Farmerjan's journal - Weather
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SageHill
Herd Master
ROTFL
haven't heard those in a long time.- Thread starter
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farmerjan
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Tuesday morning... waiting to hear from DS as to what time he is going to need me to go to pasture to help with getting cows in, whatever...
Was cold Monday but much better than Sunday. 23 up to 45. More sun than clouds but there was a breeze.
Got chicken feed and got feeders filled. carried water for the rubber pans since the auto waterers were froze.
Talked to DS and he wanted to get cattle moved around at barn to make room for the ones we were going to get in and moved Tuesday. Took him a list of the cull cows and their calves so they do not get separated and spend the 2 days walking fences and hollering and losing weight. Because he is probably going to take the 2 cow/calf pairs; the 2 cows that were such a problem getting out and all, and neither calf is a "standout", not all the cull cows will fit, in the trailer with them, so wanted to get that whole group together, and the rest of the calves there sorted out... bigger calves in the back and a few smaller ones in the little barn field across the driveway so they all could get feed. He has had the creep gate set up in the barn where they could get on one side of the bunk feeder to eat on their own without the cows crowding them. We will decide which cull cows will stay... there is bound to be a few more from the preg check on Friday... HOPEFULLY NOT MANY.
So when I dropped the list at the barn... I had made the list of specifically all the cull cows and all their calves so he didn't have to sort through 3 papers... He said do you have a minute and I said yes... I went up and help hold up the section of guard rail that he had had to put above the concrete bunk feeders in the back.. Where he just poured the new concrete pads for the cows to stand on so they aren't knee deep in mud to eat... with them all at the bunks to eat silage, it gets churned up if we get much rain or snow... and this has been something he talked about doing for 2 years... Finally got it done in Dec during one of the warmer spells. So needed to get the guard rail up across the top so the calves do not get in the bunk and then walk out the ends of the feeder... Had a few doing that in the past. We used a cable across it but there were always a few calves that would still do it... Basically he needed me to hold it against the bunk on one end while he put a long wood screw in it... then help hold up the other end so he could do that side and then tighten them. It's heavy, but also awkward... He said it saved him at least an hour or more to not try to use the skid loader to lift it and hold it by himself, moving it and all that... If it is the height he wants, he will go on and put a long bold all the way through the wood posts and bolt it with a nut on the other side so it won't pull out of the post... But, he needed to get it up so that he could move the calves up there for now... and then the ones we wean off this next group .....
So then I left and went to the farm... got the meters set up and we tested... Had a couple groups of cows (8) on a side, that were not cooperative and had to let one group out and back in the holding pen so they could come back in... one cow got down in the parlor and you have to let them out as there is not enough room for her to get back up... a cow gets up back feet first so they "lunge forward" to get back feet up, as they get up... in the parlor they are tight against each other to be milked so there wasn't room... little things that just take more time.. They have alot of new heifers and they would crowd in 9 instead of the 8.... just stupid aggravating stuff... But we got done, computer work done, and then had to pull all the meters. It was getting cold again, and I felt pretty wiped out...
I had a rough night, coughing and stuff, so did not get much sleep. spent a bit of it in the chair, upright so did not cough as much... Oh well...
So he said he was going to the barn about 7:30 to plug in diesel truck hooked to cattle trailer... get some sq bales and feed and things we would need out at pasture... and thought maybe 8:30/9 to go to pasture... He will get the cows in the pen before we take the truck/trailer in there... not upset the normal routine.. so I am getting ready to get dressed and water chickens to wait for him to call...
Need to put trays of bottles in the car for the herd this afternoon... and eat something for breakfast....
So, wish us luck on getting the cows/calves all in the pen and getting them moved to the barn without any problems...
Was cold Monday but much better than Sunday. 23 up to 45. More sun than clouds but there was a breeze.
Got chicken feed and got feeders filled. carried water for the rubber pans since the auto waterers were froze.
Talked to DS and he wanted to get cattle moved around at barn to make room for the ones we were going to get in and moved Tuesday. Took him a list of the cull cows and their calves so they do not get separated and spend the 2 days walking fences and hollering and losing weight. Because he is probably going to take the 2 cow/calf pairs; the 2 cows that were such a problem getting out and all, and neither calf is a "standout", not all the cull cows will fit, in the trailer with them, so wanted to get that whole group together, and the rest of the calves there sorted out... bigger calves in the back and a few smaller ones in the little barn field across the driveway so they all could get feed. He has had the creep gate set up in the barn where they could get on one side of the bunk feeder to eat on their own without the cows crowding them. We will decide which cull cows will stay... there is bound to be a few more from the preg check on Friday... HOPEFULLY NOT MANY.
