Congratulations Colin Barker!!!

Congratulations to Colin Barker for another purple! Colin's heifer was the Champion Chi heifer and the Reserve Overall Heifer at the MU Block and Bridle show. This heifer was purchased on the 2010 Club Calf Paradise sale last fall. She was consigned by the Barry Maas family and we are all really excited for Colin. Barry Maas is like a proud new father. He has the heifer picture on his phone and shows it to everyone! Keep up the GREAT work Colin!

BAZINGA!! Not just another pretty face.

BAZINGA! Pictured at 7mos of age. Homozygous Black Smooth Polled THF/PHAF
Dam:Black Betty (Daines Miss 42U) Sire: Gigolo Joe BW:76

Once in a GREAT while you find a cow that makes your mouth water and you can't live without her. If you are lucky enough to get her into your program and she produces a fabulous calf straight out of the starting gate you count your blessings and hope that it wasn't a fluke. Then you probably do something crazy and take a chance at breeding her to something completely different because you want to see if it really was a fluke or if the cow is actually a rock star and can consistently produce a bell ringer. So, when she does it again out of a completely different bull you jump for joy. That female is no longer just another pretty face in the spotlight. She is a proven producer and a donor!

Bazinga was Betty's first calf. He is pictured at barely 7mos of age. This bull is incredibly massive, hairy, moderate framed, soft and sound and he can't be anything but incredible coming out of a young female like Betty. This bulls pedigree is stacked for calving ease, growth and maternal traits. He is now owned by Brady Lee of Charter Oak, Iowa but you can purchase semen from many distributors including Bunk House Semen at Nelson Cattle Company. We are really excited about this bull's outcross pedigree and his potential on both purebred and crossbred cattle/heifers. If you get a chance, take a look at him at Nichols in Ankeny.

OH YEAH, you might want to stop and see the Heat Wave heifer that is at Betty's side. She is a DIVA!

Dalton and the Red Head

Dalton Smith of Charter Oak, Iowa purchased this Dr. Who daughter on our 2010 Club Calf Paradise sale from Dave Cornelius. That boy has a good eye! This female is already winning the purple for him. She was the Reserve Champion MaineTainer at the Algona, Iowa open show and then the Overall Reserve Champion Female at the Kent Habeger Memorial in Webster City a few weeks ago. CONGRATULATIONS DALTON!!

Sunshine and Easter Bunnies

FINALLY! Sunshine, green grass and happy baby calves. Life is good. Nick (the adopted son) was home this weekend and we got a wild hare for "livestock beautification". It was so nice this morning to amble through the calf paddock and look at the calves sporting a new look. There is something about looking at a month old calf completely maxed out that just seems strange.

Black Betty, our Maine donor has a knockout Heat Wave heifer on her this year. There is definitely something satisfying when you can take an incredible show and donor female and have her make a calf that outdoes the cow. That's 2 for 2. I guess we made a good decision on this cow.

360, the Angus cow that raised the Denver Champion Foundation Simmental as a first calf heifer has rung the bell again. We took the "clubby" route last breeding season and it looks like it is going to pay off as well. The Heat Wave and Who Made Who clicked and these calves are head-spinners.

Old Herf did it again this year. We refer to her as the old Herf but she's not really old. She foundered two years ago and doesn't get around the best. We baby her and have her feet done regularly but she kind of gimps around like me...hence "OLD" She had a massive Heat Wave bull calf. He isn't marked like a hereford but he is easily the stoutest and hairiest calf she has ever had. He is one to keep an eye on.

We are incredibly pleased with the calf crop this year. Monopoly has definitely made an impression at Nelson Cattle Company. We had no calving problems, the calves are stout, sound, hairy and...most importantly, they are dang good! I used Rocky Balboa on a smaller framed first calf heifer and got a super fancy heifer that is going to be a great show prospect. Nick has a cherry red Tiger Woods heifer that gets better every day; very feminine and has a great show look. I have an Uno Mas bull out of a Maine cow. I honestly wasn't that impressed at the beginning but the little guy is becoming a standout.

If you are ever in the neighborhood this spring I hope you will stop by and see the new calves, sit a spell at the bunkhouse and talk about your semen options this year. We are looking forward to seeing everyone! Have a happy Easter!!

Bunkhouse Semen: Open for business!

There has to be something wrong with a person if working for hours organizing the spring semen inventory and talking with semen consignors gets you excited! The rainy weather has given everybody time to start worrying about what they are going to use on their cows this spring breeding season. I have been getting lots of calls and texts from people wanting to bounce ideas around. I am hoping that I will have time next week to visit some of the bull studs in the area and look at many of the new bulls as well as the golden oldies! There are SO many bulls out there and some of them get lost because they just don't have the huge advertising budgets.

Bunkhouse semen will be completely stocked and ready to fill everyone's orders by this weekend. I am going to be working on a complete listing of our semen inventory and will have it posted on our Bunkhouse Semen website. Of course, the bunkhouse is always open to visitors! Please feel free to give us a call and stop by.

I liked the old me.

Forgive me Blogger for I have been negligent. It has been three months since my last blog. The seasons have changed; Spring is here. The cows are done calving, the fields are being prepared for seed, the birds have all returned and are "twiterpated" and the famed Eagles are busy feeding their young. This is my happy season but I can't seem to convince myself to indulge in the festivities of Spring. It's been a long winter and the death of my father has taken its toll on all of us.

Somewhere along this long road I not only lost my father but I lost ME. I don't know where I went. I used to have a rather sick sense of humor, a positive "glass is half full" attitude and a general attitude that no matter how crappy things seemed that there was ALWAYS something positive that could be gleaned from the situation. Somewhere during the last three months I turned my back on that person. God I'm stupid! I have wallowed in sadness for too long and frankly I am sick of it. It's exhausting and nonproductive. It even makes my tukus get bigger! (This new Juli eats too much when things are dark) That is just unacceptable to the old me.

So Blogger, starting today I am going to open the door to the old Juli and let her back into my life. I am ready to enjoy a little sunshine and silliness along with the other attributes that were once part of her life. Mostly I am ready to soak up the enjoyment of my family, friends and livestock. My father's life was about his roots; the family roots, the community roots and the roots to the land. It's time for me to follow MY roots. I am off to find some Miracle Grow!!