Got cows!

[navygirl]

Hiya folks,
I'm new to the cattle forum. We got two new babies a couple of weeks ago... a steer and a heifer, both angus yearlings. They settled into the pasture pretty quickly and seem happy and healthy.
I plan to butcher the steer at the end of this fall and am thinking about having the heifer AI bred next year (original plan was to butcher her as well, but am thinking maybe breeding her is smarter). I am not worried about winter feeding, but more concerned that I don't have a chute or other equipment to hold her for the vet. Also, don't have equipment large enough to transport the animals. Does anyone have any experience with a bare bones operation? Care to hand down any tips to the newby? Natural fly control tips? Not trying to make any money at this point, only to fill my freezer and maybe sell enough to pay for upkeep, etc.

[ErinP]

If you're that small, any vet work you need done will probably be up at the vet's office. And s/he'll have the best facilities in the county.
You'll probably need a stock trailer, though. (Or a stock rack if you can still find such a thing, and get your livestock to load in one!)

You can probably pick up a beat up old trailer for a few hundred bucks if you're patient.

[Trisha in WA]

There was a thread a little while back about "docterin' with out a chute". Check it out.
http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=299278

[navygirl]

Thanks lots!