Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Monday night. 47 to start, sunny and real nice... up to 80... Breezy so not too hot...

Yesterday I went to the farm and pulled staples out of the posts where the 2 fields were separate up back. LOOOONG stretch... DS and GF with the sister's kids, were down working on the fence I had pulled staples from the day before... to take the old wire down and put up the brace posts... Colt (little boy) had a big dump truck and was "hauling" dirt around and all that. Then they got some lunch from Mc D's and then GF and sister's daughter came up and started at the other end of the fence where I was... I had 2/3 done already... and worked towards me... and in another 1/2 hour we had it done. DS said that was all that he had hoped to get done, and wanted to go visit a friend in the hospital... had surgery... and was not coming along as fast as they had hoped. Was going to meet another friend to go over to the hospital (hr away)..
So they all left, and I said I was going to work on the 3 posts he had untangled out. I was aching... hey, not used to that kind of work.... but I got the wire off and the staples all pulled out of 2 of the posts... but the 3rd post I could not get any of them out... but I got the wire cut off and all that... Told DS if he untangles more with the skid steer loader I would work on them.

So, today started out nice... and DS called early because he could not remember the combination for the lower gate for the pasture "behind me"... Grants pasture... where the cows with the calves from late fall are... They are rebuilding the fence between that pasture and the neighbor... neighbor is a WITCH and the owner finally said he would get it rebuilt and she had better not have any animals against it or he will take her to court and sue her... because she said she was not spending money on it when nothing from her side can get against the property line fence... she rents it out... Anyway... he went down to see what all needs to be done... the guy with the forestry mulcher did not finish the job... what else is new... and that he was going to get the older guy and his son to come and work on cleaning it out more... then I called him and said if he hadn't left to stop at the house... he wanted to see what I wanted done here for them to put in posts.... so he was just up the road... and came back... and we walked the property line... looked at everything... I asked his opinion on a couple places, he made a suggestion or 2... we pretty much agreed on where the fence should go... where I wanted the gates...
Not putting any interior fencing... just want the posts in for the perimeter... have the 5 rolls of fence wire here for 2 years... I will use the electric netting for interior fencing until I figure out exactly what I want... where I want it. Not going to go across the front of the house or yard, or around the back of the house, and shed yet... It will use a whole lot LESS electric netting if the perimeter fence is up so I can come off it to utilize the grass...fence off the garden, all that.... Then I will see about how to best utilize the space... It will be a start... DS said he has been putting the wood posts 12 ft on his fences... except at the barn lots, they are 8 ft on center.... I suggested that they ought to be 16 ft and then I can put a T-Post inbetween... it is not like there is going to be alot of "pressure" against the fence like with alot of cattle or anything... and the wire will be in the "inside" so will take more pushing against anyway... that will save on wood post costs... T-posts aren't cheap but they are cheaper than wood posts... and won't take as long for them to drive them if there are fewer to drive. So, looks like it may finally happen... Posts will get in... wire might not be up real soon... but it's a step in the right direction...

Then I took the sample bottles to the farm 45 miles north of here...

Came back home, got the batteries for the pole saw on the charger as they are going to use it tomorrow... got to cut/trim some serious branches off the couple of pine trees and we are going to take down a couple trees where the fence is going to go between them along the dirt road ... because of some of the rock ledge there, We are not going to include that ledge section in the fenced in "yard"... I want to include it eventually if I can buy the acre or so next door from the neighbors, where it is too wet to have the Christmas trees and they cannot park on it... it is grass... if I can buy it, then it will make a straight line down to the corner of the property: that is a short "L" at the end of the property along the curve in the dirt road... and I could come up along the road there and tie into the fence that is we will have in there... Been thinking of that for awhile.... I am hoping the neighbor (previous owner of this house too) will be willing to sell off an acre or so to make this a little better shape...just get the property "squared up"... actually it will make it a much better pie shape with no L at the end there... They aren't using it for anything for the Christmas tree farm.....

So, I went up to do the bottle later... Had a new calf yesterday up there and DS did get it tagged... Jess the longhorn is getting closer.. she is making an udder now . There is one more heifer at snyder's left to calve. DS also had a calf from a heifer at the other field where we put the other 8 there... so they are starting there...

