Yesterday we managed to get 3/10 inch of rain. All things considered this wasn't a horrible amount but it does make it muddy in the field so there was no stacking or combining done today. Jim and Jen were here yet so there was some house time, and after they left we were back to farming. I went out and pulled up the fence for the goat pasture. In summer we put posts in right along the township road but in winter they need to be moved for snow plowing. I just pull the posts and walk them further into the pasture where they are safe with the wires in the insulators. In spring we just walk it back out next to the road. I also put some reflective tape on some fence posts. Every winter we pound posts along the edge of the driveway at our other place so it is easier to see where to plow and drive if we get storms. There is a steep edge and also a curve so marking it keeps everyone safer in nasty weather. Hopefully the tape will make the posts just a bit more visible, and hopefully we won't get enough snow that they really are even necessary. While I was doing those things Bruce cleaned and bedded the lower building. I am sure the heifers appreciated the new stacks. Sometimes they enjoy eating them more than their use as bedding. Other than the steers we treated earlier in that building everyone has stayed healthy. The weather is starting to feel more like winter with highs in the lower 30's and wind. Brrrr
On the cow side of life, our DA heifer is still slow eating and is now on treatments for ketosis. We have had a couple cases of mastitis so we now have a couple special needs cows which drag milking out. We still have 12 calves to be born between now and Christmas. The ones that have freshened so far were bred to a beef bull so we have the cutest white faced calves that all look nearly identical. The markings on a holstein can be pretty variable but these guys all match. I like feeding calves this time of year when it is cold. The calves all have good appetites and are aggressive eaters. As long as we keep them bedded and dry they tend to stay healthy. They are entertaining when they run in and out of the hutches and kick up their heels while I feed the newest ones.
Other news to note is we got our bill for the cow mattresses. It cost us $169 per stall to replace the old ones. The weather forecast says we have wind coming so Ed and Bruce will both be moving the stacks into a group. We have had wind over the years that have nearly leveled the stacks if they are out sitting individually in the field. Cleaning the lower building today made the evening chores run late so it is 10:40 and Bruce isn't done feeding yet. The wish list of things to get done this week is again long. LOL Just another day in paradise............................. : )
Picture updates soon....I promise ; )
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