Video: A morning at Calhoun Cattle Co.

[ProFarmer]

Do you realize that by cutting down your local farmer you are only causing more harm to our fragile industry. Joe consumer doesn't care how much hydrocarbon you use just do not abuse these animals or the media will have a hayday. Maybe somebody should send the SPCA after the farmers that force their cows to winter graze.

[Happytrails]

PF good on you for pointing out some realities. GF you go with 284 gallons of diesel per steer. Mine go out of here at 900 lbs with less than 20 gallons of diesel put into them. And about the only energy inputs not accounted for would be their share of the power bill.

[grassfarmer]

Profarmer you seem afflicted by the conventional mindset paralysis that will prevent this industry achieving the type of goal that Sean highlighted regarding pasture production increases. We usually have more growing forage in front of our cows on January 1st than others in the same area and micro-climate do on October 1st. Conventional thinking (and seemingly eyesight) doesn't allow most to comprehend that. We had an SPCA visit once - the inspector couldn't believe the condition our cows were carrying grazing in late January - his comment was "that they were some of the fattest cows he had seen all winter under any feeding system"
And you talk about cutting down fellow farmers? Phone the SPCA, LOL.

HT, The 284 gallons was more than a simple fuel tank disappearance rate, it accounted for all the hydrocarbons in the process from birth to slaughter. Your 20 gallon usage is admirable but you are merely externalizing usage as you know the heavy usage period is ahead of them beyond your ranch gate. Like your (I think) covert disapproval of hormone implants it's easy to pass the buck to the next guy down the line and deny collective responsibility. But I think its a conversation we should be having looking to the future.

[Happytrails]

GF, cattle leave my operation when it has done as much as it can for them. The market wants cattle fed out to grade. That isn't my specialty. If I thought I could do a better job of fattening than the feedlots I would do it but I don't. So I don't judge their business because I don't know it. If they choose to use implants that is their call. I raise cattle as natural as possible because I believe that is the most economical way for me to do it. The feedlots would fatten cattle that way if was more profitable for them. And you can't seriously believe that 120 or so days in a feedlot and a trip to the slaughter plant is going to multiply the fossil fuel consumption for raising a steer by 10.

[Happytrails]

GF, cattle leave my operation when it has done as much as it can for them. The market wants cattle fed out to grade. That isn't my specialty. If I thought I could do a better job of fattening than the feedlots I would do it but I don't. So I don't judge their business because I don't know it. If they choose to use implants that is their call. I raise cattle as natural as possible because I believe that is the most economical way for me to do it. The feedlots would fatten cattle that way if was more profitable for them. And you can't seriously believe that 120 or so days in a feedlot and a trip to the slaughter plant is going to multiply the fossil fuel consumption for raising a steer by 10.

[grassfarmer]

Have a read of the article HT, I think it is quite interesting.

http://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/power-steer/

[ProFarmer]

Yes grassfarmer you are listening to a book author that was born, bred and lives in NewYork city. How you have lost touch with reality as he has. People think food come from Safeways and the real world is a walk in the park were grass always grows green 365 days of the year.

[grassfarmer]

Profarmer, I think it is you that has lost touch with reality on this issue. That article and Pollans later books have radically changed how consumers view agriculture and beef production. It has brought a sea-change in consumer demand for hormone free, grass-fed type products. Consumers have never been better informed or more interested in how their food is produced and its time some producers woke up to that new reality.

[Happytrails]

I read an article in National Geographic on the beef business while at the dermatologists last week. It was written by an eastern urbanite but was very balanced and informative IMO. Kind of surprised me a nat geo has gotten pretty political at times. Didn't notice which issue it was in but worth reading if you can find it.