The sky was getting dark and the forecast chance of some serious t-storms coming through... got a few sprinkles as I left there. It started to pour after I got in the house. Radar looks like we will get a couple more hard showers. Just south of here they got nickle sized hail... covered the ground in some places... very narrow band of it went through...

Tomorrow I will get bottles in the racks for testing... there are some scrubby bushes/branches, I need to take the lopping shears to for DS to be able to put in a post at the property line..... Something I can do in the morning... and remark the spot where there is still some old surveyor's tape on the woven wire fence there along the road...

Ached some when I got up but then it worked it's self out today... DS said he would try to get some more of the old fence with the posts "unwound" so I can get some more of the posts out and the wire off and the staples pulled. Not that I am looking to put in a 10 hr day, but I wasn't near as sore once I got warmed up a little bit.

Just had another shower go through... lots of thunder... we can use the rain and this stop and go is the best way for it to soak into the ground good.

 

[fuzzi]

Monday night. 47 to start, sunny and real nice... up to 80... Breezy so not too hot...

Yesterday I went to the farm and pulled staples out of the posts where the 2 fields were separate up back. LOOOONG stretch... DS and GF with the sister's kids, were down working on the fence I had pulled staples from the day before... to take the old wire down and put up the brace posts... Colt (little boy) had a big dump truck and was "hauling" dirt around and all that. Then they got some lunch from Mc D's and then GF and sister's daughter came up and started at the other end of the fence where I was... I had 2/3 done already... and worked towards me... and in another 1/2 hour we had it done. DS said that was all that he had hoped to get done, and wanted to go visit a friend in the hospital... had surgery... and was not coming along as fast as they had hoped. Was going to meet another friend to go over to the hospital (hr away)..
So they all left, and I said I was going to work on the 3 posts he had untangled out. I was aching... hey, not used to that kind of work.... but I got the wire off and the staples all pulled out of 2 of the posts... but the 3rd post I could not get any of them out... but I got the wire cut off and all that... Told DS if he untangles more with the skid steer loader I would work on them.

So, today started out nice... and DS called early because he could not remember the combination for the lower gate for the pasture "behind me"... Grants pasture... where the cows with the calves from late fall are... They are rebuilding the fence between that pasture and the neighbor... neighbor is a WITCH and the owner finally said he would get it rebuilt and she had better not have any animals against it or he will take her to court and sue her... because she said she was not spending money on it when nothing from her side can get against the property line fence... she rents it out... Anyway... he went down to see what all needs to be done... the guy with the forestry mulcher did not finish the job... what else is new... and that he was going to get the older guy and his son to come and work on cleaning it out more... then I called him and said if he hadn't left to stop at the house... he wanted to see what I wanted done here for them to put in posts.... so he was just up the road... and came back... and we walked the property line... looked at everything... I asked his opinion on a couple places, he made a suggestion or 2... we pretty much agreed on where the fence should go... where I wanted the gates...
Not putting any interior fencing... just want the posts in for the perimeter... have the 5 rolls of fence wire here for 2 years... I will use the electric netting for interior fencing until I figure out exactly what I want... where I want it. Not going to go across the front of the house or yard, or around the back of the house, and shed yet... It will use a whole lot LESS electric netting if the perimeter fence is up so I can come off it to utilize the grass...fence off the garden, all that.... Then I will see about how to best utilize the space... It will be a start... DS said he has been putting the wood posts 12 ft on his fences... except at the barn lots, they are 8 ft on center.... I suggested that they ought to be 16 ft and then I can put a T-Post inbetween... it is not like there is going to be alot of "pressure" against the fence like with alot of cattle or anything... and the wire will be in the "inside" so will take more pushing against anyway... that will save on wood post costs... T-posts aren't cheap but they are cheaper than wood posts... and won't take as long for them to drive them if there are fewer to drive. So, looks like it may finally happen... Posts will get in... wire might not be up real soon... but it's a step in the right direction...

Then I took the sample bottles to the farm 45 miles north of here...

