Farmerjan's journal - Weather

Yesterday, when DS called to say about getting some chores done after hauling the hay he was going to visit Jeff in the hospital,,, he asked if I could come open some gates so he could feed some hay... we have cattle in places we normally don't because of separating off and selling those calves and the ones that are going to get worked for preg check... so I went to the barn after he got back with the load of hay, and we got through several gates and such with me "guarding them as he drove through" and got hay fed. This hay is not as nice as the last that we got from the other guy, it is okay, but it's like eating green beans compared to the last was like eating candy... they will eat it but not what they want!!!!!
They'll survive. Problem is, this time of year they also want green grass... so a PITA trying to come out through gates when he is going in, to get the grass that is ALWAYS greener on the other side of the fence. And to be honest, it is greener where they cannot reach it...

DS had separated some of the steers from VT away from some of the heifers, There are 2 stags in there and they were trying to mount the heifers... DO NOT want any bred that are too small... and stags can be fertile... the guy in VT had bought a small herd from an older neighbor going out of the cattle business, and he must've missed a nut when banding them as babies. We will have the vet look at them and if he feels he can safely cut them, then will have them done... if not they will get sold as stags, will take a hit on them, but better less money than dead....
So we separated out some more steers when we were feeding in the barn... then I was going to check for calves and DS was leaving to go visit at the hospital.

It was chilly so I fed all the chickens, filled the feeders and waterers. Took the tractor and cart with the partially full buckets so I did not have to carry and make 4 trips... plus I then went on and did some mowing while I had it out... dropped the cart and went on and got some of the mowing done. I will get to the panels on the pen eventually.

It was getting cold, so I quit, brought in 4 of the batteries to put on charge, they weren't way down, but now I can charge the other 2 and finish what I want to today... then put it away for the possible rain this Wed. I will be too busy Tuesday with the vet preg check then going to test in the afternoon. Don't want it out in the rain wed... but maybe that would help to make it rain???? so, I want to get it all put inside the carport this afternoon.

Got the chicken feeders and waterers I got Sat in the tub soaking so they will be easier to wash.

The repaired hose is good... I cut about a 1 ft piece and that was all the leaky split... so back to being able to use the hose... YAY.

The leghorn is not going to sit and she does her damndest to get out... I am going to move her to the cornish pen... the rooster breeds the cornish hens, and hoping that she will be fast enough to not let him try to breed her... she cannot go back with the leghorns until she is completely healed up. and she is going to get out on me one of these times, from the crate. I also see another one has scaly leg... so have to do something for that... I am less and less happy with them and figure I will sell them at the VA Poultry show in Nov. Maybe the chicks will grow up calmer if I raise them and are around them alot... and with the quieter NH chicks... If not, they all can go. I do like the leghorns, they were my first purebred breed.. but mine were not this flighty. These are just too high strung.

Meant to candle the eggs last night but didn't... going to do them this evening I hope.

DS wants to move some of the cows out to pasture today; they will have to come in the barn,. get matched with their calves, calves get a blackleg vacc and then taken out to pasture. The first group is across the driveway so not a problem... there is one in there that has not calved yet... she will not go. Might stick her in with the red cow for now..... There are 7 or 8 in the other field that have not calved... so they will all get put together in one field and then will go out after they calve.
The one that is in the barn will go out today with the calf... It is getting it figured out on where to go to nurse and the cow is a dream to work with, right in the pen... DS is going to put her in with the red cow and calf. The cow and premie calf in there are doing fine, and will go to pasture with the rest. This cow/calf pair will keep her company and we can make sure the calf is nursing good before she gets moved in a few weeks. Kinda like the "nursey/sick/check on " field...

So, I am going to eat, and get ready for whenever he wants to move cows.

It was 45 overnight... sun is out and it is supposed to warm up a bit more today... It is still like April weather... in May.... :hide :th:th
 
farmerjan said:
There are 2 stags in there and they were trying to mount the heifers... and stags can be fertile... the guy in VT had bought a small herd from an older neighbor going out of the cattle business, and he must've missed a nut when banding them as babies.
Click to expand...
About 20 years ago I think, some sheep famers in Australia decided to experoment with pushing the testicles up into the body cavity instead of actually castrating them. The idea was that the male hormones would keep the lambs growing much faster and they would get to market sooner. Unfortunately, the male hormones caused problems when banding that way. The experiment was not a success.
farmerjan said:
the cow is a dream to work with, right in the pen...
Click to expand...
Possibly another foster mom cow for you?

