🥳 Introducing: Our Pineywoods Cattle!!! 🐄
Say hello 👋🏼 to one of the oldest breeds of cattle in the United States, right here at Penner Mini Farms!
Hiya, farm friends 👋🏼
We hope that February has treated you well so far!
Before I get started, just had a quick update:
As of this week, your Penner Mini Scoop will be released WEEKLY with one main topic each week.
So we hope you’ll continue to enjoy these single section newsletters spread out throughout the month (rather than one giant one to get through all at once).
This week, we’re excited to share about our recently delivered Pineywoods Cattle!
A cow, is a cow, is a cow…? 🐄
First, I want to remind you that I (Lorraine 🙋🏻♀️) was never raised in an environment that had anything to do with farming.
I was born and raised in California where about the only thing I knew about cows was that it was stinky when we ever had to drive past dairy farms.
I knew NOTHING about cows or any other livestock, for that matter!
ZERO. ZILCH. NADA.
So I’m coming to you to today thinking that maybe some of you also may not have any experience with livestock in your past so imma give you a super quick lesson on the new lingo I’ve been learning (now that I am in the cattle industry).
🤓🤓🤓
HEIFER - a young female bovine, who has not borne a calf
COW - a mature female bovine, who has borne a calf
Before a cow becomes a cow, they are actually called heifers. Heifers are female cattle who have yet to give birth. Heifers are raised on the farm until they reach the appropriate age and weight to reproduce. Once the heifer has had her first calf, she then becomes a cow.
(Quote pulled from Swan Dairy website)
STEER - a castrated male bovine, generally processed for beef
BULL - a mature male bovine, generally used for reproduction
CATTLE - a herd or group of bovines without regard to sex
So technically… we have 4 heifers!!!
Meet the girls below 👇🏼
These girls are each about 2 years old and should be having their first calfs (calves??) and officially graduating to “cows” in May/June of this year!!
Here are some of our favorite characteristics of theirs and why we are happy to join forces with other Pineywoods farmers in championing this breed:
Genetic Strength and Adaptability
Hardy & Low Maintenance (yes, please!)
Calving Ease w/ Reproductive Vigor
Low Impact, Small Frame (welcome to the mini farm!) 😉
Docility
Multi-Use: Beef, Oxen & Dairy
I could go on and on about why we love this breed and our new girls, but that would do none of us any good!
If you’d like to know more, feel free to check out our Pineywoods Cattle page on the website.
I’m trying to make these a bit more short and sweet, so that’s it for today and we’ll be back in your inbox next week with another update from the farm!
WAIT!!! BEFORE YOU GO…
🐐 GOAT CUDDLE SESSION? 🐐
We’ve been throwing around the idea of offering Goat Cuddle Sessions this spring after the baby goats arrive! If that is something you’d be interested in, please leave us a comment or reply via email to let us know!