Came back home, got the batteries for the pole saw on the charger as they are going to use it tomorrow... got to cut/trim some serious branches off the couple of pine trees and we are going to take down a couple trees where the fence is going to go between them along the dirt road ... because of some of the rock ledge there, We are not going to include that ledge section in the fenced in "yard"... I want to include it eventually if I can buy the acre or so next door from the neighbors, where it is too wet to have the Christmas trees and they cannot park on it... it is grass... if I can buy it, then it will make a straight line down to the corner of the property: that is a short "L" at the end of the property along the curve in the dirt road... and I could come up along the road there and tie into the fence that is we will have in there... Been thinking of that for awhile.... I am hoping the neighbor (previous owner of this house too) will be willing to sell off an acre or so to make this a little better shape...just get the property "squared up"... actually it will make it a much better pie shape with no L at the end there... They aren't using it for anything for the Christmas tree farm.....

So, I went up to do the bottle later... Had a new calf yesterday up there and DS did get it tagged... Jess the longhorn is getting closer.. she is making an udder now . There is one more heifer at snyder's left to calve. DS also had a calf from a heifer at the other field where we put the other 8 there... so they are starting there...

The sky was getting dark and the forecast chance of some serious t-storms coming through... got a few sprinkles as I left there. It started to pour after I got in the house. Radar looks like we will get a couple more hard showers. Just south of here they got nickle sized hail... covered the ground in some places... very narrow band of it went through...

Tomorrow I will get bottles in the racks for testing... there are some scrubby bushes/branches, I need to take the lopping shears to for DS to be able to put in a post at the property line..... Something I can do in the morning... and remark the spot where there is still some old surveyor's tape on the woven wire fence there along the road...

Ached some when I got up but then it worked it's self out today... DS said he would try to get some more of the old fence with the posts "unwound" so I can get some more of the posts out and the wire off and the staples pulled. Not that I am looking to put in a 10 hr day, but I wasn't near as sore once I got warmed up a little bit.

Just had another shower go through... lots of thunder... we can use the rain and this stop and go is the best way for it to soak into the ground good.

Sounds like a productive day for you! Hope you aren't hurting a lot.

 

[farmerjan]

Well, Wed night. couple mixed up days again... Tuesday it was mostly cloudy... after a rainy Mon night... Got 9/10ths inch (.9) from the off and on rain Monday night. Temps did not get very warm... about 60 BUT the wind blew like the dickens so felt colder than all get out.
Went and tested Tues aft/eve... I didn't leave there until after 7 so not home until dark... went okay, but I sure wish I had scheduled them a different day as I would have liked to go to that bred cow sale... OH WELL... don't know what they brought yet... but I suspect they were high.
Because of all the rain, DS did not get the 2 guys to come work Tues but they were due to come today (wed.).