I don't keep chickens anymore (allergies) but the meanest rooster we ever had was a big Leghorn. He would attack everyone and you had to take a broom handle into the chicken coop with you. He even woud fly up to tey to spur you in the face! DS3 and 4 were about 6 and 7 and not allowed in the coop. I used to go in at night, catch him, and remove his spurs but he still was meaner than sin. My kids had small game chickens for show in 4-H and those cocks were like puppies next to that rooster. If they are mean or non-productive they gotta go!

Do you think yo will be short on hay this year because of the weather? With so many cattle being sold off due to the market being high, I would have thought hay would be ok. Of course, it is already May and your weather has been very odd so who knows. Has DS got corn in yet?
 
Back in and going to the farm in a little bit. Talked to DS, he has gout, and it is giving him a fit today... so we are not going to move any cow/calf pairs out to pasture. He needs to not be walking on that foot anymore than he has to because we have the vet preg check tomorrow and he HAS to be able to walk for that. We will move the cow and the "slow" calf that is doing better, out with Red and her calf ... because she is in the way to use the chute in the barn for tomorrow... DS said calf was kinda "getting it" and hopefully it will be able to nurse on it's own. At least the cow is great with some feed in front of her, to work with the calf... so should not be a problem to make sure it is still going on her and sucking.

No, @Ridgetop , she will not be a nurse cow... she is straight angus, so only can raise one calf... but she is one that we could probably graft a calf on, if she lost one... let's hope this calf just keeps getting better at getting on her to suck.

Mowing done, batteries switched and recharging the 2, I was using... so it has the 4 newly charged ones in it now, and then I can put these 2 in and it will have 6 all ready for the next time...

I was picking up some glass pint and qt jars from out behind the carport... they will need major soaking... will be good to use with the chick feeders and waterers because I doubt they will come clean enough to want to put food in them... But I prefer to use the glass with the chicks as they cannot knock them over when they get near empty. The plastic jars now are too light and the chicks want to get on top and then they knock them over and all. Some stuff to go in the trash bag for next trip to the dumpster...

Ate an egg salad sandwich....

Put the crazy leghorn hen out in the pen with the cornish... hope she just chills out now that she is back with chickens...she HATED being by herself... Her head is starting to heal but it was down to all "meat" and no skin... probably will not have any feathers up there when it finally heals.. It is scabbing over and dry. Hoping the NH rooster does not try to tread her too much.

I will go help DS move the cow/calf pair, (premie calf that the cow did not have much milk to start) that is in with Red and her calf... up into the calving field so that it will be just the cow with the "slow" calf in there with Red and her calf.... that pair can go out to pasture with the rest of the cow/calf pairs. Not moving any today. Then open gates for him to feed hay and stuff again... we still have the ones we sold the calves off of, in the "silo lot" behind the barn so they cannot do more than holler, but not get out... all board fences.... usually we put them in the first lot in front of the barn, but have the VT cattle there. The VT cattle are "in the way"... everything just all at once. Once we get the rest preg checked tomorrow, then we can start moving cows around... most will go up back with the escapee group, that still have calves... keep them at the barn to make weaning easier... or pulling more calves to sell sooner rather than later... The ones we sold the calves off of will go out to a pasture for a couple months... get out of the way, then come back to calve at the barn. Give the ground here in the calving fields a chance to recover and grow some grass...
In the meantime, the VT cattle will be gone within a month or so... and we will have more options for sorting and moving things around. They just have complicated things a bit... but they are looking better, and should be looking even better in another week or 2....

So, going out the door to the barn to help him for a bit. It is quite windy, not really cold but the wind adds a chill. Nearly 70 on the thermometer but feels like 55 or 60 with the stiff breeze.
 
Done, in the house... I went up and helped DS, he didn't even push about getting the cow that has been in with Red, out of the lot; we just put the one from in the barn with the "slow learner" out with them for now... The calf was fat as all get out and cow had been sucked on all quarters... so has figured it out.. Although we might get a few showers , and then some actual rain called for Wed/Thurs... they are out... Needed to get them out of the way in the barn for doing the preg checks tomorrow and being able to use the chute to get the cows in.

