18/10/2026
Replacing an old fence🚧, selling the last of our lambs🐑, preg testing heifers🤰 and repairs🔧!
We replaced an old fence through a creek this week and spent a chunk of the time repairing a few things around the place. The last of our lambs were sold too. Good to see them gone, though some rain this week also brought some welcome relief🌧️!!!
We also preg tested our heifers🤰. In the past, we've joined our heifers for up to 10 weeks, generally growing them out on our multispecies forage crops.
We don't have any trouble getting older cows in calf (often 98% pregnant), but these first calf heifers can be a bit behind.
So this year, we pushed them harder. Partly to reduce the long calving period, partly because we have our genetics at a point we're happy with their shape, growth and structure and we want to really push fertility.
We joined more heifers, but only for 6 weeks and they were only run on grass without any supplement or planted forage.
Still, I was a bit disappointed with the result. I was hoping for over 70% and we ended with 60%. But we know from research and other producers that cows that join early breed that trait on. If we persist with this strategy, in a few years I expect we'll hit 90% even with a tight joining window.