Got up this morning... 7:30 DS had the guys here... they cut some of the pine tree limbs off where the fence is going to go through and along the road... Then he had them clear up that corner that DS is going to make 2 / 45 degree angles instead of the 90 degree angle where the trucks keep taking out the corner... he is going to offset it back off the road a few feet and put the biggest boulders he can find on the OUTSIDE of the angled corner so if a big truck that comes up that road, which they have no business on, they will tear up their trailer instead of tearing down our (landlord owner's) fence all the time... there are several fence panels we have had to keep there since they have taken down the corner posts several times...
Then DS took them down to the fenceline down through the overgrown crap.... briars, autumn olive, scrub trees, downed trees and limbs... that runs along the "witches" fenceline/pasture... They did a real bang up job of getting it cleared out really really good... a long stretch with some serious tree limbs and all. DS is going to get the guys doing the posts. to put in posts all down along there, on our landlords' side of the existing fence... so there is no question from her about "messing up" and not getting it on the proper property line... This is going to give our cows more land and some more grazing.. although it is getting quite grown up... but going to get more of it forestry mulched "open" again.... owner has said he will make good with DS on it... he wants it down... we might get reduced rent as well as materials paid for or something... DS is good with things with them... they have been great to deal with for over 15-20 years... They are the ones that owned my house too.... he has been more than fair about stuff all along.
I filled the bird feeder, picked up some fallen sticks/branches... loaded all the stuff for the dumpster in the back of the truck and took it down there... got the samples packed and the bottles in the trays and all in the car to go....
I get a text at 10... can't go test because that farmer is going to be chopping rye.... . I was supposed to go pick up the samples and stuff at the other farm on the way... so had to make a special trip to get the samples since they had finished their testing on Tues morning and I did not want them to sit any longer... Needless to say that did not set too well, but this farmer has always been accommodating and doesn't cancel unless a good reason... and he sells me calves when I need one for a cow at less than market price... sooooo....
I had checked on the 2 guys for DS at about 10 or so, he doesn't have a cell phone...(DS worked with them until about 9 a.m.) then took them some lunch at 12:30 or so... and then went to get the samples. About 3, DS called to see where I was... because they had d finished what he wanted them to do... and the father is 69 and has a bad back so a 6hr or longer day is hard on him... and they did a good job... so I said I had just gotten back. We had discussed my maybe taking them home if he was busy at the farm...
So I took the explorer down to doug's barn, where he was with them... and got them to unload the salt blocks and oil and such, there, then took them home... 1/2 hour or so... Came back by Walmart, and stopped, got a few plants, and a few groceries, and them came on back home... Made up the bottle and went up and did the calf, fed the other calves grain... and then came home. Unloaded the feed from the explorer into the back of the ranger p.u. to take up the hill tomorrow. I have to try to get the heifers in tomorrow so he can move them to the barn for the preg check... might have to get in one load and then the 2nd load Friday morning...
The last of the heifers calved... she had a bull calf... so only waiting on Jess, the longhorn, and she is not more than a couple days off at most... There are still a couple heifers at the field there next to doug's farm... I have 2 heifers and 4 bulls at snyder's pasture...
We seem to be running 2 to 1; bull calves to heifer calves which is fine... we had maybe 60-70% heifers last year... I rather hope Jess has a heifer calf this time...

Vet is at 2 -2:30 on Friday afternoon... and of course had a farm text me, wanting to see if I could do Friday... which I cannot... and have to reschedule the one that cancelled today... Maybe get some done next week... or even maybe this Sat aft... But it will be feast or famine again... I will wind up working 3-4-5 days in a row by the looks of it... and have had to put off the 500 cow herd because DS has been too busy with the fence situation this week... he will be gone M-W next week for that Cattleman's Assoc trip... and then the bulls get their breeding soundness exams ...BSE... on Thursday... got 6 scheduled... and we have to move 5 heifers as soon as the vet gets them done on Friday, to that pasture as the guy has called twice already.... so they will get moved Friday aft I think, or early Sat morning...
Time to start getting them moved out to pastures... there is picking, and after this last rain, and it is supposed to warm up a bit this weekend... the grass will start really coming on...

But first, it is supposed to frost again tonight... 30.... but wind is supposed to finally quiet down so the cold will settle....

Past time to go to bed... already down to 42.....

 

[fuzzi]

Well, Wed night. couple mixed up days again... Tuesday it was mostly cloudy... after a rainy Mon night... Got 9/10ths inch (.9) from the off and on rain Monday night. Temps did not get very warm... about 60 BUT the wind blew like the dickens so felt colder than all get out.
Went and tested Tues aft/eve... I didn't leave there until after 7 so not home until dark... went okay, but I sure wish I had scheduled them a different day as I would have liked to go to that bred cow sale... OH WELL... don't know what they brought yet... but I suspect they were high.
Because of all the rain, DS did not get the 2 guys to come work Tues but they were due to come today (wed.).

