Busy

We had the distributors installed in both silos yesterday.  Distributors do exactly what the name says, they distribute the chopped feed so the silo fills more evenly.  We haven't had anything in the silos that have worked for quite a few years so the feed just filled in the center and was cone shaped at the top.  This will minimize the need to shovel when the silo is full and rumor has it the silo will hold more feed since it will place more feed around the outside which is the biggest area. The total, 2 men, 7 hours each, who knows how many trips up and down the silos, $750 and one more thing off Bruce's list!!!

Bruce had an interesting adventure in feeding yesterday.  He has to go through the steer yard to get to the goats so he fed the steers first, hoping that would keep them busy for a bit.  When he came to feed the goats the steers went into the goat yard and the goats proceeded to leave.  For awhile everyone was stirred.  Bruce was less than pleased and is still complaining about "those damned steers" yet tonight.  As usual the dog helped him get everyone straightened out.  Mike found it to be a much more enjoyable experience than Bruce, as usual.

Today Bruce worked on the manure spreaders.  The box spreader needed a couple of floor pieces put back in place that had been broken out when the supports underneath were rusted off.  Now that spreader is ready to go for the winter. 

Something you don't see every day, a clean manure spreader.  The slats in the bottom push the material towards the back.  The end lifts up and the beaters throw the maure out into the field

The beaters spin to throw manure out onto the field

Bruce's other project today continues to be a mystery.  When he was loading manure the other day he realized that a narrow piece of gutter plate was missing by the end cow.  Gutter plate is 1/4 inch steel plate and this piece was about 6" wide and 18" long.  He assumed it was in the last load so he left it sit on the spreader and today he took the rotor off the back of the slop spreader so if it was in there he hoped it would pass through without any damage.  When he was done unloading the spreader there was no sign of the missing iron.  He finds it hard to believe it was on a previous load and unloaded without any damages but he also has no idea where it is. 

Tonight I started washing the outside of the pipeline while Bruce milked the treated cow.  I managed to get 8 stalls done so its a start.  There is no end to the projects that need to be done this time of year.  I will continue to do a few stalls the next few milkings so I will eventually be able to cross that off my list.

As I type this the dog has managed to dribble 4 tennis balls in by my feet.  He holds one in his mouth and actually dribbles them with his front feet.  It is pretty obvious who got the nap while we milked tonight : )