20 June 2025

The Brockle Face Calf

That brockle face calf had been nothing but trouble from the time he was born.

Sickly and weak I doctored him and kept him coming along. He made it to branding time. We hoped the vaccinations would keep him healthy enough to get to grass. He made it to pasture but I kept a close eye on him and he wasn’t thriving like the other calves. I let him go, he was on all the grass he could eat and with his mama. The best thing for him was to stay out there.

Until it wasn’t. It became apparent that he was not getting any milk. His mom was showing signs of sickness and they were quickly getting worse. The swollen brisket meant heart failure. I would need to catch the calf and bring him home where I could supplement his feed. Maybe one of the milk cows could still adopt him. But, I had a 4wheeler in the back of the pickup and nothing on me to catch or tie him with anyway. No way to get him home immediately. He had survived this long, he could wait a couple days till I was back that way again.

As I pulled into the pasture I saw his mom. She had been grazing with the other cows and they were headed in to water as the day got warm. The calf wasn’t with her. Maybe I had been wrong and he couldn’t wait a couple days. Or maybe he was off with some other calves. I drove on to the tank.

Walking through the calves there, checking the water and salt, I wandered around the water tank. Then I saw him. In the pond that catches the over flow was the brockle face calf. Laying there with his head barely above water level I had to look close to see if he was alive.

He was alive, but barely. I stepped to the edge of the mud and reached to pull him out. He didn’t budge. Like not even slightly. It was like pulling on an anvil.

I kicked my sandals off, because of course I check cows in sandals. I might get bitten by a rattle snake but I’m guaranteed to die of heat stroke if I wear boot on a hundred degree day.

Sandals off I waded into the mud of the pond. Reaching into the water I grabbed him around the chest and lifted him out of the water. Except he didn’t budge. Reaching down one hind leg to pull it out of the mud. I kept reaching and it kept going deeper. His leg was buried in the mud clear up to his belly. Grabbing hold of it I pulled with all my might and finally managed to drag it free. The procedure as repeated with all four legs. It was iffy whether I’d manage to pull them free or not.

He must have gotten in the mud and struggled until his legs got worked in deep. There was no way he would have gotten out on his own. He could have been there for a full day, his legs were cold, he hung limp as I drug him away from the waters edge. I left him and went to bring the pickup closer. He was tiny but water logged and a lot to carry. The cows gathered around sniffing him while I was gone. His mom even came over to take a look.

I heaved him into the pickup bed and took off towards home. Pansy dove through the back window into the cab of the pickup. There was not enough room in the bed for her and a calf.

At home I wanted to take him into the cool darkness of the barn, but his legs and mouth were still cold. As wrong as it seemed on a 100 degree day, he needed to be warmed up. With painkillers and feed he made it through the afternoon. After a couple of hours he lifted his head and was looking around.

Only time will tell if he lives or not. He has some scratches, there is a good chance they walked on him while he lay in the water. There could be damage inside. He was already in bad shape before this ordeal. Hours spent submerged in mud and muck would have been hard on a healthy calf. Hopefully he makes the morning.

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31 March 2025

Calving Season

What a season it has been. Now that we are all of one week in.

The Goblin Child has somehow managed a one day calving season with her whole herd calving today. Her heifer calved this morning. I saw a single hoof and went to check on her. She was a bottle calf. I do love very tame heifers like that. I was able to ‘check’ for a second hoof while she stood there quietly out in the pen. It was there. The calf was big. I went back for supplies. She laid there, not terribly concerned about me while I helped her deliver the calf laying out in the pen. A pretty, not little, red heifer.

Her cow had a darling little black white face calf this evening. I think it might be a heifer too. She was brand new when I was out last, I didn’t want to bother them enough to look. That cow was NOT a bottle calf.

Over the weekend one of the cows presented a single large red hoof. The kids were with me walking through the herd. They helped bring her up. Or one of them did. 8 got in there and tried. He was too scared to actually try to stop her when she wanted past him, but he tried. His sister cowered outside the fence. We managed to get her brought up to the front. They were much better help getting her into the chute. Beg safely on the other side of a fence gave them great courage.

