{"id":118878,"date":"2024-04-16T03:00:28","date_gmt":"2024-04-16T07:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.hobbyfarms.com\/?p=118878"},"modified":"2024-04-15T16:15:06","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T20:15:06","slug":"castration-for-cattle-methods-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Castration for Cattle: Methods Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"

Castration may seem like one of the more daunting aspects of raising cattle<\/a>, but there are many good options to choose from that are customizable to your operation.<\/p>\n

Reasons to Castrate<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to Lew Strickland, a veterinarian with the University of Tennessee\u2019s Extension Service and College of Veterinary Medicine, reducing aggression in male animals is the top reason for castration. That aggression, fueled by testosterone, is a safety issue for other animals and for humans potentially leading to injury or death.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe No. 2 reason is meat quality,\u201d he says, recommending implanting with a growth-promoting hormone at the time of castration for an improved growth rate and better marbling of the meat. The growth rate of steers is further influenced by the elimination of sex drive as unlike with bulls they\u2019re no longer expending valuable energy pursuing females. Beyond the physical aspects, castrating calves also leads to an improved bottom line for producers as steers possess a greater value as meat animals than bulls. \u201cIt makes the value of the calf more, and the way we market them, they have to be steers,\u201d says Derek Miller, referring to a marketing strategy known as preconditioning. This is when calves are weaned, broken to feed from a bunk and drink from a water trough, have received vaccinations, and if appropriate, have been castrated. If those conditions are met, they\u2019re eligible for special sales\u00a0where they bring a higher premium. Miller, of Whitwell, Tennessee, has been farming for decades and, when making decisions about his operation, relies on his experience that is heavily steeped in backgrounding calves.<\/p>\n

\"cattle-castration\"
If not referring to grass-fed beef, calves can reach a weight of approximately 400 pounds at around 4 months of age. So don\u2019t wait to castrate.
TAMARA HARDING\/STOCK.ADOBE.COM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Age of Castration<\/span><\/h2>\n

When it comes to the recommended age for castration, Strickland acknowledges that there are plenty of theories to go around. He recommends castration and implanting at the time of birth. However, he acknowledges, a lot of producers aren\u2019t able to do that. \u201cMost producers wait until they are working their cows and vaccinating, roughly around 3 to 4 months of age,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Miller falls into this category. \u201cThe calves we raise off of our cows, we castrate around 2 to 3 months,\u201d he says. \u201cThe calves that we buy to background and precondition, we castrate when we purchase them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Typically, if not referring to grass-fed beef, calves will reach a weight of approximately 400 pounds at around 4 months of age, and Strickland recommends that castration occurs before the calf exceeds that weight particularly if the producer\u2019s chosen method of castration is banding. \u201cThere\u2019s just too much of a risk factor when they\u2019re getting that old,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m worried about tetanus and not draining properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"cattle-castration\"
Common castration tools include, from left to right: large bander, Newberry knife and emasculatome.
photos by Hope Ellis-Ashburn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Choosing a Method<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are several methods of castration to choose from. Banding, a bloodless method, is simple but not always the best choice. \u201cYou run into the issue of knocking the calf back a little bit,\u201d Strickland says. \u201cResearch has shown that calves recover faster with cutting.\u201d<\/p>\n

If banding is the selected method, Strickland recommends that it be employed sooner rather than later and to always use fresh rubber or elastic bands. \u201cThe bands will age over time and will not remain as tight as they should be to cause the blood loss for the scrotum to fall off,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Also, a common mistake that Strickland sees producers make when banding is not capturing both testicles in the band and, he adds, this can be a difficult situation to correct. He further advises that calves that are to be banded receive a tetanus shot one week before the date of banding and a booster at the time of banding.\u00a0Miller makes use of the banding and vaccination technique for the calves born on his farm.<\/p>\n

Cutting, a practice that involves cutting off the bottom third of the scrotum with a knife or scalpel and pulling out the testicles, is another option; it\u2019s Strickland\u2019s preference. When using this method, he advises making sure that you get all the tissue or cords out and, if needed, use some type of fly control. When cutting, Strickland also likes to use a topical bandage known as Aluspray that is applied by spraying\u00a0it from an aerosol can once the procedure is complete.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt covers the tissue, and if there is any sort of light bleeding, it helps with clotting,\u201d he says. In terms of cutting, Strickland offers one final caveat. He advises calling your veterinarian before proceeding with any castration that involves a scrotum that is abnormal in appearance.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re new to this technique, your farm veterinarian or another experienced producer, along with publications on the topic from your local extension service, are among the best resources to learn from. Like many producers, Miller makes use of more than one castration method, and he employs cutting on the calves he buys. When cutting, he advises ripping the cords so that the blood clots. \u201cYou don\u2019t cut them even,\u201d he says. Both Strick and and Miller advise vaccinating for tetanus when using this method.<\/p>\n

