[Theloggerswife]

If you are located in an area that highland cattle can thrive in, they are my suggestion. They will take back over grown pastures quickly. The only thing left in the pasture will be thistles and milk weed. They will even eat burdock…got to love that! The highland will scratch their horns on any tree or bush in the pasture. So your trees will be limbed to the cattles head height.

I don’t have any experience with the devons or other breeds…

[Theloggerswife]

Howie,

I am not sure what I am waiting for….growing up I showed Holsteins at the county fair through 4H. Then boys became more important! My husband had no interest in any animals on our farm when we bought it 8 years ago. My father gave me my first 4 highlanders for Mother’s Day. We now try to maintain a herd of 30 to 25. We have had more, but it become more then a hobby at that time. We usually sell 10+ calves each fall after we wean them. So now that you have me thinking about this I do have a really cool guy in town that would probably help me start a few calves…

Now that I am old (39) and married with two young kids I thought a team of Belgians would be really cool. So after my father died suddenly last year, I decided not to put off things that I wanted to try. So my team of Belgians arrived on the farm. I have ted hay with my team and have done cart rides. I would love to get them in the woods with my husband a few times and maybe he would warm up to the idea of draft horses!

[Theloggerswife]

We have about 30 head of highland cattle on our 75 acre mini-farm here in Vermont. I have found them to be highly trainable to a halter and they seem to be a very slow laid back breed of cattle. We have a nine year old highlander that will let my 2 year old sit on her back. We will never get rich having this bred of cattle but they are great around kids are very cool looking….and tasty.

When it does heat up here in the summer they tend to head for the shade or they will wade into a pond or brook in the pasture. But honestly I am wanting to do the same thing….

[Theloggerswife]

This new “tax” would effect each and everyone of us. Those that could afford to keep the animals and pay the tax would just pass the expense on down the line.

I know with our small 30 head beef “hobby farm” we could not afford the tax. We keep the animals around to maintain the property, but to also sell a few in the fall, to off set the property taxes. Local/State taxes, fuel taxes, school taxes, income taxes….when is it enough? I thought we lived in the land of the free?

I guess I am jaded when it come to the EPA and regulations. We all need guidelines, but it seems that only the honesty follow them to begin with!!! If there is going to be a new tax….tax all the manure that comes out of the EPA’s office! Now that is a waste of our tax dollars.

[Theloggerswife]

I would suggest that you contact Ted Russell. I am not sure if he is free or not, but he has a lifetime of experience with Draft animals. He is located on Route 30 in Sudbury, so not far from GMC. His cell number is 802-249-2999.

[Theloggerswife]

We still have some second cut square bales available. We are charging $5.00 a bale out of the barn. I feel that $7.00 is a little excessive, but I am sure he will be able to get it once February or March rolls around. Unfortunately, there appears to be a hay shortage this year.

I have resorted to feeding round bales, because all of our first cut square bales are all sold!

[Theloggerswife]

Right now I am feeding first cut off our farm. We put up our own feed for the horses and our highland beef. So, I know it is good quality feed. They did have free choice to a round bale. I have changed that now. I am feeding them twice a day in the barn a limiting the amount they eat. I was afraid they may have over dosed on the hay????

I will try the probiotics and see if this makes a difference. My vet suggested doing a fecal in two weeks, since I just rewormed.

Thanks you.

[Theloggerswife]

My vet didn’t seem to be too excited about what was happening, so I knew it must be minor. I just didn’t want them to get to sick before doing something about it.

Honestly, it bothers me more then them! I will keep an eye on them and make sure it doesn’t get any worse.

[Theloggerswife]

I will print out all your responses and share them with my husband. The horses are “mine” and he proclaims to only want to help me with them when necessary. So now I can see a collective amount of issues that may be causing this behavior. Since the horse is 15 years old…it isn’t the first time he has had his feet done. So, I guess the finger can be pointed at us as much as the horse.

After a 10 hour day of logging, my husband gets a quick supper and we head to the barn to do the battle of the wits with the draft horse. We dread it and full expect a fight to the finish. We are tired before we begin and time is usually an issue. We get frustrated, the horse gets no where and someone ends up sleeping on the couch!!! So now I can see many things we can do to change ourselves to help the horse along.

Keep the suggestions coming, because it is obvious that we need them if anyone else has something to add!

[Theloggerswife]

We run our draft horses with our highland cattle. No problems. Horses are top in the pecking order. We did have to separate our quarter horse from the highland cattle though. Apparently the quarter horse thought he needed to keep the herd of cattle all herded up and away from the hay feeders.

[Theloggerswife]

I agree 100% with Carl. The time I have spent with Ted and his knowledge is what they call “Priceless”. When you are there with him can coach you how to react when the horse desides to do something less then desireable. It is much easier for you to be there to see and experience then to have him explain it to you at a later time. I am lucky enough to live 2-3 miles down the road from him, and I call on his knowledge ALOT!

Between Ted and my older trained team ~ they have ME almost trained to the middle beginner level!

[Theloggerswife]

I have to say this is probably the best thing you could do. Of course I am a very bias in my opinion. Ted is my husband’s best friend and my mentor. He has been my mentor since I purchase my first team of Belgians a year ago. He has been a wealth of knowledge for me. Rest assured that you have made a wise choice. You are dropping off your “baby” but I cannot think of a better sitter for them!

[Theloggerswife]

We purchased our first 5 highland cows to take back our pastures after purchasing our farm. They eat pretty much anything….burdocks, velvet leaf, etc. They also beat the brush and trees back with their horns. We have had great luck with them and we do rotate the graising with several different pastures to avoid pasture burnout.

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