ALL MHBA MEMBERS......!!

Hello again!

I am a member of the Miniature Hereford Breeders Association. I am also a member of the American Hereford Association.

It has come to my attention that folks out there (breeders like myself) have information relating to our breed, miniatures in particular, that doesnt seem to get passed along to the proper channels for all interested parties to see.

Just a month or so ago, I had the opportunity to speak with a very good breeder who had some information about an upcoming miniature Hereford Show here in the east. I begged for the specific information to be sent to me via my web-site so I could pass it on the the MHBA and post it here as well. After a bit of a conversation, a few names being mentioned and alot of personal opinion, I never heard from the person again.

It is no surprise to hear people complain there is not enough information given for a specific area in the country from the MHBA...gee, if folks who have the information could PASS IT ALONG it would be a great help.....

Folks, an organization is only as good as its elected officals and members....if you have something that may be of interest, dates, shows, info, pictures, show results, etc, please pass it along. Especially if someone asks for that info.

To withhold information that ultimately helps promote the breed and breeders because you may not like a certain person, or care for their breeding plan, or whatever, hurts everyone and causes division and hard feelings.

It is a shame that some people cannot" see the cattle for the breeder..."

I guess that is human nature....

and just one of the reasons I prefer to deal wiuth animals over humans if I can help it. At least animals are somewhat predictable.

All elected officers.....please consider what you do to help promote the breed and inform the members. If you are someone with a leadership role, then lead. If you just like to see your name in print quarterly, write an article at least.

To those who are active and step up, we thank you.

Comments

So for those of you who take the time to not only read my blog, but comment on it, please know I am reading your comments and appreciate them greatly.....I just cannot figure out (yet) how to answer the comments back. lol!

If anyone has any questions regarding raising livestock (smaller scale) or landscaping, please ask. I have a degree in Horticulture and Design, and have been involved with raising cattle (dairy and beef) for over 10 years, first as a small commercial dairy (and I do mean small, but big enough to have the milk truck stop every other day...) and currently with raising registered miniature Herefords here on 22 acres since 2005.

We started this farm literally from the ground up, with nothing but a house in the middle of overgrown fields. It all started with the overwhelming desire to be a good steward of the land I was fortunate to be blessed with, and, a post hole digger.....one hole at a time, then two, then six; 4x4 posts, crosspieces, etc, a small barn.... A digging bar and a pile of 150 plus locust posts brought up from Pa by friends, and a fenceline was begun, ten holes at a time.....wire pulled off a spool held with a piece or re-rod stuck in the ground, fence wire went up. 150' feet underground electric buried by hand from the house to the barn....

Easy, not really....gratifying......absolutely!

Picture: Daughter Jolene with our foundation cattle and new "barn", Deccemeber, 2005

Minature Hereford Bull and Mud

Just could not resist these pictures I got of Hawkeye as I turned into our driveway this evening....as if the barnyard and pastures werent muddy enough, Hawkeye decided a good old fashioned knees-to-the-dirt, rub-your-face-in-the-mud romp was in order to finish off his day!

The light was fading quickly, and I apologise for the poor picture quality (BlackBerry again....) but though they were pretty neat shots.

He is shown in his mostly rubbed off winter coat, with light touches of fine summer hair, complimented with fresh and dried mud with just a touch of manure, topped off with a light garnish of dried straw bedding. A fabulous clay - mud face mask completes the look for that "fresh out of the barnyard" springtime look!. A real head-turner for the ladies!

Hawkeye is our current herd sire and is the daddy to the two beautiful bull calves born recently. So far, all his offspring has been polled ( from our horned cows.)

If the first picture could have a caption it would have to be "Yeah so I'm dirty; is there a problem?"

Little Goliath

Well here he is, bull number two. We named him Goliath because he looked so big when he was first born....but hes really not much bigger than Onyx who is just a week older.

We kept Goliath in the barn with his momma Miss Piggy (pictured on last blog entry) for a few days thinking the weather may straighten out before he went out into the world....as it was, it was still cool and a muddy mess, but sunny; we opened the gate and he promptly climbed to the very top of our very big manure / bedding pile...just like a little mountain goat.

I do expect him to grow into quite a bull. He is polled, a very deep burgandy color (with curls!!) and has pigment on both of his eyes. (his momma is full pigment).

For now him and Onyx are best buddies and will keep eachother company throughout the spring and summer. (when and IF spring and summer ever arrive in these parts.....)

Double blessings!

NEW BABY!

ah yes, another baby for the farm, this time from the formidable queen herself, Miss Piggy, aka Kentucky Ranger (on her "birth certificate").

Miss Piggy was aptly named due to her amazing appetite and, due to her huge bulk, is able to claim most of any feed situation, even if it entails standing sideways across a feeder, blocking access to any and all who dare get near, just in case she cannot have enough to eat....which of course, is never the case. She is also a master at stockpiling hay, pushing as much as possible (for later) at one guarded end of the feeder, and helping herself to whatever else she can eat in the meanwhile.

Why do I go into such detail about a particular cows eating habits you may wonder? Does this woman have a life? you may ask?

Well......this is why........Miss Piggy had a very big miniature Hereford bull calf! I have read where the mothers nutrition level can and does affect the size and health of the calf, and let me tell you, they are right! This boy is big for a baby!

Now he will grow up to be a fine miniature Hereford bull, and as far as I can tell, he is polled as well as all the other Hawkeye offspring, but boy, what a big little dude he is! And Miss Piggy had him all by herself in the barn early this morning. Little Onyx, same sire, was tiny, a fine little calf for a first calf heifer, and no problem at all.

More on this later, along with some pictures as soon as he dries off and looks adorable - normal in a day or so. Until then, more hay for the mom, some TLC, and a really nice little bull - brother for Onyx to keep company with this summer!

Picture of Miss Piggy, summer pasture grass - fat.

More pictures of Onyx, polled miniature Hereford bull

I could not resist posting these pictures of little Onyx taken today. Unfortunately they are off my BlackBerry, but of course, I did not have a camera handy while doing chores....you know how that goes....what is so amazing is how fast these little ones learn about stuff, as this picture shows Onyx already licking the mineral mix in the pan.... at just 8 days old.

A beautiful sunny, but cold, Sunday. Still snow on the ground....oh spring, where art thou??

Blessings.

Onyx: polled miniature Hereford bull calf

Well here he is at one week old, hanging out by the hay wagon soaking up some sun. I could not believe my eyes when I saw him eating hay already.....!

His face is so silky and soft, his little nose pink without a spot, and the curls on top of his head remind me of a white Peony...

All clean and white and bright...show room condition I would say...at least for now!

This is Hawkeyes second calf, both have been polled. Onyx is a stocky little fella with nice proportions (for a week old!) and very friendly (his momma Emerald is "follow- you- around -the- pasture - rest -my -horn- on- your- leg - friendly" ....)

Its nice to have babies in the barnyard again!