So when I dropped the list at the barn... I had made the list of specifically all the cull cows and all their calves so he didn't have to sort through 3 papers... He said do you have a minute and I said yes... I went up and help hold up the section of guard rail that he had had to put above the concrete bunk feeders in the back.. Where he just poured the new concrete pads for the cows to stand on so they aren't knee deep in mud to eat... with them all at the bunks to eat silage, it gets churned up if we get much rain or snow... and this has been something he talked about doing for 2 years... Finally got it done in Dec during one of the warmer spells. So needed to get the guard rail up across the top so the calves do not get in the bunk and then walk out the ends of the feeder... Had a few doing that in the past. We used a cable across it but there were always a few calves that would still do it... Basically he needed me to hold it against the bunk on one end while he put a long wood screw in it... then help hold up the other end so he could do that side and then tighten them. It's heavy, but also awkward... He said it saved him at least an hour or more to not try to use the skid loader to lift it and hold it by himself, moving it and all that... If it is the height he wants, he will go on and put a long bold all the way through the wood posts and bolt it with a nut on the other side so it won't pull out of the post... But, he needed to get it up so that he could move the calves up there for now... and then the ones we wean off this next group .....
So then I left and went to the farm... got the meters set up and we tested... Had a couple groups of cows (8) on a side, that were not cooperative and had to let one group out and back in the holding pen so they could come back in... one cow got down in the parlor and you have to let them out as there is not enough room for her to get back up... a cow gets up back feet first so they "lunge forward" to get back feet up, as they get up... in the parlor they are tight against each other to be milked so there wasn't room... little things that just take more time.. They have alot of new heifers and they would crowd in 9 instead of the 8.... just stupid aggravating stuff... But we got done, computer work done, and then had to pull all the meters. It was getting cold again, and I felt pretty wiped out...
I had a rough night, coughing and stuff, so did not get much sleep. spent a bit of it in the chair, upright so did not cough as much... Oh well...
So he said he was going to the barn about 7:30 to plug in diesel truck hooked to cattle trailer... get some sq bales and feed and things we would need out at pasture... and thought maybe 8:30/9 to go to pasture... He will get the cows in the pen before we take the truck/trailer in there... not upset the normal routine.. so I am getting ready to get dressed and water chickens to wait for him to call...
Need to put trays of bottles in the car for the herd this afternoon... and eat something for breakfast....
So, wish us luck on getting the cows/calves all in the pen and getting them moved to the barn without any problems...
Hoping your day goes smoothly, and your cough subsides.
SageHill
Herd Master
for getting the cows/calves moved easily.- Thread starter
- #9,866
farmerjan
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Wed... noontime... In for a few, have to go to the barn by about 2 to help DS sort through the cows that are going to be sold today.
Yesterday would have been fine, but as we were getting ready to leave the barn, found out he had a "new purchased" steer out... had to go to the neighbors and finally got it corralled in their little lot and loaded on the trailer and brought back to the barn and put in the barn pen for the time being... head back out , and there is another newly acquired calf out... at a totally different place... just grazing in the yard... Had to get it caught up in the neighbor behind them, they have cattle, and managed to get it into a short lot there and load it and bring it back to the farm...
Seems he had gone to the sale Monday afternoon, and bought some animals; some steers and a couple heifers for a total of 12.....plus a bred cow... he also took the 2 cows and their calves; the ones we chased the other night and next day and he took back to the farm.... sold one with her calf for "stupid money"....
was well worth it... the other he didn't sell as he didn't get what he wanted... and she is a little thin, so her and her calf are going to run with the heifers for a month on silage there at the barn, gain some weight hopefully, and will get sold later on...... .she is the one that will charge you is she feels she is being "threatened"...
Come to find out, part of the fence was nearly on the ground where they got out of the field he put them in behind the barn....
So it was 2 hours LATER we got started...
