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Weather: Chilly west wind all day. Not bitter but certainly uncomfortable.
(LS-10 for cows and LS-1 for calves): One grass bale mid-day for calves. Early morning split for cows. Followed up with straw for cow’s late afternoon. I need to give cows more grass as they were very eager for the straw.
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Weather: Cool enough to firm up the ground for getting around. Mostly sunny. Stars on stage at dark.
(LS-10 for cows and LS-1 for calves): Ryan got water going in BW-6-will soon move cows to it. Cows to new split. Calves 1 bale and back to grazing. Once cows leave, calves will be moved into fresh paddock. Still trying to find a smooth rhythm moving groups following the cold snap. Still wrestling with corral tank float. Two apprentice interviews. Weather: Too muddy to even feed. Gusty and cool SW to W winds all day.
(LS-11 to 10 for cows and LS-1 for calves): Fresh split for the cows and the calves just continue grazing in LS-1. Bald eagle, ravens, and coyotes make quick use of the dead calf. Weather: Awoke to 40 degrees and by late afternoon we were in the 50-degree range. More bare ground by the hour. Hard to imagine, yet this has happened many times before.
(LS-11 to 10 for cows and LS-1 for calves): With the ground so soft and tough to feed straw, I turned cows into a split in LS-10 to get fresh feed on fresh ground. I wanted to head to BW yet will need a little more drying condition. I was able to get 1 bale of hay to calves on some high ground. One calf (528) has a rectal prolapse and will need to be put down. Another steer calf found dead-totally unexplained. (3 dead calves since we weaned). Weather: Gusty chilly SW winds in the morning yet the day warms with more melting snow. Water pooling but not running yet.
(LS-11 for cows and LS-1 for calves): Calves get 1 bale straw and I bale hay. Backing off straw and grazing out. Cows get 10 bales of straw to go with their grazing-not much left to pick. (11 straw feeding days) Built next split in BW-6 paddock. Like to wait maybe one more day to allow standing water to be absorbed into soil or move. Porcupines and skunks. Weather: Warm Chinook SW winds bares off some ground. Pretty soft to drive by afternoon.
(LS-11 for cows and LS-1 for calves): Just one straw and one hay to calves. I hope to move to a fresh paddock in a couple of days, but cows need to move first. Cows received less straw and grazed out. Planning to move into a NBW paddock by tomorrow. Bulls are wandering along North willow creek in Big Wall fairly unsupervised. Weather: In a word REPRIEVE. Light winds, warming, and no ice to break.
(LS-11 for cows and LS-1 for calves): Feeding continues yet less is required. Most of the morning despite fresh feed available both cows and calves just post themselves perpendicular to the sum and just soak in the warmth. Afternoon spent delivering Christmas Eggnog and cinnamon rolls. At dusk I walk through animals that are full and content and marvel at the surprising softness of it all. Impermanence. Everything changes as will this welcome reprieve. Weather: In two days from 30 below to a high of 0 as we close out this day the 23rd. Heat wave. SW winds have been uncomfortable, yet that is the price we pay to afford the warming that the winds portend.
(LS-11 for cows and LS-1 for calves): In the cold it is best to follow the schedule moving steady and slow. Start trucks, break ice, feed 2 bales of straw to calves, 14 bales to cows, check supplement, bale of hay and straw for calves in mid-afternoon, check water often throughout day. Morning begins with a little anxiety of what challenge will the new cold day bring, and day ends satisfied and calmly tired with animals full and no major problems. Much gratitude for all that supports us. Weather: In a word brutal. Gusty N to NW to winds combined with plunging temperatures create hardship and discomfort all around.
(LS-11 for cows and LS-1 for calves): HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE the worst day of weather by far this year. Ryan and I pile the straw in or near the lots to both cows and calves. By end of day most of the animals seem full and relatively content. Snow still hanging onto their back which means they are maintaining good body heat-according to Harley our supplement dealer. One or two rough-legged hawks grace calmly perch on power poles seemingly immune to the cold. Weather: Record cold settles deeply into a large part of the region. For now, we have escaped wind and challenging chill factors.
(LS-11 for cows and LS-1 for calves): Full feeding straw to cows. Three bales of straw and one bale of hay to calves. Calves still grazing but it is time to move to fresh grass. I am feeding three bales of straw and one bale of hay and will need to wait for cold to break to get the next paddock ready. Ryan is back and feeling better. I finish the concluding chapters from Roald Dahl’s The BFG to the sixth graders. |
Bill Milton
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