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Strong cold westerly wind all day. No melting today. I moved cows to next split in NG7. Everyone else ok. Spent a bit of time rolling wire up on SBW3-8. NATALIE IS BACK.
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Full Moon (snow moon) ceremony this morning. Overcast almost foggy today. Dr. Bob Sager came to the ranch to talk nutrition for calves and cows-mostly the conversation was focused on trace minerals and more energy in the calf ration. This conversation is a result of the follow up on the feedlot OP issue. Bob felt the cows were maybe ½ condition score )5 to 5 1/2) below where they need to be at calving (6). His assessment not far off from what Rick C. observed. 2 bald Eagles in the area.
Cloudy, cool, and windy especially so in the morning. I finally got the cows moved from SBW3-8 over to NG7 (BLM) in a small split. Rick Caquelin, retired NRCS range specialist, came to collect GAN samples and assess cow condition. Rick thought the cows were mostly in a strong condition 5 score with very healthy hair coats. Some prairie dogs were out in NG7. Rick also rated the cow’s frame score about 4.5. Late afternoon cows took a bit of a walk about as I had not closed the back end-not far from Ryan’s when we calmly headed them back.
Blustery cool winter day. Ryan covered as I traveled to Lewistown for a ranch family facilitation. No moves. All good. In the afternoon I hosted a zoom call with a great assemblage of seasoned veterinarians and nutritionists to review and discuss Milton Ranch’s CNB OP issue at the feedlot. Remarkable call, as the expertise and data shared was deep and diverse. Many follow up tasks being planned to update our health and nutrition protocols.
Winds and cool conditions persist. I fed the cows their alfalfa early as I had zoom meetings all afternoon. I did an experiment broadcasting a 2 acre seed mix prepared by North Forty on an old crested wheat site in SBW2, and then fed the cows in the 2 acre site. The last few days we have upped the hay levels to the calves by about 20%.
Much cooler with off and on windy snow squalls. Wade was able to trail the 2’s at Andersons’ back to the headquarters. Ryan will feed out some old triticale hay (free with our lease cost) for the next two weeks, then trail them back to the ranch. Cows still in SBW8-3, as I was tied up redoing fence at Anderson’s and receiving my second Covid shot. Lot of zoom facilitation meetings the next two days, but I hope to get the cows south into BLM.
Woke to powerful ridiculous (yet warmer) winds-actually the winds blew all night long. With the W-SW wind being what they were, feeding straw seemed pointless. I finally surrendered to gravity and let the cows flow into SBW8-3 (some BLM), as I needed to get to Billings for a back adjustment. It felt remarkably liberating just to let the cows move to ‘new’ grass. I am not sure what the cows felt, yet their contentment and fullness at the end of day indicated they were not displeased. And the wind calmed down by dusk. Nothing has unchanging self.
Woke to strong gusty SW winds-bitter at first, then warming to melt snow. Winds just strong and cold enough to be more than annoying, All the animal groups continue to stay put. We hope to have the 2’s out of Todd’s south unit back to the maim headquarters. We plan to use up Todd’s old triticale grain hay (feed is free and part of lease) before we trail back home.
Clear, calm, and bright. No moves. Just feeding. One slink (375 a white tag, or a cow that didn’t raise a calf last year). Wade cuts out 2 open cows and lone steer calf from mob and trails them to corral (Ryan thawed out corral tank).
Strong sort of warming winds. I want to move cows into BLM, but still needing to tune up some water issues.
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Bill Milton
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