DS and GF went with some sq bales of hay and grain.... called cows, and most came up to the pen, DS was down in the field with the truck and "pushed" the last few up as she called them... got them all in... I was waiting down the driveway a bit so they did not see the truck and trailer and go """OMG something is going on, we have to run for the hills......""" you know, don't change the routine or do something different and they just go about their business like normal... the truck and trailer are NOT something they see regularly for feeding or stuff... So, we got a group in the trailer, and GF was going to stay there... we usually have someone "babysit" so that if someone does decide to be stupid, you can try to stop them from getting loose or whatever... and I rode back with DS because I was going to have to go to work in a little bit...
So, I went on to work, had to change all the brackets on the meters from the previous farm, and got them set up and we ... got done... left there about 7 to come home... DS texted said he was bringing the "red cow"... the one that hurt her rear leg, to the barn.... the last trip... he wasn't going to try to haul her with other cows in there... and she did fine, said she was up on her feet and all when he got her to the barn... she loaded herself in the trailer,, he had backed it to where the back was real low so not much of a step up....
So, I talked to him a few minutes this morning, he took the silage cart in to the nurse cow pasture... and a roll of hay and I went in to feed the jersey baby calf.... and said it took 7 trips from the pasture to the barn including the last one with the red cow... plus the 4 wheeler in the trailer and all. But they are all there I guess... he didn't give me a count...
Talked to my dairy farmer this morning, and he had another bull calf born so I will be going to get the cow and the bull calf either Friday afternoon, or Sat....want the calf to get at least 48 hrs of colostrum.... it will depend on our vet check and what time we get done... then she will be here to get the new calf and this calf I already have, started on her over the weekend... HOPING she will be willing to take the 2 calves.... go from there....He said she was over at the pen where the cow that just had the calf is... so at least showing a little interest...
she wants to be a nurse cow...
I wound up in the chair again last night as I was coughing too much with laying down... got up early and looked at the weather... put a load of jeans in so I could wash my flannel lined ones that I wear for the cows... Going to be COLD Thursday testing... and then Friday vet preg checking.... and they got pretty filthy the last 2 barns I was in, splatterd and smelling like cow manure and iodine.... and were just dirty and I did not want to put them back on being that "smelly".... Got them hung out... was calling for more clouds than sun, but no precip today... and there is that ever present breeze so they ought to dry..... packed the samples, put them on porch, went up to feed the bottle calf, got the steer with the infected leg in the chute for the 2nd shot... figured I would do it while I was there, not knowing what all would be going on this afternoon or what time DS would want to go... then came on home and figured I would do the chickens then go to UPS and ship the samples....
Well, the UPS man had come and brought my weekly shipment of boxes..... and took the boxed samples... saved me trip... YAY....
I got all the boxes in the explorer for tomorrow, so all I have to do it put my "nail apron" pouches in that we carry the samples in as we take them...
Mixed feed and refilled the chicken feeders... they have water.....tomorrow it will be frozen so back to the rubber pans ... letting them drink down the automatic waterers today...
Filled the bird feeders, as one was empty and the second one was half... Also, got another (30%off) on sale, and filled it...
Came in made a cheese omelet...for "brunch"....
Signed up for the grazing conference for the 30th that we go to every year....
I will bring the clothes in about 1:30... they will be mostly dry... take a partial bottle to the calf as it will be late this evening when we get home...and I won't go to the barn then.... and then go to the barn to help him sort the cattle out about 2-2:15... then leave to go to the sale...
Going in to change these work jeans that are raggy that I put on this morning... need to find some warm clothes to wear... it is 50 but a raw feeling... mostly cloudy... looks like the "weather" is staying to the west for the day... might get some "mixed precipitation" later tonight and/or tomorrow... BUT ARTIC CHILL temps... hate these crazy swings... get the clothes... make a bottle... get going....
Yesterday would have been fine, but as we were getting ready to leave the barn, found out he had a "new purchased" steer out... had to go to the neighbors and finally got it corralled in their little lot and loaded on the trailer and brought back to the barn and put in the barn pen for the time being... head back out , and there is another newly acquired calf out... at a totally different place... just grazing in the yard... Had to get it caught up in the neighbor behind them, they have cattle, and managed to get it into a short lot there and load it and bring it back to the farm...
Seems he had gone to the sale Monday afternoon, and bought some animals; some steers and a couple heifers for a total of 12.....plus a bred cow... he also took the 2 cows and their calves; the ones we chased the other night and next day and he took back to the farm.... sold one with her calf for "stupid money"....
was well worth it... the other he didn't sell as he didn't get what he wanted... and she is a little thin, so her and her calf are going to run with the heifers for a month on silage there at the barn, gain some weight hopefully, and will get sold later on...... .she is the one that will charge you is she feels she is being "threatened"...Come to find out, part of the fence was nearly on the ground where they got out of the field he put them in behind the barn....