@Haywertz ... you might want to go back a few posts and see where we just had a calf that "wasn't too smart" the first few times... the cow was easy to deal with though... but we got them in the barn, into a smaller pen, and got the calf on her a couple times... and now she has figured it out... I had actually milked the cow enough to get a full 2 qt bottle to give the calf... Because it was an experienced cow, no one actually saw the calf nurse after it was born, and so it was at least 3 days old when we noticed it was a little weak and brought them into the barn, and realized the calf had probably never nursed... So, I hand milked a full bottle, got it in the calf, then got it on the teat when it realized that oh my, that tastes good... took 2 days or so, getting it on the teat before it finally has now got it figured out. But the cow and calf were penned in a 12 x12 pen or thereabouts.
She was also doing all the right things mothering the calf... the calf was just slow to "get with the program". It happens...

Anyway, we got them moved across the driveway and the calf was just jumping and bouncing around... it ought to be fine...
DS got the silage fed in the bunk in the barn for the VT cows.... and I got 4 buckets of feed and DS mixed the aureomycin crumbles in the feed and put it on top of the silage. There were a few that had snotty noses and coughing the day after they got here, so they all get treated for a week... to stop the problems that could get nasty. I am not one for "wholesale" antibiotics, but they had been in rain and mud in VT, then a 12 hr ride here on the big trailer... and then "new germs" here... not going to bury a 2500 calf... They all look better and they are getting acclimated to the weather/temps a little better. It was good that it cooled down for them. They are not used to the much warmer temps... too much of a sudden change. These 60 days and 40 nights is about perfect for them. It is easier to take an animal from warmer to cooler, than it is to take one from cooler to warmer.... they can eat more and make more body heat if they are taken from warmer to cooler... it is hard to acclimate from cooler to warmer as it is too sudden. I am thankful we are a bit cooler the last few days... They also need to start shedding out and it will help with getting used to the weather and temps.

So wound our way through several gates to feed hay out to the VT steers and heifers. Also fed silage to the cows and spring calves. DS said he just didn't think he had it to move any today and I said that he needed to not worry about it. We can do them in a day or 2... he is hurting, foot is extremely painful with the gout... he said he hurts, then looks at me and said, I guess you know all about hurting to walk... from when my ankle was so bad... he is having alot more sympathy ... after the fact.... for the several years I lived with the ankle until I had it replaced.
I also suggested that he get the cow/calf pairs in first, then we can sort the calves out, so it goes quicker for the vet... then get the ones in that are separate that he sold the calves off of...
The ones with the calves are going to go with the "escapee" group that still have calves on them... keep them there at the farm, so that he can get them in easier when it comes time to wean the calves, and if he decides to sell a group of heifers too. They will be right there to get in and pull the calves off. The calves have to be off no later than 20th of July or so... calving to start around Sept ... and they need 45-60 days dry off period and just a rest...

The ones that we already sold the calves off... 5 from the first bunch, and then 11 from this bunch... will get checked separate, and they will go back out where they were, to the lot behind the silo, to keep them there for another week to make sure they are past the hollering for their babies, then they will get moved to pasture for a couple months, and then brought back to the farm around Aug 1st... to start calving in Sept.

Then GF showed up, and he was not going to do much else... she was going to check the other field for any new calves, and DS said he guessed that he didn't need me to do anything else... of course not... she was there... I just said okay, and left. He had to go to the county office building too, so was trying to get there before 5....

I came on back to the house... did a little weed eating and the sky got dark, and we got a 5 minute sprinkle, enough to get me a little damp. I closed the car windows and came inside. Then of course it stopped.
I also got the sample bottles in the racks for tomorrow afternoon's herd testing after the vet check.

Got my list done for the vet check...

So, then road up the road to check the nurse cow pasture,,, forgot to take the pics of the head catch for @Haywertz ... will try to do that tomorrow before I go to test... and stopped to pay Sam for mowing Deb's since they were not there Sat aft when I stopped... visited with them a little then came home.

Going in to get a shower and wash my hair... go to bed so can go to the barn in the morning to be ready by 10 for the vet.
 
