Slow Introductions on Pasture

greybeard said:

I may be wrong on the goat thing--I am not a goat person[/b]. Last I heard Rumensin was not approved for sheep in the US

Click to expand...

Yes, just cattle and goats.

Baymule said:

So despite the best of management practices, cows just started dropping dead. How heart breaking.

Click to expand...

It really is. The only thing you can do is limit pasture and start feeding hay, until you feel you can move the animals to a pasture they actually won't drop dead in a few days on. It's tough, it really is.

WildRoseBeef said:

It really is. The only thing you can do is limit pasture and start feeding hay, until you feel you can move the animals to a pasture they actually won't drop dead in a few days on. It's tough, it really is.

Click to expand...

I don't have cattle but very much appreciate this info. All my neighbors have cattle.

Really is something to grasp. Very scary.
Forgive my ignorance, is this something that is just being "discovered". Is the vet world up to date?

It's just came up these past few weeks or so, and the first case came up a week ago here in Alberta. So, yes I guess you could say that it's just being "discovered," so the vets certainly are getting up-to-date now in the last little bit if they aren't aware of it already.

This is a new post that came up on Grainnews, one of the Canadian ag-news media sources that reports on stuff like this, among others: http://blog.grainews.ca/ugly-ugly-hay-year-pasture-problems-too/

OK, so I have a Q... I'm about to buy a place in TX that has a pretty decent/lush 5-6 acre pasture that I wanted to buy some weened steer calves to put on... You said this is not an issue for long yearlings and younger, right? So I should be able to bring the calves home and let them loose on it without fear of them dropping dead, right? Also, while asking this, perhaps Greybeard, you'd be willing to offer me advice on where and how to go about getting said calves. I'd like to just let them grow over 18-24 months with grass and hay, minimum grain and then send one to freezer camp for me and sell the rest. I know virtually nothing about raising cattle... I'm specifically wanting beef cattle.

Depends what kind of lush forage it is, as there are other issues it can cause, usually between 1st frost and 1st hard freeze. Prussic acid, which is different that what WRB is talking about. Johnston grass & most of the sudan/sorghum haygrazers can have issues if grazed at the wrong time. Shouldn't be an issue right now, but later in the year in North Texas it can be.

As far as buying weaned steers, I would recommend private treaty for sure--not a sale barn. You can go the Craigs List route, but IMO, most are over priced. I know of a couple medium sized and reputable commercial ranchers in the area you've been looking at, as well as one smaller rancher. Both are about 10 miles from Sumner. There's another down near Bogata. When you close on the property, get set up and and are sure your fences are adequate, have a good water source etc, shoot me a private message and I'll give you their contact info.

I must apologize--I had you mixed up with tressa that is looking at the properties near Sumner. (all you people moving to Texas,,it's hard to keep you straight in my mind.)

Still, just down highway 154 from Sulphur Springs, is Yantis. I know 2 people there that raise beef cattle and have done so for decades. (One has a state installed plaque in front of their yard--100 yrs of agriculture farm under the same family) One is a cousin, the other is a close friend of another of my now deceased cousins. One has Angus cross cattle, the other polled Beefmasters. Either should be able to help you out in your quest for a couple nice steers.

Thanks Greybeard. Once I'm moved in down there and ready may I PM you for their contact info?

of course.