So it was 2 hours LATER we got started...
DS and GF went with some sq bales of hay and grain.... called cows, and most came up to the pen, DS was down in the field with the truck and "pushed" the last few up as she called them... got them all in... I was waiting down the driveway a bit so they did not see the truck and trailer and go """OMG something is going on, we have to run for the hills......""" you know, don't change the routine or do something different and they just go about their business like normal... the truck and trailer are NOT something they see regularly for feeding or stuff... So, we got a group in the trailer, and GF was going to stay there... we usually have someone "babysit" so that if someone does decide to be stupid, you can try to stop them from getting loose or whatever... and I rode back with DS because I was going to have to go to work in a little bit...
So, I went on to work, had to change all the brackets on the meters from the previous farm, and got them set up and we ... got done... left there about 7 to come home... DS texted said he was bringing the "red cow"... the one that hurt her rear leg, to the barn.... the last trip... he wasn't going to try to haul her with other cows in there... and she did fine, said she was up on her feet and all when he got her to the barn... she loaded herself in the trailer,, he had backed it to where the back was real low so not much of a step up....
So, I talked to him a few minutes this morning, he took the silage cart in to the nurse cow pasture... and a roll of hay and I went in to feed the jersey baby calf.... and said it took 7 trips from the pasture to the barn including the last one with the red cow... plus the 4 wheeler in the trailer and all. But they are all there I guess... he didn't give me a count...
Talked to my dairy farmer this morning, and he had another bull calf born so I will be going to get the cow and the bull calf either Friday afternoon, or Sat....want the calf to get at least 48 hrs of colostrum.... it will depend on our vet check and what time we get done... then she will be here to get the new calf and this calf I already have, started on her over the weekend... HOPING she will be willing to take the 2 calves.... go from there....He said she was over at the pen where the cow that just had the calf is... so at least showing a little interest...
she wants to be a nurse cow...I wound up in the chair again last night as I was coughing too much with laying down... got up early and looked at the weather... put a load of jeans in so I could wash my flannel lined ones that I wear for the cows... Going to be COLD Thursday testing... and then Friday vet preg checking.... and they got pretty filthy the last 2 barns I was in, splatterd and smelling like cow manure and iodine.... and were just dirty and I did not want to put them back on being that "smelly".... Got them hung out... was calling for more clouds than sun, but no precip today... and there is that ever present breeze so they ought to dry..... packed the samples, put them on porch, went up to feed the bottle calf, got the steer with the infected leg in the chute for the 2nd shot... figured I would do it while I was there, not knowing what all would be going on this afternoon or what time DS would want to go... then came on home and figured I would do the chickens then go to UPS and ship the samples....
Well, the UPS man had come and brought my weekly shipment of boxes..... and took the boxed samples... saved me trip... YAY....
I got all the boxes in the explorer for tomorrow, so all I have to do it put my "nail apron" pouches in that we carry the samples in as we take them...
Mixed feed and refilled the chicken feeders... they have water.....tomorrow it will be frozen so back to the rubber pans ... letting them drink down the automatic waterers today...
Filled the bird feeders, as one was empty and the second one was half... Also, got another (30%off) on sale, and filled it...
Came in made a cheese omelet...for "brunch"....
Signed up for the grazing conference for the 30th that we go to every year....
I will bring the clothes in about 1:30... they will be mostly dry... take a partial bottle to the calf as it will be late this evening when we get home...and I won't go to the barn then.... and then go to the barn to help him sort the cattle out about 2-2:15... then leave to go to the sale...
Going in to change these work jeans that are raggy that I put on this morning... need to find some warm clothes to wear... it is 50 but a raw feeling... mostly cloudy... looks like the "weather" is staying to the west for the day... might get some "mixed precipitation" later tonight and/or tomorrow... BUT ARTIC CHILL temps... hate these crazy swings... get the clothes... make a bottle... get going....
Ridgetop
Herd Master
So sorry that you are still having that cough. Someone else I know said that this new strain of whatever-it-is keeps coming back just when you think you have recovered. It lasts well over month before you finally get over it. Also herd tht the flu vaccine is not effective any more and particularly not against the new strain of flu.