Just to answer @Ridgetop ... yes we are going to be short of hay for first cutting... it is heading already and barely half as high as normal... Who knows what later cuttings might be or not... Depends on the rain. We have sold alot of cattle, these last 16 were sold right off the cows instead of weaning and feeding.. in part to take some pressure off the pastures by not feeding the calves and letting the cows dry up so less demand for them eating also.
No, the corn here doesn't get planted much before early june for us... we are the last on his list to plant... we prefer it that way.... and the last to cut/chop... works out good for us normally. Last year it was shorter, and not as much grain/corn kernels in the silage, plus all the deer damage, but it was made real good and the cattle have done well on it... DS is still feeding some, it will be gone in less than 2 weeks which is good.
Some of the dairy farmers have been planting... but some are very concerned that if it comes up after a 3/10 or 1/2 inch shower, and then doesn't rain, it will die because the ground is very dry down quite a ways...
Alot of wheat and rye has already been harvested for haylage... and amounts are mostly 1/2 to 2/3 normal.. I have seen 2 places that just bush hogged the winter cover crop of wheat because there was not enough to justify making it...
Ours is very short too... but we will make it for dry hay as we normally do and then he will either put corn in there, or sorghum-sudan again. The SS makes alot of bulk/quantity and we rely on it for a good amount of hay to feed.
DS had bought some hay and will be buying more to have a "cushion"... some we got is fair, but now I think we will buy what he has left. It makes good filler for the dry cows in the winter... feed it along with some good hay and they will do okay. I would rather have extra than not... and there are alot of cattle around this area still... they seem to keep coming out of the woodwork. Over 1800 again this past Friday when we sold the 16 feeder steers. We still have another 35-40 calves... mostly heifers... born last fall that will come off the cows between now and August... depends on if he wants to sell some more... If not, they will get weaned and pre-conditioned for 30 + days and sold that way... The way things are selling now, weaning is not bringing much of a premium.
And there will be closer to 60 total born this spring, by the time these last 8-10 calve, that will be going out to pasture for the summer with their momma's in another week or 2.

He has already committed to getting 100 rolls this year, 50 each from 2 different guys. But that is a drop in the bucket for us... We are still feeding hay now, keeping these cows off the pastures a little longer than we normally would, to let the grass get a good start due to the dry conditions.

VA is in severe drought nearly statewide, with some extreme drought in the south central part reaching up like a finger into the middle of the state... Worst I can remember in 20 plus years. Going to take a powerful amount of rain, and not all at once but regularly raining, to soak in and bring the ground moisture levels back up.

Well, past time to go to bed... I have been puttering and just realized it is really late... Oh well, alarm will go off at 7 or so...
 
We have gotten rain in East Texas and much of central and south Texas. My fields are green and that sure helps. I have hay bales out in the front and middle field but the sheep aren't really hitting them. I bought hay from October for $30 a bale early this spring. Had gotten 15 bales before that. the opportunity was there and I am prepared if we don't get any more rain. Right now, those making hay should get a good first cut, maybe second cut. In a good year, in my area, there can be 4 cuttings, but most of the time, 3 cuttings. Most of Texas is still in drought, the rain helped but it is not enough. Canyon Lake that Corpus Christi draws it's water from is still only half full.
 
Up, and going to eat and then go to the barn about 8:30... Vet at 10:30.

Temps were only down to 53 last night so will be decent out. Clouding up late today and hopefully going to see some precip tonight and tomorrow...

We have to get cows in, sort some calves off the cows, go get the neighbor's bull to have his feet worked on, get the couple stags in when DS feeds in the barn first thing... so vet can cut them, if they are "doable"... then he will kick the rest of the VT cattle out, lock them out in the barn "lots" so we can use the whole barn for getting the cattle in and sorting to be ready for the vet. Fred's bull can stay on the trailer until we are done with the cows, then do him last.
I have to get the bottles in the car for testing later... just in case. But should have plenty of time to get to test. Plus going to get the Vorwerk hatching eggs, at the farm also.

Time to get off and get going...
 
Wed morning.....It is cloudy, we had a sprinkle or two, road looks damp/darker but not really wet. Radar shows some green for the rain but it looks like we are going to be more on the fringes and it going around us, or just being lighter precip. Guess we will see.

Yesterday's preg check was FANTASTIC...... 100% preg. The 11 we weaned and sold the calves off of.. and then all the ones that still have calves on them, to be weaned/sold sometime in the future... are all preg... Think there were 30 total? All are in the 3 1/2 to 5 month bred range except one is just 65 days... She is an older cow, has always been a slower breeder... but with things like they are, she produces a calf every 16 months, and will stay. There were some that were shorter bred in the group last week.

