I’ve mentioned before that Don and I are members of the American Herbataurus Society. This is a group of good folks with good ideas about animal husbandry. Don attended the annual meeting back in November and I asked him to share some topics of discussion with me. The below ideas aren’t new however they are always relevant and we utilize them on our farm. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and visit the Society’s website some time but in the meantime, get an overview of the Society’s practices in Don’s take-aways.
On November 15, I went to a seminar hosted by the American Herbataurus Society in Rock Fall Illinois. There were three very informative, extensive presentations. Below are my take-aways from the seminar.
1. Nutrition
2.Natural Mineral Sea Salt
3.A1 vs A2 milk
4.Linebreeding
5.10 month weaning
6. Apple cider vinegar
7.Cattle/Animal books prior to 1950
8.Soil health
9.Animal size
10.Nutrition
As I elaborate on each item, I will probably refer to another listed item as well. Let’s start with Nutrition. I listed it first and last on purpose. Without proper and adequate nutrition, cattle, and for that matter, people and all living organisms, are not going to do as well as they should. Proper nutrition for cattle comes from the grass and minerals they eat. If the grass doesn’t have the necessary minerals in it, minerals need to be supplemented. I believe that observation of a cow’s glandular systems indicators tell you how she is doing health wise. Certain hair swirls around a gland provides a certain indication. A large thymus swirl indicates a healthy animal. A small bump on the back bone right in front of the tail indicates a copper deficiency. There are a number of other indicators. Books by Gerald Fry and Jan Bonsma can give much more detail.
Natural Mineral Sea Salt, whether it is sea salt deposits from Idaho or sea salt from Kansas, is a source of minerals that cattle, grasses, and people need. It provides organically available minerals which are more readily available to the body. It can be mixed into a brine and added to drinking water, or mixed as a brine and sprayed on pasture, or broadcast dry. For the pasture, it increases the brix or sugar content of the grasses, thereby giving more energy to the cattle.
There were a couple of extensive discussions regarding A1 and A2 milk, both during a presentation and during the open panel discussion. One of the proteins in milk (called casein) had a mutation several thousand years ago which changed a proline (A2) amino acid to a histidine (A1). Older breeds of cows (Jerseys, Guernseys, Asiand and African cows) typically have A2 milk, whereas, the newer breeds (Holstiens, Friesians) typically will have A1. Any breed of cow, milk or beef, could have either type, but usually the older breeds will have the A2. The only way to actually know is to have the milk tested or a DNA test done on each cow. A1 type milk behaves in your body like an opiate and some studies have implicated it in heart disease, diabetes, autism, and schizophrenia. For further information, one can look into the book “The Devil in the Milk” or Google for A2 milk.
Linebreeding allows a more uniform and predictable herd. Using a prepotent bull as the master sire produces the uniformity and predictability. By culling the progeny that don’t have the qualities you are looking for or that show undesirable recessive traits, you are able to make your herd better. It is also very economical since you aren’t buying a new bull(s) every couple of years.
Weaning calves at 10 months of age helps to make sure the rumen of the calves have fully developed so they can fully utilize grass and other forage. Prior to ten months, they can’t get all the nutrition they need from what they eat, and still really need mama’s milk. Obviously you also need mama cows that will lactate for 10 months in order to provide the proper nutrition for that whole time.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) consumption by people and animals for its many benefits and uses was mentioned. Mainly for digestion, forage utilization, and fly and parasite control. It is also noted to help with pinkeye control. One can also Google the web for many other human uses and household uses. Five quarts of raw ACV were given as door prizes during the seminar.
Books prior to 1950 were quoted and referenced a number of times. It was felt that books and information after that time lead away from efficient, moderate frame cattle. Later books also put to much emphasis on single trait selection and EPD’s which don’t direct you toward a well balanced, efficient animal. Going back to the “old style” cattle and emphasizing animal husbandry instead of animal science seems to work best.
Soil health is very important for your pastures and the animals grazing there. With proper soil health, there will be more microbes, more earthworms, and better plant diversity. These give better grazing quality for better nutrition for the animals. Also leaving more residue, or not grazing the plants below four or five inches in height, provides much quicker recovery and much better moisture holding capacity. The roots structure also stays healthier, bringing more minerals and nutrients into the plants.
Animal size is a direct indicator of animal efficiency, to a point. If you have too small of a frame, like with miniatures, you can really only sell in a niche market. A small to moderate frame cow (900 to 1100 lbs mature) is going to be more efficient in forage utilization and weaning a calf that will be a higher percentage of her body weight.
For a quality eating experience of a grass fed and grass finished animal, with optimal tenderness, a constant growth rate of 1.75 lbs per day is needed. This means they should always have proper nutrition and have food available to them, never a hungry hour. Also a low stress environment with a docile temperament is important for tenderness. Essentially it all goes back to nutrition, for the grass, for the animal and for people.
The overall emphasis is on grass efficient animals, keeping a constant, a good nutrition level, and providing a safe, nutritious, positive eating experience for the customer and our families.