SageHill
Herd Master
Last year when I had the crud with the horrid cough that I couldn't get enough umph in the cough the only thing that helped was a hot toddy. Yeah - pretty much sleeping upright on the couch as well. I mean - just plain ol' hot water, whiskey, honey, and lemon juice - what could be better?!
- Thread starter
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farmerjan
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Home from the sale... it was very good...
Got the clothes in and they were pretty much dry... put the flannel lined jeans over the shower curtain to dry a little, but the rest were good...
Got to the barn, DS sent a text and asked if I could carry water to 2 of the bought bull/steer calves as they obviously were not weaned when he bought them and they are pretty high headed....he would be back by 2.... they're looking for a way out/looking for momma.... something... So they are in the small pen in the barn at the back of the chute for a couple days right now... also fed them a couple sections of hay... The water spicket is in the barn so not a big deal... Had a clean 2 gal bucket there so carried 2 of them and it filled the partial bucket they had... The one is the one we had to catch yesterday morning... the other is just real real Flighty acting... hoping this will help to calm them down a bit to be contained and dependent for feed and water...
So, I went in the barn lot... DS had fed silage in there... and the cows/calves were eating... mostly lounging as he had fed it a couple hours earlier. Some of the cows were in the barn.... and some calves. I walked the rest of them back into the barn.... and then as a few cows were wanting to come out to the water trough, I would open the gate partway and let them walk past... got most all the calves on one side of the barn so I could more easily just quietly walk the cows out... and next thing, I had all 9 out of the barn... so I put the calves all over on one side, closed the dividing gate, and opened the barn again for the cows if they wanted more to eat... These cows are very calm and most were pretty old... so not like they were going to get bent out of shape... The one open young cow and her calf stayed over with the calves... so that was fine...
He had been in the dump truck, dumped a load of stuff so it did not freeze in the upcoming COLD snap..... then was working on the lights on the one truck... figured to get it done while it was still "decent out" temperature wise as it is supposed to drop like a rock.... so when he got done, he said I guess we should go... so he got them up the loading alleyway... shut the gate, got the calves all moved over to where they had all been together... and opened the other side of the barn to the ones they brought home yesterday so they could all come in and eat silage... This helps cut down on the hay, and gets the calves accustomed to trying whatever mom is eating in the bunk... find out it's pretty good stuff... and in a week/10 days or whatever... when we move the cows out that are bred.... the calves already know what the silage is and the transition is better....easier...smoother......They don't lose as much weight from the "separation anxiety" because they will eat instead of bawling and walking the fence as much....
Hey, doesn't everyone read about eating as a way to deal with things... "comfort eating" that sort of thing? Well, the calves will substitute eating to an extent if they already know what it is..... so it is a "replacement" for momma..... and everyone else is eating..... so I should eat too???? Monkey, see, "monkey do mentality".
Anyway, there will be some hollering tomorrow... it is normal, but they will get on with life...
So we loaded them up, and left...got up there, unloaded and I noted each one that went on the scale to keep track... The smallest was 895 lbs... the biggest was the fat first calf heifer that did not breed back.. after 2 tries. 1230 lbs... My cow weighed 940 and the others weighed 970; 1000, 1020, 1155, 1165, 1210... For the most part our mature cows average in the 1050-1200 range...
The worst we got was $115.00, the best was my cow $177.50.... Very very well pleased with the results.... that was $1150 to $1795 ... for cows that were not bred and most were old cows... except the fat first calf heifer... she brought the 1795.....
Used to be if you got $300-500 that was decent.... Times sure have changed... They averaged about $1430 a head....
BUT, the averages are the same... used to be it took 2-3 cows to buy a replacement... now it still takes 2 -3 cows to buy a replacement...just the numbers are A WHOLE LOT BIGGER......
They also sell baby calves... holsteins brought $10.50 / lb for 104 lbs avg...... thats over $1,050 EACH... some that weighed 89 lbs avg... brought 12.00 /lb... some smaller singles brought in the $400-700 by the head... a couple of jersey/ang crosses brought over $250... they were little and fine boned...
There were ALOT of people that showed up for the bred cow sale... couple had calves on the ground... mostly breds... and not alot of them.... like maybe 100 total...
One had the 500 lb calf by her side... they sold her and then sold the calf off her by the pound... got him for a decent price... there weren't the "calf buyers there".... so one odd calf would be more in people's way than not... the people hurt themselves to split him off but I understand taking her in on this sale day.... so DS got him for about $500 LESS than he paid for the ones that are similar, this past monday...