DS had the 3 VT bulls/stags in... we had to just band the one bull calf, and put them in the pen that leads to the chute first when he got to the farm.
We got the 11 in that we sold the calves off, put them in the one side of the barn... brought the ones in with the calves, and put on the other side... it was a tight fit... but managed to work some of the calves into a smaller pen, then could sort the cows better, and got all the calves sorted off into that pen. Then went to Fred's with the trailer, and got his bull to have his feet worked on.
Vet got there, and we had banded the one bull calf first, then he cut the 2 stags... Seems that they had missed BOTH TESTICLES when they banded them... so BOTH stags had BOTH testicles up in the body cavity... NOW, this old guy that our friend bought these cattle from is 90, and so he just missed the nuts in the sacks, banded them so there was no sack, and the nuts were up in the body cavity. They were good sized but the vet said it was not too bad a deal... they should do okay... Antibiotic, tetanus, blackleg shots... they are where they come in the barn so will be easy enough to run back in the chute...

Put those 3 back out with the other steers, and vet got his sleeve and ultrasound, and we got the 11 put through the chute first... preg checked, Triangle 10 killed virus vacc.. all were in the 4-5 range but the one that was 65 days.... back up the alley to the "silo lot" behind the barn. Going to keep them around the barn area with the good fences for another couple of days... to make sure they are "over" their calves being taken and sold... plus there is some hay and such there that he wants them to clean up some of the mess they made pulling it out of the hay feeder...

Then did the other 19... 4- 4 1/2 - 5- 4 months right along... That was great.... I think we have had one other check a few years ago that they were 100% pregnant.

Did Fred's bull last... he was still groggy from the anesthesia that he used, but the bull never went down. Trimmed his horribly long back feet... and then got a shot to counter it... but vet said it would be best for him to stay there for a bit to get back to normal... so it worked out. Left him in the small pen behind the chute to come around.

DS was going with the vet to help with the next place, guy is a friend and they were going to be short handed... So DS and GF took his truck and vet followed and they went to Shelby's.... he had 35 - 40 to do.

Let the cows back with their calves in the barn lot where they could eat some silage left in the bunk, water and shade. Would be fine until he got back.

I left and came home. Had put the sample bottles in the car already, so got what else I needed and carried water and fed the chickens. Unfortunately, when I went in the NH pen, there was a pullet stretched out... thought at first she was sunning herself... you know how they stretch that wing out kinda thing... well,,,,, NOPE... she was stiff as a board.... Tea totally DEAD... No signs of a problem, just dead... Have no clue at all. The rest of the chickens looked, acted fine... Oh well, part of it...

Stopped at Chic-Filet and got a grilled chicken sandwich and lemonade, went to the bank with the cattle check from Friday and deposited it.. then headed down to test the farm...

Got a text from the guy about the eggs and said I would be there right around 3... he came and I got the eggs and we talked chickens and such for a bit. He has only had these Vorwerk Chickens for a year or so... but we talked about them and their dispositions and such... There is no standard of perfection recognition, and I asked if there was any sort of standard they were being raised to... he said not really, just a couple people on facebook... so I guess I am going to have to go on facebook, and get in with them... want to raise a group that have consistent shape/type, and color patterns... since they are considered pretty much the same as Lakenvelders, I am going to study that breed, and where the Lakenvelders are white, these are red... hoping to be able to get a standardized bird to that they could get admitted to the American Poultry Assoc and into the Standard of Perfection... don't want a hodgepodge of types and different color variations...

Then we started milking at 3:30 and got done about 6:30... Got splattered with manure a couple times, cows are eating some grass so are very loose..... did the computer work and I came on home... Got here about 8, carried samples in the house, brought the tea in and made it and got it in the fridge, then took a shower and washed my cow manure covered hair. It was a long day and I was beat.

Talked to DS on the way home... they had helped do Shelby's cows, all his were preg but 1 ? .... and then they came back to the farm... got the cows and calves across the driveway and up with the other ones that have calves... will stay there until he decides to pull calves... either wean or sell, or both... took Fred's bull back... and then found another calf in the calving field, that was scouring and not feeling good... Got cow and calf in pen in barn, treated for scours, and gave sulmet bolus, and a shot... said it really did not feel good. So, it will need watching and treating again... But it is in, to keep an eye on.
The one with the "slow" calf, is doing good out with the cow in the lot with Red .... DS said he saw it sucking the cow yesterday... so it finally "got it"...

So, got up to grey cloudy skies, a little sprinkle/showery type stuff. Going to make some breakfast and then get the samples packed.

Leghorn hen seems to be doing okay out with the cornish... She is not happy, but the NH rooster is not tearing her head up.

Meant to candle the eggs again last night but fell asleep after the long day... GOT to do it tonight... I did put new batteries in the flashlight and it is MUCH BRIGHTER...... They will need to be closed up with higher humidity to hatch this weekend... At least they will either be very fertile or duds at this point.

Time to get some things done...
 
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