Once in the chute they got together and managed to get the puller down off the wall. It took some team work and they didn’t drop it on their heads. I checked the cow and found the second hoof, thankfully, and the head. The calf was all there, just big. She gloved up and helped me pull while he held the tail out of the way. We ended up not not needing the puller after all. Between us and the cow we managed to deliver a BIG bull calf.

With him moved into the barn where his mom could clean him both children who had been wonderful up until then broke down. She had gotten some on her arm. A remarkably small amount all things considered. She needed a shower immediately. And could I please do a load of laundry. He had seen more than he could handle. I thought he had helped with this before. Maybe just not as closely? It was more than he could handle. He didn’t quite empty his belly but it was close. He was rather traumatized. I felt awful. Tried to huge him, but I had more than a small smear on my arm.

He seems to have recovered nicely.

Both kids have been coming with for the night check. They bounce all over the place having fun scaring each other in the dark and generally raising quit the ruckus.

Ghost and her calf got cold in the rain and snow the day after the calf was born. I was going to bring them up to the barn to get warm and dry. The calf didn’t want to get up and moving. It occurred to me that they were laying in the straw that had been put out for them to keep warm in. I covered the calk with straw. He was toasty warm in his blanket so I went to rubbing Ghost down. Trying to get her dry so she could be warm. Then I decided to give her a blanket too. She seemed to like it. She didn’t shake it off immediately.

Category: 8, Cows, Goblin Child | LEAVE A COMMENT
29 March 2025

Calving

By the time calving ‘officially’ started March 25th, we had ten calves on the ground, had pulled three and lost two. It’s been busy.

The weather had been in the 60s and up to 80 degrees. So hot, windy, and dry that dust was blowing everywhere. A welder was out to fix some of the older feedbunks. He quit around noon because the wind was coming up and he worried about starting fires. The kids spent the afternoon hauling water to dump on the hot spots that were smoldering away despite his quitting early.

Acorn calved. I brought her up front, really, leading her in a halter was so much easier than trying to push her and the calf. We have been milking her once a day. First for colostrum to save for future needs but now we’re starting to keep some of the milk. Made our first batch of caramel yesterday. It got burnt. Guess we’ll have to try again today! Dang. What a shame 😉  Then cheese, and butter, and hmm, what else can we do besides drink it?

The kids slept outside in the new tent they got. They said it was chilly, but it stayed well above freezing and they didn’t give up and come inside. The next morning we made them take it down. Snow was predicted.

We woke this morning to freezing rain. It has alternated between the rain, sleet, and snow so far today. Not complaining of course. This is beautiful weather. Going from 80 and dry to 32 and wet is hard on the animals, but so is not having grass to eat all summer.

The low pressure has brought on more calves. They had taken a break over those really warm days. Ghost calves first thing this morning! A big healthy bull calf 🙁 Oh well. She does tend to have bulls. We were pulling for another heifer. Maybe next year.

Category: 8, Cows, Family, Goblin Child | LEAVE A COMMENT
27 March 2025

Why Are My Cows Wet?!

It may be slightly hard to tell, these pictures are of my pet cow Ghost from last nights check.
The night was gorgeous. Perfectly still and clear. A million stars shining overhead. Dust kicked up with each step I took. I love night checks. Ghost came over to visit as she so often does while I walked quietly through the herd in the dark. Following along while I walk she demands her share of scratches. I need to remember to bring a curry comb.
As I scratched her itchy spots I noticed my wrists, above the gloves on my hands, got damp where they touched her. I turned on the light to see her glistening with water drops.
She was covered in a fine mist.
I went looking for another cow I could get close enough to see the water drops on and found Rose laying nearby. She was wet too.
I rechecked the sky. Still clear and bright. I kicked at the ground. Still dusty.
The going theory is that the cows were warm from the very nice day. The dew point was 27 degrees. It was no where near that, still well above freezing. But maybe the added warmth from the cows cooling after a hot day caused condensation/dew to form?
I stopped and checked the horses on the way back to the house. They were dry.
Why were my cows wet?!?!
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20 January 2025

Cold

It’s officially cold out. Yesterday was chilly but the temp did climb above zero and the wind didn’t blow. Today we are up to -4 with a stiff wind.