CALF is tea totally P!SSED OFF , being separated from momma... so will go in the pen with the other 2 for a few days.... NOT chasing him all over the neighborhood....he will slide right in with other ones we have and match well... We did not buy any cows... 4 that we liked, were friendly in the pen, hol/ang crosses , brought over 3700 each....
So we came home and DS was going to put him in the barn pen and I came home... I am feeling this continuing "bug"...
I'm going to try to get some sleep... in the chair.... too much congestion... I think I have bronchial pneumonia... have a dr appt for Tuesday morning.... It's fairly loose and I cough alot , but it is rough to breathe if I do much of anything..
500 cow herd to test tomorrow....
Going to get the jersey cow and the new calf on Sat since we have the vet check on Friday and I think I will be too wiped out... plus we will might move some cows around after the preg check, once we know the status....Hope there are not too many opens in this group. Or wait for Sunday to move them...
This way he can bring them to snyder's and drop them off in the barn lot... and I have to catch the bigger white spkld steer that is going for butcher... and he will stay in the trailer ...because he will push his way out of ANYTHING.... he will come in but will not stay in anywhere... DS can deliver him on Sunday to the butcher and they have small very stout pens with a roof so he can't jump out either... so drop the cow/calf... I will get him in and DS can load him and that will be it...
Guy is supposed to come get the angus bull that we have for sale on Friday also....
I am not going to test the farm I cancelled last Sat... too much to do with the jersey cow/calf... plus too worn out feeling... maybe get him in the 24th.... got a full week scheduled 19th-23....
First thing... some rest tonight I hope...
Got the clothes in and they were pretty much dry... put the flannel lined jeans over the shower curtain to dry a little, but the rest were good...
Got to the barn, DS sent a text and asked if I could carry water to 2 of the bought bull/steer calves as they obviously were not weaned when he bought them and they are pretty high headed....he would be back by 2.... they're looking for a way out/looking for momma.... something... So they are in the small pen in the barn at the back of the chute for a couple days right now... also fed them a couple sections of hay... The water spicket is in the barn so not a big deal... Had a clean 2 gal bucket there so carried 2 of them and it filled the partial bucket they had... The one is the one we had to catch yesterday morning... the other is just real real Flighty acting... hoping this will help to calm them down a bit to be contained and dependent for feed and water...
So, I went in the barn lot... DS had fed silage in there... and the cows/calves were eating... mostly lounging as he had fed it a couple hours earlier. Some of the cows were in the barn.... and some calves. I walked the rest of them back into the barn.... and then as a few cows were wanting to come out to the water trough, I would open the gate partway and let them walk past... got most all the calves on one side of the barn so I could more easily just quietly walk the cows out... and next thing, I had all 9 out of the barn... so I put the calves all over on one side, closed the dividing gate, and opened the barn again for the cows if they wanted more to eat... These cows are very calm and most were pretty old... so not like they were going to get bent out of shape... The one open young cow and her calf stayed over with the calves... so that was fine...
He had been in the dump truck, dumped a load of stuff so it did not freeze in the upcoming COLD snap..... then was working on the lights on the one truck... figured to get it done while it was still "decent out" temperature wise as it is supposed to drop like a rock.... so when he got done, he said I guess we should go... so he got them up the loading alleyway... shut the gate, got the calves all moved over to where they had all been together... and opened the other side of the barn to the ones they brought home yesterday so they could all come in and eat silage... This helps cut down on the hay, and gets the calves accustomed to trying whatever mom is eating in the bunk... find out it's pretty good stuff... and in a week/10 days or whatever... when we move the cows out that are bred.... the calves already know what the silage is and the transition is better....easier...smoother......They don't lose as much weight from the "separation anxiety" because they will eat instead of bawling and walking the fence as much....
Hey, doesn't everyone read about eating as a way to deal with things... "comfort eating" that sort of thing? Well, the calves will substitute eating to an extent if they already know what it is..... so it is a "replacement" for momma..... and everyone else is eating..... so I should eat too???? Monkey, see, "monkey do mentality".
Anyway, there will be some hollering tomorrow... it is normal, but they will get on with life...
So we loaded them up, and left...got up there, unloaded and I noted each one that went on the scale to keep track... The smallest was 895 lbs... the biggest was the fat first calf heifer that did not breed back.. after 2 tries. 1230 lbs... My cow weighed 940 and the others weighed 970; 1000, 1020, 1155, 1165, 1210... For the most part our mature cows average in the 1050-1200 range...