Got up this morning... 7:30 DS had the guys here... they cut some of the pine tree limbs off where the fence is going to go through and along the road... Then he had them clear up that corner that DS is going to make 2 / 45 degree angles instead of the 90 degree angle where the trucks keep taking out the corner... he is going to offset it back off the road a few feet and put the biggest boulders he can find on the OUTSIDE of the angled corner so if a big truck that comes up that road, which they have no business on, they will tear up their trailer instead of tearing down our (landlord owner's) fence all the time... there are several fence panels we have had to keep there since they have taken down the corner posts several times...
Then DS took them down to the fenceline down through the overgrown crap.... briars, autumn olive, scrub trees, downed trees and limbs... that runs along the "witches" fenceline/pasture... They did a real bang up job of getting it cleared out really really good... a long stretch with some serious tree limbs and all. DS is going to get the guys doing the posts. to put in posts all down along there, on our landlords' side of the existing fence... so there is no question from her about "messing up" and not getting it on the proper property line... This is going to give our cows more land and some more grazing.. although it is getting quite grown up... but going to get more of it forestry mulched "open" again.... owner has said he will make good with DS on it... he wants it down... we might get reduced rent as well as materials paid for or something... DS is good with things with them... they have been great to deal with for over 15-20 years... They are the ones that owned my house too.... he has been more than fair about stuff all along.
I filled the bird feeder, picked up some fallen sticks/branches... loaded all the stuff for the dumpster in the back of the truck and took it down there... got the samples packed and the bottles in the trays and all in the car to go....
I get a text at 10... can't go test because that farmer is going to be chopping rye.... . I was supposed to go pick up the samples and stuff at the other farm on the way... so had to make a special trip to get the samples since they had finished their testing on Tues morning and I did not want them to sit any longer... Needless to say that did not set too well, but this farmer has always been accommodating and doesn't cancel unless a good reason... and he sells me calves when I need one for a cow at less than market price... sooooo....
I had checked on the 2 guys for DS at about 10 or so, he doesn't have a cell phone...(DS worked with them until about 9 a.m.) then took them some lunch at 12:30 or so... and then went to get the samples. About 3, DS called to see where I was... because they had d finished what he wanted them to do... and the father is 69 and has a bad back so a 6hr or longer day is hard on him... and they did a good job... so I said I had just gotten back. We had discussed my maybe taking them home if he was busy at the farm...
So I took the explorer down to doug's barn, where he was with them... and got them to unload the salt blocks and oil and such, there, then took them home... 1/2 hour or so... Came back by Walmart, and stopped, got a few plants, and a few groceries, and them came on back home... Made up the bottle and went up and did the calf, fed the other calves grain... and then came home. Unloaded the feed from the explorer into the back of the ranger p.u. to take up the hill tomorrow. I have to try to get the heifers in tomorrow so he can move them to the barn for the preg check... might have to get in one load and then the 2nd load Friday morning...
The last of the heifers calved... she had a bull calf... so only waiting on Jess, the longhorn, and she is not more than a couple days off at most... There are still a couple heifers at the field there next to doug's farm... I have 2 heifers and 4 bulls at snyder's pasture...
We seem to be running 2 to 1; bull calves to heifer calves which is fine... we had maybe 60-70% heifers last year... I rather hope Jess has a heifer calf this time...

Vet is at 2 -2:30 on Friday afternoon... and of course had a farm text me, wanting to see if I could do Friday... which I cannot... and have to reschedule the one that cancelled today... Maybe get some done next week... or even maybe this Sat aft... But it will be feast or famine again... I will wind up working 3-4-5 days in a row by the looks of it... and have had to put off the 500 cow herd because DS has been too busy with the fence situation this week... he will be gone M-W next week for that Cattleman's Assoc trip... and then the bulls get their breeding soundness exams ...BSE... on Thursday... got 6 scheduled... and we have to move 5 heifers as soon as the vet gets them done on Friday, to that pasture as the guy has called twice already.... so they will get moved Friday aft I think, or early Sat morning...
Time to start getting them moved out to pastures... there is picking, and after this last rain, and it is supposed to warm up a bit this weekend... the grass will start really coming on...

But first, it is supposed to frost again tonight... 30.... but wind is supposed to finally quiet down so the cold will settle....

Past time to go to bed... already down to 42.....

I enjoy reading your journal. It's good to find people who still know how and are able to work without constant supervision. I just had a section of fence replaced and I am very pleased with the work.

 

[Mini Horses]

They cut hay yesterday across from me....about 10 acres. There's another 15-20 there plus, I see a 30 acre field he does about 1/2 mile up Rd that's about ready. Looking like a good hay year around here. Rains have made a lot of growth early on.

 

[farmerjan]

We are nowhere near hay making, but chopping rye early to get the crop off so that farmers can get ready for corn planting... most plant rye or barley for winter cover crops that also give them an early crop to cut and chop for "haylage" .... many feed that to heifers and mixed in with corn silage for dairy cows, balancing the protein levels and such...

