Weather: The cold is here.
(LS-11 for cows and LS-1 for calves): Mostly checking and feeding straw. I was happy nothing broke and everyone had good access to feed, water, and supplement.
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Weather: Another pleasant day that ends with dropping temperatures and increasing winds.
(LS-11 for cows and LS-1 for calves): Responding to second day weaning for second time. Lot of tune up details with extra awareness for heating fences. Float on corral water has been sticking causing some overflow problems. BJ came to help as Ryan is under the weather these last few days. Always so grateful for the competency of the Adolph family as they have bailed me out of more problems than I can list. I start moving straw in preparation for predicted bitter cold. I hope to get three days laid out for both calves and cows. Carlyle takes off for Michigan. Winter is winter. Where arises this fear each year? Awake and accept. Weather: Cold holds off for one more day. Partly sunny, calm, and warmer.
EG (2-corrals): I triggered a significant replan this morning. Decided to trail cows to corrals and cut off escaped calves (over 100). Trailing and weaning went well. Also moved bulls back to the Big Wall. Plan to full feed straw over the course of the coming cold spell. We planned to feed straw for 30 plus days, so subzero weather is a good time to use some of those budgeted days. Carlyle’s last day. Weather: Persistent uncomfortable NW winds all day. No new snow. Trending colder.
EG (1): Moved cows into EG-2. Good feed and responding well. Cows generally holding their condition but some condition 4 outliers. Carlyle and I made 2 more paddocks in EG-2 and a first split in EG-11. Yet, I may change out plan altogether due a long cold spell settling in the region, as it might be a good time to trigger feeding straw-and where would be the best place to do the feeding. Stay tuned. And those snow buntings remain bringing the cold I suspected they might. Weather: Cold, then dripping from the roof warm with SW winds, then winds switch to the NW and cold and light snow return.
EG (1): One more day in EG-1. Calves stay put with daily hay (1 bale) and straw (1 bale). Bulls are now in LS-11. Weather: Storm does not fully materialize, though a serious blizzard hits eastern Montana about 100 miles east and south of us. With the sunrise, we are calm, sunny, and cold
EG (3): Being tested. Calves break through the last split for the paddock. I just pull up wire and give them the rest of the paddock-should have at least 4 days in the broken timber along with some hay and straw. Cows also break into next split in the back part of EG-1 just a little time before I was going to make the move. Good feed might last 2 to 3 days. Day ends in the dark pleased that everything is stable, and we dodged a very threatening winter storm. Weather: Snow comes on lightly with uncomfortable yet not bitter North winds.
EG (3): Life is a replan in motion. Began the day agreeing we need to move the dries, yet not ready to go to Todd’s. I trail dries to mix back with cows. Also move cows to second split in EG 3. Of course, that triggers a decision that bulls cannot mix with cows in Big Wall (earlier plan), thus bulls will need to be moved at some point. So, remember all the fence that was tore up yesterday-about 30 plus escaped calves somehow found the cows that were three miles away from the corrals. Amazing yet we will deal with that situation later. Then Ryan, while pressuring up line to Big Wall breaks a valve. He also sees three calves with the bulls. Good time to move bulls back to corrals, which I then proceed to you. On the way I text Ryan and place my cell phone in the only pocket in my work pants that has a large hole. Cell phone is gone. Things never go in just one direction-Ryan calls BJ to ask for help to dig up line and fix valve, and BJ just happens to have the backhoe plugged in and time on his hand. Water problem fixed by nightfall. Our lives unfold with the immeasurable support of others. If my life was just about me, I would have been dead long ago. With a deep bow to relationships. Weather: No wind and mostly mild. Calm before the storm.
EG (3): Something spooked calves and much fence to tune up. Fortunately, not many escaped. Calves moved to a larger split in the trees that can hold then for 3 days of predicted snow. Cows stay in first split. Tuned up fence for next split tomorrow. Weather: Cold and breezy morning turns to calm and mild by afternoon
EG (8-3): I gathered cows out of EG 8 and placed them in EG-3. Still a lot of feed in back end of paddock and good protection for some weather early this next week. Some breakouts with the calves due to dead batteries-everything stable and in their right place by afternoon. Move calves to next split in LS 1. Carlyle on way to Boston to give a sermon. Weather: Off again cold, snow, warm, and punctuated by wind over the last week.
EG (8): 41cull cows being strawed in Quonset lot. Cows remain in EG 8 with 3 splits. Dana and I were in Polson watching Max during the period. Calves in LS 1. They have been a bit of a headache with our new adapted weaning area. Carlyle put a second permanent wire on east side of LS 1. Good numbers of snow buntings on the ranch-might signal a heavier winter in the works, yet most agree the winter to date has been harder than we have experienced for some time. The last tough winter was 2018. |
Bill Milton
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