Bye Bye Calves

This marked our final year of our cow/calf operation.  Instead we opted to try some new avenues in hopes of actually farming to MAKE money.  So this spring we bought 28 baby calves.... the idea being to let them grow on our pasture, and then sell them in the fall.  Well, even though fall is not here, we got a buyer and decided to load 'em up and move em' out. 

The first step was to do some rearranging in the barn situation.  Lewis' FFA steer (on the left) and a holstein cross (on the right) had to be moved to the other end of the barn to make room for the calves. 

First stop was a nice cool drink from the water trough...

Then Lewis used a bucket of grain to coax them into the back section of the barn.

This is Lewis' FFA steer that he will be showing at the Black Walnut Festival 4H and FFA Livestock Show and Sale in October.  Lewis has been showing calves at the BWF show since he was nine years old and first started in 4H.  Since he's been in high school he's been showing for the FFA.  Lewis is a senior this year, so this will be his final time showing a calf. 

Then the calves to be sold are herded and coaxed into the barn lot.  We have 24 calves to load up today.  We started with 28 in the spring.... two died, and we are keeping two milk-stock calves to sell later. 

Steve named this little guy 7UP (due to his poor quality).... he says, " just like 7UP, he never had it and never will."

The truck and cattle trailer backed up to the loading chute.

Lewis is considering poking Steve in the butt with a cattle prod.... bad idea!

There they go.... down the chute and into the trailer.

Loaded up and ready to go to Lexington, Kentucky.

Bye calves!  Hope you make us some money!