Fourche River Farm Cattle Company

Our New Herd Bull

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:41:49 -0600

We've recently been blessed to be able to purchase a legendary herd bull. Lakotas Buckeye P60 of Lakota Ranch fame. We're looking forward to using him this next breeding season!

Interesting Links

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:46:59 -0600

www.northamericandevon.com

www.americandevon.com

www.bovineengineering.com

www.artisanbeefgenetics.com

www.leerburg.com

www.responsibletechnology.org

www.nongmoshoppingguide.com

www.largeblackhogs.org

http://albc-usa.org/

http://www.grassfedexchange.com/

The Pigs

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:01:08 -0500

Large Black Hogs�A Heritage Grazing Pig

When we were looking for a heritage breed of pig to raise we came upon the Large Black. (Heritage breeds are breeds that have been perfected over a hundred years ago by farmers who bred for taste, hardiness, mothering ability, and efficiency.) Most heritage breeds of hogs are very rare today and one of the most rare is the Large Black Hog.

The Large Black is listed as endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. It was once one of the most popular breeds of pigs in Europe until pork production moved indoors by huge commercial hog operations. It is now being rediscovered.

The History of Large Black Hogs

The Large Black is believed to have been developed in the late 1800�s from Chinese breeds brought to England. They are a �bacon� type, or meat producer, instead of the �lard� type that was common in that day. They became known as the Devon or Cornwall pigs from their area of origin before becoming just the �Large Black.� Although there were a few importations in the mid-1900s, the largest import into the United States was in 1985 by Ag-World Exports.

They were originally raised for many reasons including their hardiness, mothering ability, milk production and prolificacy. The Large Black is a very efficient pork producer because it can glean a large portion of it�s food from grazing. Unlike many breeds of hog, their black skin protects them from sunburn and enables them to live outdoors on open pastures.

Aside from their ability to produce deliciously superb pork on pasture, another thing that attracted us to the Large Black was their docility. We wanted a pig that could be easily moved to new pasture and one that our girls could handle, and the Large Black fit the bill. The sows are said to be extremely docile even when farrowing. We now have a boar "Noble Sam", a sow "Prudence" and a barrow "Lefty" that we plan to butcher...maybe...if we don't become too attached to him! We also have 2 Large BLack/Tamworth/Yorkshire cross gilts.

*UPDATE Aug. 19, 2011: Prudence and the 2 gilts have now had their piglets and we currently have 17 of them running around the pasture!

The Jerseys

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 17:38:54 -0600

When we were looking for a family milk cow, we quickly realized that she was going to be very difficult to find. First off, most dairy calves are weaned extremely early, if they're even allowed to nurse at all. Because of this the replacement heifers are just poor doers. They didn't get what they needed when they were young and you have to prop them up. We learned this lesson the hard way.

Secondly, most dairy operations are run conventionally; they feed grain and the cows are kept up in small areas so that they are easier to milk several times a day. The lack of sunshine and grazing time, combined with close quarters is something that can cause sickness, so the animals end up being medicated. (Not to mention the hormones they are given to make them produce more milk.)

So, when we were told about a grassfed dairy that was relocating and needing to sell, we jumped at the chance. These Jersey cows were grassfed only, out on a large pasture and the calves were kept on the moms until they (the moms) decided to wean them. They came into the barn when called for milking time and stood there without being fed or tied while being milked!

According to the Oklahoma State University Animal Science Dept. cattle breed directory, "the Jersey breed originated on the Island of Jersey, a small British island off the coast of France. It is one of the oldest dairy breeds, reportedly being purebred for nearly six centuries. Jerseys were known in England as early as 1771 and were regarded favorably for their milk and butterfat production. They were brought to the United States in the 1850's."

Our Jerseys are very docile and easily trained to milk. They seem to actually enjoy the human contact. The milk is delicious and consistently has alot of cream, which makes wonderful, creamy butter. We're looking forward to learning to make cheese and hope to eventually build a new milking parlor complete with cheese room.

