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A ‘foundation cow”….
….is not a designation we use in the “Devon world”. But if we did, R2 would certainly merit the honor. Purchased almost as an afterthought from Lakota Ranch seven years ago, she has been a steady star performer. R2 comes from the same Lakota family that sired a top Devon bull, “Bud”, who became a star performer for Bill Roberts. That line is almost as prevalent in our herd as Rotokawa. R2‘s daughter, T2, by Rotokawa 93, has maintained the momentum. Visitors often ask to reserve a future calf by her or pay for a flush, which we politely decline. T2‘s latest is this heifer, X2a, pictured at birth. But the next…
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You’re going a long way, baby….
….two young bulls ready for shipment from Thistle Hill to the Midwest. In the foreground, a line-bred 688 son….behind him a 93 off-spring. They’re at the vets for their travel papers and last minute inoculations as required by Indiana and Ohio. It’s become almost routine to make our out-of-state shipments from the vets…making sure our animals have recent breeding soundness exams, dna work and all their shots in order. Dr. Derek Vandrey is checking their TB results. The 688 bull was destined for Joe Vosburgh in Alexandria, Indiana; the 93 son for Richard Jeffers in Athens, Ohio. We drove the bulls, and ourselves, through heavy rain and slick mountain roads…
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Eat your arsenic….
….it’s good for you! The Feds have finally discovered that maybe feeding arsenic to chickens and hogs could be hazardous to their health….and yours’! So they’ve banned most of the arsenic that is routinely fed to the industrial animals to speed their weight gain….and make the meat a little more colorful. Of course, they’ve known about the problem for at least four years. Thanks to Dr. Sue Beal for the link. http://noharm.org/us_canada/news_hcwh/2012/dec/hcwh2013-10-01.php What’s in your meat?
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Thistle Hill Alumni Club….
….two young heifers enjoying the sun at Tomina Farms in Tennessee. On the left is “Brandy Station” out of Thistle Hill 486 and on the right “Shenandoah” out of our Q1. Both heifers are by our herd bull “Double Trouble”. Owner Regina Tesnow has been naming Thistle Hill alumni for Virginia towns and landmarks. A nice touch that we appreciate.
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This will turn out well….
….it could just be that Monsanto has an extra couple bucks laying around and they want to improve the world. I’m sure stranger things have happened, but I can’t recall when. Anyway, the Frankenseed company has just purchased a weather data bank for about a billion dollars. Why? The Monsanto executive in charge of strategy says he just wants to help you. http://www.fastcoexist.com/3019387/why-monsanto-just-spent-1-billion-to-buy-a-climate-data-company Thanks to Dr. Sue Beal, who saw this on the Fast Company magazine website.
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A beautiful day in the neighborhood….
….after more than a month without rain, we were anxious to share it with our herd. You can barely make out several of our cows through the windshield of the Gator. They seemed as happy as we were. You could sense the grass turning green and by the end of the three-hour downpour there was no question it was having an effect. While no amount of proper grazing and pasture management can overcome a drought, it does seem to make recovery much quicker. Better yet, the forecast calls for three more days of this magical—and free—fertilizer.
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Ladies in waiting….
….two of what, in another breed, would be called our “foundation cows” are close to calving. And they’ve taken to passing the time together in a corner away from the herd and close to a gate just behind them. That leads to greener grass and an area that has been a favorite calving spot in the past. On the left is R2, mother of some of our best animals including our herd sire, U2. On the right, Q18, again a top producer. Jackpot is her son and she served as the recip mother for our wonderful little English calf, Falcon. We’ll let you know.
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The power of meat….
….it’s the wonder drug for fertility! From Australia comes the story of a woman, a life-long vegetarian, who was told she would never have children. Went on a meat diet…had triplets! Thank God it wasn’t Thistle Hill meat! http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/vegetarian-eats-meat-falls-pregnant-with-triplets/story-fnet08ck-1226709927137
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The anti-biotic menace…how bad is it….
….well, bad enough that the government finally recognizes it. The Center for Disease Control now recommends you stay away from meat raised with antibiotics, but of course you can’t……if you shop at the supermarket or even the few butcher shops remaining. Of course, in the Alice-in-Wonderland world of our food supply, while the CDC says stay away from meat laced with antibiotics….the USDA labels are still slapped on everything proclaiming it’s safe to eat. The problem is almost all the meat in this country is raised with the stuff, the animals are in such close quarters they’d die without it, and it also helps fatten them more quickly. Pork is a particularly…
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Thistle Hill (and then some)….
….the greatest reward we find is helping others start their Devon herds. The excitement experienced by newcomers to the breed is infectious and never fails to remind us of our own original pleasure discovering these great cows. Case in point: Linda Hendrix and her son, John, of Pacolet, South Carolina. In just two years they’ve grown to 15 females and an outstanding bull….all originating here in Virginia. We were in neighboring North Carolina last weekend, and jumped at the chance to see how our charges were faring in their new home. They could not be doing better. Expect great things from Misty Ridge (Linda) and Plum Branch (John) farms in the not-too-distant future.