It was down to 35 here last night, and the sun is out but there is still quite a chill to the air...only 58 at this time. I have several loads of clothes washed, going out to hang them in a few minutes. The washing machine seems to be leaking a little...already checked to make sure the discharge hose is in the pipe and all that.... so doing the laundry when I am here to watch it... keeping something in front of it to soak it up; when I have time I will get it looked at. Got all the laundry caught up, so not a priority worry right now...

Samples packed to drop off later, and all the printouts for the farm done and ready to take back whenever I go that way. Several texts and calls out to farms to test next week... once I get the clothes hung, I guess I will go up to see if any of the heifers are near the barn... maybe get some in now if they are... I have sq bales of hay that I can feed and there is water in the troughs from the rain... Sometimes they are up around the barn in the middle of the day...
Will take the truck with the feed on it to unload up there too...

 

[farmerjan]

Thursday night. Been a pretty nice day. Only got down to 35 so no frost here but don't know if anyone in the low areas got any. Still, that was pretty chilly. Been sunny all day, temps were a little slow to warm but then it got real nice this afternoon. There was next to no breeze so very pleasant.
I got 4 loads of clothes done and finally on the line.

DS called to see if I was going to get the heifers in at snyder's pasture, to get moved to doug's barn for the preg check tomorrow. I said I was just getting ready to go up there.
With the warmer temps the grass is growing, and they are not as easily tempted to come for grain... BUT... I went up around 12:30 or so. Called them and got several in the barn & lot..... managed to get a few more in with some more grain... and then separated out the ones that had the new calves... finally after putting some over on one side, and all that manipulating, I got all but 2 in... and those 2 were being totally STUPID.... Finally I locked all the ones in there, inside the bigger side of the barn... opened the gate to the bigger side lot out front, and then went around and opened the gate to the smaller side lot and the pen I bring the jersey in for grain... after 2 trips around the barn, they finally went up behind it... and then decided to go in the gate... I was in the truck so they did not think I was "watching them"... and I drove it around and right up to the gate and jumped out, and got them shut in the barn. I then let them all together and texted DS... He came up a little bit later, he had taken Colt to get a haircut...they both got haircuts... brought the trailer... we loaded 9 in the first trip, and then 8 in the 2nd trip... took Betsy the jersey; 270, the one that had calved last fall (oops pregnancy) when she was supposed to be getting bred... and my big Charolais cross, Smoke... Smoke's calf is only 3 months, and I wasn't too thrilled to take her away from the calf but could not get him in with all the cows.... 270's calf is old enough and Betsy's hol and jersey calves are old enough... still, they will be very happy to get their mother's back tomorrow... The hol, jer, and black calf on 270, all came in the barn to eat... If I could have gotten Smoke's calf in for grain, I would have just locked them in the barn/lot for the night... but I didn't lock them in because I figured they would all 4 hang out together. The hol and jer are not happy either... they came back up to the barn after, but they will survive 24 hours. Maybe tomorrow Smoke's calf will come in... if not, whether she is preg or not, she will come back, I will lock her in the barn/lot so her calf will come in the creep gate to her. If she is not preg, and there is a chance she is not because she was only 5 weeks fresh when we took the bull out... her and her calf will go to pasture for the summer so she can get bred. If she is preg, they will stay there and I will hopefully get the calf trained to coming in for grain some, and then he will get weaned and moved out later on. he is younger than 270's calf, but as big already... we have left him as a bull for now... I do not want to take her to a pasture if she is bred, because I know how the calves don't get weaned off when they should....
The good thing is the bull has been out for 55 or 60 days, so they are either at least 2 months, or more, or open... no short bred ones...

So, went up tonight, gave the calf a bottle.. and DS came up and got the last calf tagged that was born... except for Jess my longhorn, who has not calved yet. She can't be far off as she has more udder than I usually see and she if round as a barrel...
The other heifers that DS has at the peterbilt pasture, have not calved except the one... they ought to be dropping calves most any day.