The worst we got was $115.00, the best was my cow $177.50.... Very very well pleased with the results.... that was $1150 to $1795 ... for cows that were not bred and most were old cows... except the fat first calf heifer... she brought the 1795.....
Used to be if you got $300-500 that was decent.... Times sure have changed... They averaged about $1430 a head....
BUT, the averages are the same... used to be it took 2-3 cows to buy a replacement... now it still takes 2 -3 cows to buy a replacement...just the numbers are A WHOLE LOT BIGGER......
They also sell baby calves... holsteins brought $10.50 / lb for 104 lbs avg...... thats over $1,050 EACH... some that weighed 89 lbs avg... brought 12.00 /lb... some smaller singles brought in the $400-700 by the head... a couple of jersey/ang crosses brought over $250... they were little and fine boned...
There were ALOT of people that showed up for the bred cow sale... couple had calves on the ground... mostly breds... and not alot of them.... like maybe 100 total...
One had the 500 lb calf by her side... they sold her and then sold the calf off her by the pound... got him for a decent price... there weren't the "calf buyers there".... so one odd calf would be more in people's way than not... the people hurt themselves to split him off but I understand taking her in on this sale day.... so DS got him for about $500 LESS than he paid for the ones that are similar, this past monday...
CALF is tea totally P!SSED OFF , being separated from momma... so will go in the pen with the other 2 for a few days.... NOT chasing him all over the neighborhood....he will slide right in with other ones we have and match well... We did not buy any cows... 4 that we liked, were friendly in the pen, hol/ang crosses , brought over 3700 each....
So we came home and DS was going to put him in the barn pen and I came home... I am feeling this continuing "bug"...
I'm going to try to get some sleep... in the chair.... too much congestion... I think I have bronchial pneumonia... have a dr appt for Tuesday morning.... It's fairly loose and I cough alot , but it is rough to breathe if I do much of anything..
500 cow herd to test tomorrow....
Going to get the jersey cow and the new calf on Sat since we have the vet check on Friday and I think I will be too wiped out... plus we will might move some cows around after the preg check, once we know the status....Hope there are not too many opens in this group. Or wait for Sunday to move them...
This way he can bring them to snyder's and drop them off in the barn lot... and I have to catch the bigger white spkld steer that is going for butcher... and he will stay in the trailer ...because he will push his way out of ANYTHING.... he will come in but will not stay in anywhere... DS can deliver him on Sunday to the butcher and they have small very stout pens with a roof so he can't jump out either... so drop the cow/calf... I will get him in and DS can load him and that will be it...
Guy is supposed to come get the angus bull that we have for sale on Friday also....
I am not going to test the farm I cancelled last Sat... too much to do with the jersey cow/calf... plus too worn out feeling... maybe get him in the 24th.... got a full week scheduled 19th-23....
First thing... some rest tonight I hope...
You work so hard. I hope you can get some rest tonight. Wish your Dr appointment was sooner.Home from the sale... it was very good...
Got the clothes in and they were pretty much dry... put the flannel lined jeans over the shower curtain to dry a little, but the rest were good...
Got to the barn, DS sent a text and asked if I could carry water to 2 of the bought bull/steer calves as they obviously were not weaned when he bought them and they are pretty high headed....he would be back by 2.... they're looking for a way out/looking for momma.... something... So they are in the small pen in the barn at the back of the chute for a couple days right now... also fed them a couple sections of hay... The water spicket is in the barn so not a big deal... Had a clean 2 gal bucket there so carried 2 of them and it filled the partial bucket they had... The one is the one we had to catch yesterday morning... the other is just real real Flighty acting... hoping this will help to calm them down a bit to be contained and dependent for feed and water...
So, I went in the barn lot... DS had fed silage in there... and the cows/calves were eating... mostly lounging as he had fed it a couple hours earlier. Some of the cows were in the barn.... and some calves. I walked the rest of them back into the barn.... and then as a few cows were wanting to come out to the water trough, I would open the gate partway and let them walk past... got most all the calves on one side of the barn so I could more easily just quietly walk the cows out... and next thing, I had all 9 out of the barn... so I put the calves all over on one side, closed the dividing gate, and opened the barn again for the cows if they wanted more to eat... These cows are very calm and most were pretty old... so not like they were going to get bent out of shape... The one open young cow and her calf stayed over with the calves... so that was fine...