Other castration tools that Strickland sees through this work include the Henderson cattle castrating tool and the Newberry castrating knife. After cutting off the bottom third of the scrotum, Strickland says that the Henderson tool is clamped to the cords; then, powered by a drill, it spins the testicles off and in the process twists the blood vessels together which helps to prevent bleeding.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the Newberry knife, which can be used in conjunction with the Henderson tool, is another tool that is used for opening the scrotum from side to side. Strickland advises producers using the Newberry knife to be watchful for an infection stemming from the improper drainage that can occur where the flaps of skin on the scrotum lay against each other and close during the clotting process.<\/p>\n

Finally, there are two other tools used for castration. One is the emasculator. The bottom third of the scrotum is removed, and the tool is applied to the cords and closed. This serves to crush and cut the cords to prevent bleeding. This tool is typically used on larger bulls and is recommended\u00a0to hold the tool in place for 30 seconds to ensure proper crimping of the blood vessels.<\/p>\n

The second tool has a similar name, the emasculatome, and can be easily confused. It is used to crush the spermatic cords. When this method is used, Strickland says, the testicles dry up and the scrotum is left in place, never falling off.<\/p>\n

\"cattle-castration\"
Regardless of your chosen castration method or methods, vaccinating for tetanus is always advised.
photos by Hope Ellis-Ashburn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pro Tips<\/span><\/h2>\n

Regardless of the chosen method or methods of castration, there are some tips to keep in mind as you negotiate the process. \u201cI like to castrate in the cooler season of the year when flies are not around as much,\u201d Strickland says. \u201cI don\u2019t have to worry as much about insect control in cooler weather.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miller, too, follows this practice but mainly because that is how it fits into his system. \u201cWe only buy calves to background or precondition beginning in October or November,\u201d he says. He sells his calves in April. Furthermore, Millers\u2019 calves are born in fall and winter and those are banded before hot weather and fly season begin.<\/p>\n

Strickland further advises choosing a clean area that is not muddy and having a partner in place who can hold the calf\u2019s tail straight up. \u201cIt helps put them in neutral,\u201d he says. Doing so inhibits kicking and lessens the force of any kicks that do occur.<\/p>\n

Finally, Strickland recommends injecting the testicle with 5 to 10 cubic centimeters of lidocaine and then waiting a minute so that it takes full effect before any castration that involves cutting. \u201cIt helps with pain relief and improves recovery time,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

One common misconception among producers is that delaying castration until a calf reaches the 500-pound weight range allows the calf to make use of natural testosterone that will help him to grow. \u201cThey don\u2019t grow that much from the testosterone they are producing on their own until they reach about six to seven hundred pounds,\u201d Strickland says. If the producer is raising them for the market the 600-to-700-pound weight range is when they should be sold.<\/p>\n

With research and practice castrating your beef calves can be a little less daunting and become a more familiar part of your farming operation.<\/p>\n