Grass is coming on enough to start getting some of these guys moved out to pastures. So we will get the cows and spring calves in, band all the bull calves and give them blackleg shots and they will go out to grass. Maybe starting that this weekend since DS has gone around fences at some pastures already.

DS is also talking about taking the "odd ball" calves and the "stupid" cow that I had at snyder's....This SAT.... and I think there is another one he is talking about selling... Probably only 6-10 head.. but want to get them sold before the prices drop... and get rid of the ones that don't fit in... the heifer out of my set of twins that were on the cow that was open with the uterine infection and then died recently, she is 95% chance of a non breeder.... I think the steer might match some others... or can get sold...the holstein steer we took to doug's, Jess's black steer that was weaned, that doesn't match anything, a steer of his that is totally wild... will run right through you to get out of the barn... not mean, just totally spooked at everything.... need to go through and see what else there is there...couple of smaller heifers that we aren't wanting to keep for replacements but were smallish when we sold the rest...Suits me to have most everything that is "saleable" sold and gone.... Besides.... once we get the cows and spring calves moved out to summer pastures , get some hay made... it will be time to get the cows with last fall calves moved to the barn, cows preg checked and calves weaned and start all over again...
IN BETWEEN HAY MAKING...

The fence guys won't be coming tomorrow... or next week; while he is gone M-W and the bull's BSE tests are on Thursday... The plans are for them to come back the following week and hopefully finish up in a couple more days... Of course we all know about plans... They did get alot of posts in today DS said... so now he has to stretch wire...

Time for me to quit for the night.

 

[farmerjan]

Friday... went to the pasture a bit ago, and managed to get the 4 calves in, that are on the 3 cows that are at doug's barn to get preg checked.... So we will be able to do whatever since we can pair them up easily. The 2 dairy calves will go back on Betsy and stay there probably... the other 2, on 270 and Smoke... will be determined once we know the status of preg or not. So, that is good.
DS had the guys doing some fence clearing and other stuff...from early this morning... went to get them and take them home. He got all the cows in the barn lot, and the whole group calves in on separate sides of the barn. The bigger ones that will go somewhere to get bred in June... and the ones the vet will be bangs vaccinating...
So I went and sorted all the steers out of the group of calves.... you only bangs vacc heifers. We have to take at least 5 to the one pasture in the next day or 2 that the guy called about... Want to look through them and see if we are going to sell any more of them... I sorted out the heifer twin with the steers, since she will not get vacc...
The other group we will make sure of who we are going to take to pasture...for breeding this summer.

I came home to use the bathroom and make a sandwich. Going to head back to the barn in a minute and discuss with DS about what pastures we have and who we want to put where...
Beautiful day, 70's, sun out.

 

[farmerjan]

Home, done and we are all tired... DS was in and out... GF got there with sisters 2 kids... The daughter is a pretty good help too... GF daughter is in TX with the "step grandmother" visiting some family... which is great for her... GF was not happy about her flying but she went with step grandmother... and is having a good time I guess... she will be home on Sunday I think to go back to school Monday.
So, DS and I sorted through the heifers, picked out a few that are going to get sold... and we kept in 10 to get bangs vaccinated...
Vet got there a little after 3 he had texted he was running late.... which was fine. Just as we got there, I said to GF ... what about Fred's bull... DS says, OH SH!T.... I gotta go get him..... DS was supposed to go get him to have his feet trimmed at 1 pm....... bull has way overgrown back toes... had to do them last year and we told Fred he should get sold... but he didn't sell him... and now, it seems he got 10 calves out of 22 cows... so REALLY NOT GOOD.... I would not have even trimmed his feet...last year.... he would have been gone already...Anyway, DS said now Fred wants to have him go through the BSE testing next week...WHY.....????? Good thing he is not ours.... he would have been gone already.... He is a great dispositioned bull... but that AIN'T getting the cows bred. He is also overly FAT.... way overly fat in my opinion... but if his feet are bothering him, he is not going to be overly active so will get fatter from not getting around alot...
Maybe Fred will get the message....

So, GF and I and vet got the 10 heifers in the chute, sister's daughter was writing tags as needed, got them bangs vacc, shot of blackleg vacc also, for "insurance" against them getting a clostridial infection...ear tags on the ones that didn't have 2 tags... and we got them out. Then we got the cows in for the preg checks just as DS got back with the bull... left him in the trailer for the time being; to do him last.

