rain, and when it reaches Kent there is no rain left in the clouds. Wimbledon is only 30 or so miles away, and when it was rained off I was overjoyed as I thought we may at last get a soaking, but when it arrived there was not enough to lay the dust. I did a spring re-seed on a 5 acre field which is desperate for water as only the weeds seem to be growing.
At least this is my hobby, I would really worry if it was my livelyhood, & as the Python crew would say 'always look on the bright side of life'. It could be worse, I could have been born somewhere other than the best country in the world.
Forever the optimist,
Martin.
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 11:16 am
by Duncan MacIntyre
as the Python crew would say 'always look on the bright side of life'
Absolutely, and why not tender an offer for the off season grazing at Wimbledon? They don't seem to use is much most of the year and Dexters are ideal for not poaching the ground!!
Duncan
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:17 am
by Inger
It would saving them mowing the grass. :D I dare you to ask Martin, I'd love to know what their response is. :laugh:
Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 11:09 am
by Duncan MacIntyre
May not get much joy there, though, as it is possible some short legged Dexters are already doing the grazing "under cover" when the rain comes on, and have not been noticed.
I'm not signing this one!!
Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 7:37 pm
by Kativa
Dear Martin - I wondered if you could let me know what you have used to get success with fly control.I had my three yearling dexters de-horned in mid may and have had nothing but trouble.Would greatly appreciate any advice you may have.We are not in a particularly troublesome area - no marsh or bog, but it's driving me potty !!! :p
Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 4:04 pm
by Martin
Hi Jo,
Have used two types of fly repelant this season. First product is an attachment to an eartag called Auriplak which claims to work for up to five months. Second is Spot On which is a liquid that you place in the middle of the shoulders on the back of the cow, this also kills lice. One thing to remember though is that you must start before flies become a nuisance otherwise you will have lost before you start. Weather also has a bearing on the results, as it has been so hot (I don't remember a day below 20c in the last three months) with so little rain, not ideal conditions for Mr. Fly. One last thing in my favour is that I have de-horned calves not yearlings, the younger they are the easier it is to do it cleanly. My calves went back into the field with dry wounds that would not attract flies. Yearlings are a different kettle of fish. I only do older cattle in the winter.
Good luck, its nice to see some new people here.
Martin
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2005 12:09 pm
by Kativa
Hi Martin
Very many thanks for welcoming me and for your advice.
We only left their horns as one breeder had said to us that proper dexters have horns and they shouldn't be de-horned (guess I'm going to open up a hornets nest now !) but as they grew we felt that they were a potential hazard to the cattle without horns
This years calves are now aged between 1 week and 6 weeks - when would you recommend they are de-horned - I'm lucky as we had 3 heifers so no castrating this year but what age is the best for that task ???
Thanks once again for taking the time to share your advice and knowledge with me - I am very grateful
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 11:43 am
by Inger
Hi Kativa, there are as many thoughts on when to de-horn and castrate calves, as there are about whether or not to de-horn. :laugh:
Having your animals de-horned is probably a good idea if you are new to cattle ownership. Learning animal body language can take a life-time. Hormones can change the behaviour of a normaly placid heifer into an aggressive animal. Add horns to the equation and a novice animal handler can get badly hurt. A friend of ours said that one of His friends had a show bull that the friend had shown for years. A week after having him in the ring, the friend was badly gored by the bull. There are many such stories about bulls. Even dehorned bulls are dangerous, but perhaps not fatally so.
If you have children, it is another good reason not to have horned animals. Just my personal opinion.
As to fly control, have you heard of fly catchers? We have a company here in NZ which sells flycatcher lids, which you can insert into the lid of 20 litre buckets (or any size actually). You put fish guts or other innards into the bucket and cover it with water and place the lid on the bucket. As the smell gets stronger, it attracts flys. The flys enter through the special opening in the lid and can't escape. They end up drowning in the water. We've caught huge numbers of flys in this type of flytrap. It's reduced the risk of flystrike on our sheep as well. I can really recommend them.
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 9:02 am
by Martin
Hi Jo,
horned or de-horned, what is best? The choice is a personal one, for safety sake I would say de-horned. Horned cattle can cause injury by accident and with intent. You & anyone that is around your cattle are at less risk if there are no horns. As to when to de horn, my vet says asap but understands that it is impractical in a small herd to have more than one visit to do this job. The ones he has just done for me are eldest 4 months youngest one month.
As far as castrating bulls I use the rubber ring method which has to be done within the first five days, once you know how it is an easy thing to do and costs nothing.
Martin.
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 10:41 am
by Kativa
Hi Martin
Bit like lamb castrating then - I can do that - many years of practice! Luckily I had only heifers this year (lucky as we are wanting to build our herd up)
Hope your de-horning went well and they are OK
Jo