This article about cattle castration was written for the January\/February 2024 issue of Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reducing Aggression in Male Animals is the Top Reason for Castration<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8405,"featured_media":119233,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10455],"tags":[10406,5209,7375,11956],"class_list":["post-118878","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-large-animals","tag-castration","tag-cattle","tag-cattle-health","tag-raising-cattle"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCastration for Cattle: Methods Explained - Hobby Farms<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Castration may seem like a daunting aspect of raising cattle, but there are many good options to choose from that are customizable to your operation.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Castration for Cattle: Methods Explained\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Castration may seem like a daunting aspect of raising cattle, but there are many good options to choose from that are customizable to your operation.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hobby Farms\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hobbyfarms\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-04-16T07:00:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-04-15T20:15:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/cattle-castration.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"940\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"788\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Hope Ellis-Ashburn\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@hobbyfarms\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@hobbyfarms\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Hope Ellis-Ashburn\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Hope Ellis-Ashburn\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4ac97c7bbd7e95ff706662598f8b49c6\"},\"headline\":\"Castration for Cattle: Methods Explained\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-04-16T07:00:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-04-15T20:15:06+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/\"},\"wordCount\":1494,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/cattle-castration.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"castration\",\"cattle\",\"cattle health\",\"raising cattle\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Large Animals\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/\",\"name\":\"Castration for Cattle: Methods Explained - Hobby Farms\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/cattle-castration.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-04-16T07:00:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-04-15T20:15:06+00:00\",\"description\":\"Castration may seem like a daunting aspect of raising cattle, but there are many good options to choose from that are customizable to your operation.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/cattle-castration.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/cattle-castration.jpg\",\"width\":940,\"height\":788,\"caption\":\"cattle-castration\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Castration for Cattle: Methods Explained\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/\",\"name\":\"Hobby Farms\",\"description\":\"Rural Living for Pleasure and Profit\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Hobby Farms\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/00GPSuRp-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/00GPSuRp-logo.png\",\"width\":586,\"height\":68,\"caption\":\"Hobby Farms\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hobbyfarms\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/hobbyfarms\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4ac97c7bbd7e95ff706662598f8b49c6\",\"name\":\"Hope Ellis-Ashburn\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b472ce435fde1a7d5fbe059b7d290d0e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b472ce435fde1a7d5fbe059b7d290d0e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Hope Ellis-Ashburn\"},\"description\":\"Hope Ellis-Ashburn graduated from Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, earning degrees in animal science and agriculture education. The author of three books, she enjoys using the skills she has gained as a former extension agent turned veteran educator and life-long farmer to report on all things agriculture. She lives with her family on a century farm in the Sequatchie Valley of southeast Tennessee. You can read more of her work at https:\/\/redhorseonaredhill.pubsitepro.com.\u00a0\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/author\/hope-ellis-ashburn-2\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Castration for Cattle: Methods Explained - Hobby Farms","description":"Castration may seem like a daunting aspect of raising cattle, but there are many good options to choose from that are customizable to your operation.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Castration for Cattle: Methods Explained","og_description":"Castration may seem like a daunting aspect of raising cattle, but there are many good options to choose from that are customizable to your operation.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/","og_site_name":"Hobby Farms","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hobbyfarms","article_published_time":"2024-04-16T07:00:28+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-04-15T20:15:06+00:00","og_image":[{"width":940,"height":788,"url":"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/cattle-castration.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Hope Ellis-Ashburn","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@hobbyfarms","twitter_site":"@hobbyfarms","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Hope Ellis-Ashburn","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/"},"author":{"name":"Hope Ellis-Ashburn","@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4ac97c7bbd7e95ff706662598f8b49c6"},"headline":"Castration for Cattle: Methods Explained","datePublished":"2024-04-16T07:00:28+00:00","dateModified":"2024-04-15T20:15:06+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/"},"wordCount":1494,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/cattle-castration.jpg","keywords":["castration","cattle","cattle health","raising cattle"],"articleSection":["Large Animals"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/","url":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/","name":"Castration for Cattle: Methods Explained - Hobby Farms","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/cattle-castration.jpg","datePublished":"2024-04-16T07:00:28+00:00","dateModified":"2024-04-15T20:15:06+00:00","description":"Castration may seem like a daunting aspect of raising cattle, but there are many good options to choose from that are customizable to your operation.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/cattle-castration.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/cattle-castration.jpg","width":940,"height":788,"caption":"cattle-castration"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/castration-for-cattle-methods-explained\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Castration for Cattle: Methods Explained"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/","name":"Hobby Farms","description":"Rural Living for Pleasure and Profit","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#organization","name":"Hobby Farms","url":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/00GPSuRp-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/img.hobbyfarms.com\/00GPSuRp-logo.png","width":586,"height":68,"caption":"Hobby Farms"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hobbyfarms","https:\/\/x.com\/hobbyfarms"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4ac97c7bbd7e95ff706662598f8b49c6","name":"Hope Ellis-Ashburn","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b472ce435fde1a7d5fbe059b7d290d0e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b472ce435fde1a7d5fbe059b7d290d0e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Hope Ellis-Ashburn"},"description":"Hope Ellis-Ashburn graduated from Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, earning degrees in animal science and agriculture education. The author of three books, she enjoys using the skills she has gained as a former extension agent turned veteran educator and life-long farmer to report on all things agriculture. She lives with her family on a century farm in the Sequatchie Valley of southeast Tennessee. You can read more of her work at https:\/\/redhorseonaredhill.pubsitepro.com.\u00a0","url":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/author\/hope-ellis-ashburn-2\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8405"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118878"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118878\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119235,"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118878\/revisions\/119235"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118878"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118878"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}