I should really write something about the Australian cattle breed Brahman. Aussie Brahman beef cattle were developed to survive the harsh climatic conditions of Australia. It sort of originates from Queensland, so no wonder the cattle business around here is huge! Its real origin however goes all the way back to US where the first Brahmans were imported from.
All week this week we've been attending a Brahman Sale Yard. It lasts for three days and involves lots of grey and red Brahmans. All breeders come to the sale and bring their bulls that they wish to auction. Each bull gets a number and all of them get displayed at the auction where other breeders can bid for them. The bulls can be brought into the ring in pairs or even fours. Depends on the seller. The reserve price is 2500 AUD. If no-one is willing to pay minimum the bull doesn't get sold. I have seen prices between 2500 and 34000 AUD. Quite a difference. There are around 862 bulls for sale overall across three days. Grey Brahmans seem to be more common than red ones. I personally think red ones are more beautiful but there are also grey Brahmans that look good.
I must admit I am much better with the Brahmans now that I have seen how they are handled in the ring. There have been some big short tempered bulls but the owners have managed to hide themselves behind a specific barrier to protect themselves.It is a black barrier on one side of the ring. I have seen bulls trying to push it but it really can take the force quite well. Serves its purpose I suppose. Generally Brahmans are not that short tempered but intelligent comparing to dairy cows. They are much cuter than dairy cows who only moooo all the time! I don't think I have heard any Brahmans do that!
I was really surprised over the fact that Wrangler are still in business and doing well within the cowboy world. Every single person who works in agriculture in any way has a pair of Wrangler jeans, shirt and a hat. Who would have thought this stuff was still so popular? I feel really out of place there in my tank top and skinny jeans! They can tell easily that I am not "one of them".
Ever since the start of Brahman week I have had to get up at 4.45 each morning to go and do my morning jobs to be ready to leave around 7am to go to the sale yards and prepare the bulls for the sale.
I usually feed the horses only but I was asked to chase the dairy cows from the paddock into the yard to be ready for "milking". I was a bit worried I would not be able to get them all but I impressed myself and everyone else by actually managing it! I did not chase them on foot but on a golf buggy style vehicle. So proud of ME :) Cattle work does not seem that scary any more at all.
The dairy cows are not for milking but for feeding all the calves, be it Brahmans or any other breed. I thought that was really clever.
We got ten little calves from some other farm brought over to us for a few days. We could carry some of them in from the truck but others needed to be put on a leash as they were too heavy to lift already. Some of them would have been a few days old only. I made my attempt to catch the last one on the truck but did not succeed as it was too fast and too strong and I was too slow and not really confident. I even got a kick from it. Did not hurt though :)
That's about it. Other exciting stories and photos to follow soon.
All week this week we've been attending a Brahman Sale Yard. It lasts for three days and involves lots of grey and red Brahmans. All breeders come to the sale and bring their bulls that they wish to auction. Each bull gets a number and all of them get displayed at the auction where other breeders can bid for them. The bulls can be brought into the ring in pairs or even fours. Depends on the seller. The reserve price is 2500 AUD. If no-one is willing to pay minimum the bull doesn't get sold. I have seen prices between 2500 and 34000 AUD. Quite a difference. There are around 862 bulls for sale overall across three days. Grey Brahmans seem to be more common than red ones. I personally think red ones are more beautiful but there are also grey Brahmans that look good.
I must admit I am much better with the Brahmans now that I have seen how they are handled in the ring. There have been some big short tempered bulls but the owners have managed to hide themselves behind a specific barrier to protect themselves.It is a black barrier on one side of the ring. I have seen bulls trying to push it but it really can take the force quite well. Serves its purpose I suppose. Generally Brahmans are not that short tempered but intelligent comparing to dairy cows. They are much cuter than dairy cows who only moooo all the time! I don't think I have heard any Brahmans do that!
I was really surprised over the fact that Wrangler are still in business and doing well within the cowboy world. Every single person who works in agriculture in any way has a pair of Wrangler jeans, shirt and a hat. Who would have thought this stuff was still so popular? I feel really out of place there in my tank top and skinny jeans! They can tell easily that I am not "one of them".
Ever since the start of Brahman week I have had to get up at 4.45 each morning to go and do my morning jobs to be ready to leave around 7am to go to the sale yards and prepare the bulls for the sale.
I usually feed the horses only but I was asked to chase the dairy cows from the paddock into the yard to be ready for "milking". I was a bit worried I would not be able to get them all but I impressed myself and everyone else by actually managing it! I did not chase them on foot but on a golf buggy style vehicle. So proud of ME :) Cattle work does not seem that scary any more at all.
The dairy cows are not for milking but for feeding all the calves, be it Brahmans or any other breed. I thought that was really clever.
We got ten little calves from some other farm brought over to us for a few days. We could carry some of them in from the truck but others needed to be put on a leash as they were too heavy to lift already. Some of them would have been a few days old only. I made my attempt to catch the last one on the truck but did not succeed as it was too fast and too strong and I was too slow and not really confident. I even got a kick from it. Did not hurt though :)
That's about it. Other exciting stories and photos to follow soon.
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