In the near future we plan to test these cows for the A2 milk gene. We are also very interested in working to increase the milkfat percentage. We have found some grassfed Jersey bulls out of New Zealand that have been tested to consistently produce heifers that have 6.4-6.6.% milkfat and plan to do some AI work in the fall. In the meantime, we are busy milking "Buttercup" and "Clara" and are looking forward to the new calves coming this Spring.

Take a look at our Jersey slideshow and see why we love them!

New Slideshow: The Jerseys

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:37:29 -0600

Click here to view the slideshow.

Greg's guest-blog on the North American Devon Assoc. website...

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:13:46 -0600

To read the blog click here.

Waiting is hard to do...

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:13:04 -0600

So now we wait...for winter to pass and the grass to grow,for our sow to farrow,for cows to calve and heifers to mature, for chicks to arrive, grow and then begin to lay, for this project to be completed so that one can begin. There always seems to be something we're waiting for here on the farm. Fortunately, there's always plenty to keep us busy while we wait!

It's that time of year again...

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:12:04 -0600

It's that time of year again, where the fields are abuzz with new life. Some of which we like, some we don't. There are new calves at play, baby Killdeer birds running on stilted legs, gardens bursting forth with future sustenance, wildflowers everywhere and, of course, the ever present droning of the...wasps?!

Yes, wasps. Everywhere. And with the wasps comes the potential stinging, of which we've already had our fair share. So for this blog, I thought I'd share a little about the do's and don'ts of stings.

THE DON'TS:

The thing NOT TO DO, is ignore it. If it is ignored and you are even slightly allergic, this can cause major problems and can be potentially dangerous. (See Pictures below) Greg USUALLY has almost no reaction to bee or wasps stings; the pain lasting only a few minutes. However, this time, as you can see from the pictures, was different! He was stung on the wrist and within a few hours his entire arm had doubled in size. This swelling, tightness and unbearable itch lasted for 5 days! And we have been told, that the next time he is stung, it could be worse. Let's hope he doesn't get stung on the neck!

THE DO'S:

The thing to DO, is treat it immediatly. There are many remedies and natural treatments available. The old-fashioned remedy we used growing up was snuff, but since there aren't too many people around these days who use snuff, it can be hard to come by. Another option I read about was WD40; I would think this could be a little messy. Another blog I read said to try rubbing a freshly cut onion on it; this will make your eyes water and is a little smelly. So, when my daughter was stung a few days after her father, we decided to go with an easier, more natural sort of treatment. Vinegar (we used raw apple cider vinegar) and soaked tea bags (we used green tea). We first rubbed it with a rag soaked in the vinegar and then applied the wet tea bag for about 20 minutes. It took the sting out immediately and there was absolutely no swelling. (See picture) (This apparently works because the venom is acidic and is neutralized by the alkaline vinegar.)

Now...it IS possible that some of you may have no adverse reactions to stings and will not need to treat it in any way. But, by the time you are aware of how your body is going to react, it is too late to treat it. So I say..."Better safe than sorry"!

The word is out...Devons are "top of the class" for grass fed genetics!

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:11:14 -0600

We just returned from the North American Devon Association Conference and Select Sale in North Carolina and it was a rousing success! The average price for the sale was $10,000, which proves that the word is out about Devon. Take minute to read up on Devon and you'll see what all the fuss is about!

http://northamericandevon.com/info.html#records

The opposite of the "dogs days of summer"

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:09:58 -0600

We woke up this morning to our first "ice storm" of the year. I'm really glad I got most of my farm chores done yesterday so I don't have to be out in it much today! So far the power has stayed on, but it's probably only a matter of time...it keeps tripping off and on. The generator may end up coming in handy sooner than we planned!

We are finished with most of our calving, but there were a few stragglers who've calved in the last few days. We had two born yesterday, and one is doing just fine, but the other had to be brought to the barn. Hopefully she'll pull through...We lost a month old full Devon bull calf to a coyote a couple of days ago, so another loss so soon would be a bit hard to take. I can't seem to get used to that part of farm life.