He had been in the dump truck, dumped a load of stuff so it did not freeze in the upcoming COLD snap..... then was working on the lights on the one truck... figured to get it done while it was still "decent out" temperature wise as it is supposed to drop like a rock.... so when he got done, he said I guess we should go... so he got them up the loading alleyway... shut the gate, got the calves all moved over to where they had all been together... and opened the other side of the barn to the ones they brought home yesterday so they could all come in and eat silage... This helps cut down on the hay, and gets the calves accustomed to trying whatever mom is eating in the bunk... find out it's pretty good stuff... and in a week/10 days or whatever... when we move the cows out that are bred.... the calves already know what the silage is and the transition is better....easier...smoother......They don't lose as much weight from the "separation anxiety" because they will eat instead of bawling and walking the fence as much....
Hey, doesn't everyone read about eating as a way to deal with things... "comfort eating" that sort of thing? Well, the calves will substitute eating to an extent if they already know what it is..... so it is a "replacement" for momma..... and everyone else is eating..... so I should eat too???? Monkey, see, "monkey do mentality".
Anyway, there will be some hollering tomorrow... it is normal, but they will get on with life...
So we loaded them up, and left...got up there, unloaded and I noted each one that went on the scale to keep track... The smallest was 895 lbs... the biggest was the fat first calf heifer that did not breed back.. after 2 tries. 1230 lbs... My cow weighed 940 and the others weighed 970; 1000, 1020, 1155, 1165, 1210... For the most part our mature cows average in the 1050-1200 range...
The worst we got was $115.00, the best was my cow $177.50.... Very very well pleased with the results.... that was $1150 to $1795 ... for cows that were not bred and most were old cows... except the fat first calf heifer... she brought the 1795.....
Used to be if you got $300-500 that was decent.... Times sure have changed... They averaged about $1430 a head....
BUT, the averages are the same... used to be it took 2-3 cows to buy a replacement... now it still takes 2 -3 cows to buy a replacement...just the numbers are A WHOLE LOT BIGGER......
They also sell baby calves... holsteins brought $10.50 / lb for 104 lbs avg...... thats over $1,050 EACH... some that weighed 89 lbs avg... brought 12.00 /lb... some smaller singles brought in the $400-700 by the head... a couple of jersey/ang crosses brought over $250... they were little and fine boned...
There were ALOT of people that showed up for the bred cow sale... couple had calves on the ground... mostly breds... and not alot of them.... like maybe 100 total...
One had the 500 lb calf by her side... they sold her and then sold the calf off her by the pound... got him for a decent price... there weren't the "calf buyers there".... so one odd calf would be more in people's way than not... the people hurt themselves to split him off but I understand taking her in on this sale day.... so DS got him for about $500 LESS than he paid for the ones that are similar, this past monday...
CALF is tea totally P!SSED OFF , being separated from momma... so will go in the pen with the other 2 for a few days.... NOT chasing him all over the neighborhood....he will slide right in with other ones we have and match well... We did not buy any cows... 4 that we liked, were friendly in the pen, hol/ang crosses , brought over 3700 each....
So we came home and DS was going to put him in the barn pen and I came home... I am feeling this continuing "bug"...
I'm going to try to get some sleep... in the chair.... too much congestion... I think I have bronchial pneumonia... have a dr appt for Tuesday morning.... It's fairly loose and I cough alot , but it is rough to breathe if I do much of anything..
500 cow herd to test tomorrow....
Going to get the jersey cow and the new calf on Sat since we have the vet check on Friday and I think I will be too wiped out... plus we will might move some cows around after the preg check, once we know the status....Hope there are not too many opens in this group. Or wait for Sunday to move them...
This way he can bring them to snyder's and drop them off in the barn lot... and I have to catch the bigger white spkld steer that is going for butcher... and he will stay in the trailer ...because he will push his way out of ANYTHING.... he will come in but will not stay in anywhere... DS can deliver him on Sunday to the butcher and they have small very stout pens with a roof so he can't jump out either... so drop the cow/calf... I will get him in and DS can load him and that will be it...
Guy is supposed to come get the angus bull that we have for sale on Friday also....
I am not going to test the farm I cancelled last Sat... too much to do with the jersey cow/calf... plus too worn out feeling... maybe get him in the 24th.... got a full week scheduled 19th-23....
First thing... some rest tonight I hope...