1st heifer in the chute is "open"... OH NO.... not a good way to start... BUT... every one else was pregnant after that except Smoke... and I didn't think she would be so that was fine... including Betsy, jersey, and little 270 that has the bigger black calf on her, that comes in to eat grain all the time... He will get weaned off when we move the cows and calves from across the dirt road at Grants pasture(behind my house)... there are some in there that he will match sizewise, and she will get a break before calving. (Will have to wean off Betsy's calves too) She is a "little " cow... she was the one that was supposed to get bred and was nearly 6 months preg instead... an OOPS pregnancy. She is doing a good job with the calf even though she is little and he comes in and eats grain good so is growing pretty good...

So out of 17 we checked, 15 were pregnant... that was 13 out 14 heifers... PRETTY DA@* GOOD. The one that is not pregnant vet said she feels perfectly normal and is cycling...

So, then he did the bull and agreed that he should not even bother to check him at the BSE testing, but should sell him.... still he trimmed his feet up and all like was requested. The bull's owner did not come to the barn with the bull.... he is the guy we work all his cattle and make his hay custom every year...

Then he looked at the other heifers that should be getting bred... and although DS said that there 4 or 5 that he thought were too small, I said they all ought to go with the bull...so asked the vet's opinion... and the vet said he agreed, they were plenty big enough to breed in June/July.... so there were 16 and DS decided to let 2247, that was open, have a 2nd chance... So, he moved 17 heifers, and Betsy and 270 to snyder's ... picked up Smokes' bull calf, and took him back to doug's to go with Smoke, in the "peterbilt field" so she can go out to pasture to get bred in June with the other cows with new spring calves....
He took the pregnant ones to another pasture... we can rotate them in 2 fields and get them out in late July so they can calve close here near the barn or something... in Aug/Sept... Once we bring them home, there are others that we can move there.. we make hay in the 3rd field... then usually move cows in there... so we will probably take some there for the 3rd field once hay is made, then load out the pregnant heifers and bring them home...

The 10 that were bangs vacc will go to the guy that wants them... 5 in the lower field now, and 5 in the upper field in another 2 weeks or so....So, he will take 5 there on Sunday... owner dwon't be there tomorrow... and then the other 5 will go as soon as he wants them there... I may see about taking the 2 holstein heifers there if I can... just let them eat for the summer...

Tenative plans are to take the ones we want to cull, tomorrow..... there are about 10-12 or so, plus the cow... I would have culled the #2247 open heifer also... but not mine...she will get one more chance... want to basically get everything out of the barn lots and finish feeding out what little corn silage is left to the cows with small calves there... Then the cows will be going to pastures in another week or so with their spring calves and then the bulls will go in to breed the cows after they have been on the grass for a month... like "flushing" the sheep.... They will be on the green grass... coming into good milk and body getting back into breeding condition. Then things will be emptied out and ready to bring home the 2 groups with fall calves to get preg checked and calves weaned off... We usually do that in early June.... inbetween hay making.

Plus, this will make it better for M-W next week, when he is gone, and make it easy to get the bulls across the drive throughs, that go across the creek, from one field to another... and into the barn lot, and up to the barn; for taking to the BSE testing on Thursday. Finally getting things done the way they should be done...

Plus, getting all these heifers out of there, frees things up for all the fencing that he needs to get up without working around, and moving around, all these heifers. He will have about 10 steers there, unless he decides to sell any of them tomorrow... The guys got a bunch of posts driven so now it is his job to get the bracing and wires up... then to stretching the fence wire... The fence guys won't be back until the week of the 28th....

Weather was beautiful... mid 70's and a breeze but not too windy. Tonight is supposed to be down in the 50's... Tomorrow is supposed to be in the upper 70's, lower 80's , and for the rest of the weekend...

 

[Baymule]

Fence is hard work any way you look at it. It feels so good to get it done, but a lot of work between start and finish. LOL

That sounds good on the heifers pregnancy check, calves on the way.

Maybe Fred’s bull has become a pet and he just can’t bear to sell him. People can be so dumb.