Growing Up

Lima Bean is now one year old and weighs approximately 800 pounds. During the first year of his life, Lima Bean gains an average of two pounds a day.

Steers graze on pasture for much of the year, but in the winter, when snow covers the ground, Lima Bean and the other boys feed on dried grass known as hay. Here, Ben uses a tractor to move the bales from where they are stored in the field to the paddocks where the steers will be fed.

Lima Bean spends his days hanging out with the other steers and is eating almost thirty pounds of hay each day.

In the spring, summer, and fall, Lima Bean and his buddies graze on pasture. To avoid the overgrazing of any one field and to spread the poop around to add nutrients to the soil, the farmers regularly move each age group of steers from field to field every couple of days. When the fields are next to each other, it is easy. You might have heard the expression “grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” It is true for both cows and people. When someone opens the gate to a new field, Lima Bean walks through to check out the new “greener grass.”

If the fields are further apart, it is trickier. When Lima Bean was only two months old, he was always happy to follow a bottle of milk. But not anymore. To move from his winter paddock to his spring grazing ground, he and the other “Big Boys” climb onto a truck and ride to their new pasture.

Look at all the different markings of black and white in the herd!

Because of all the hand-feeding and handling they had as young calves, Lima Bean and the others are still gentle and enjoy a scratch on the head. They are very curious about anything new and like to come over to say “hello” if someone stops by their field.

Helm attaches an insect-repellent ear tag when the bugs are bad. Swishing tails take care of their hind ends. When cows have an itch, they use their tongues to scratch themselves. A cow’s tongue is very rough—nearly like sandpaper—and is a foot long!

Lima Bean and his buddies are now two years old. They are full grown and weigh between 1,300 and 1,800 pounds.