The cattle are eating as much food as we can get to them. I’m taking a short calving course from the extension office. They were just saying that 17 degrees is when a normal healthy cow starts needing to put in a bit more work to stay warm. Today they were bunched behind windbreaks looking decidedly chilly as they soaked up what warmth the morning sun had to offer.

No school today. which means the kids get to go break ice! Lucky they let them stay home from school so they don’t have to go out in the cold. Usually on weekends they take a fourwheeler and drive out to the tanks. It’s to cold to do that. Yesterday I said they could take my pickup and drive themselves out there. But it was to cold for the old girl to start. No point in even making an attempt today. That’s the only vehicle they’re allowed to drive so I went along the last couple days to drive. And help out a bit.

The feed truck can get around the fourwheeler. With a suburban parked in the middle of the lane I need to move around to get out of the way. When I got back from maneuvers today I looked over to see my son picking ice chunks out of the water with his gloved hands! I ordered him to the vehicle immediately. He may not be feeling the cold yet but it wouldn’t take long to set in. His sister and I finished pitching the ice out, with a pitchfork this time. Then we all headed back. When I got in the car he showed me his snow pants, frozen solid and stiff already from the knee down where he had been playing in the water.

They went inside. I went to check horse water. They are heated and had only a ring of ice around the edges. The horses were sleeping in the sun or grazing on their hay. They looked happy. Hopefully there wont be anything to trigger Rusty’s random cold induced lamenitis.

Their father finally made his way inside after finishing feeding the cows. He did get to ride a fourwheeler and was nearly frozen. Now we will all fight the dog for a seat in front of the fire. It’s a good day to spend looking through garden catalogues and ordering seeds for next summer. It’s nice to be reminded that although it is so cold outside seed starting time is coming soon. Spring not too far behind that. We are grateful for a toasty warm house and plenty of feed for the animals.

Category: 8, Cows, Family, Goblin Child | LEAVE A COMMENT
30 December 2024

Chores

It’s snowing.

Not enough to add up to much, but it’ll keep the dust down.

We brought the cows in from the corn stalks yesterday just in case.

The wind is supposed to get bad as the day goes on. There’s no shelter out there. So we called them to the payloader and they followed a load of hay to the corrals. The children and I on 4wheelers to bring up the stragglers and to be there just in case.

I circled one way while they went the other. A long ways from when all four of us and a dog fit on one fourwheeler together. I could see them across the field as I circled. They tried to chase heifers who, curious and tame, circled them back looking for treats. Smart kids. They quickly gave up on chasing and lead with heifers following. I came around to bring up the rear, just in case.

A couple old lame cows eventually took their place in the rear as heifers galloped off to join chase on the bale. We walked them slowly along. Smart kids, they hung back and let the old girls set the pass. No chasing and hurrying here. In no time the whole herd was safe int he corrals. Fed up good and sheltered. Just in case.

One old girl is left behind. She hurt her hip somehow since we brought them home from pasture. She’s following slowly behind. We let her follow at her own speed.

This morning the promised snow did arrive! Not a whole lot, but enough to get us wet and make the cows unhappy. I forced one child to leave her school shoes in the house and switch to mud boots. Gloves and a coat might be a good idea too?

I drove the feed truck, pouring hay and corn to hungry cows. Peering out at a water color world, colors streaked and blurred through the dripping windshield. Window cracked just enough to let some fresh air in and maybe keep the windows from fogging too much worse, but hopefully not enough to let more than a little snow and chaff in.

Through the crack I watch as the children bring the old cow the rest of the way into the corral alone. She’s feeling better, moving better this morning and covers the last little bit of ground much quicker. We’ll keep her up when we let the other cows back out. Keep her where she wont have to move at all between feed and water. The kids do a great job all on their own, then are sent off to break ice.

Through the crack I watch as they get caught by their father and brought along to cut the net wrap off bales of hay for the cattle. Not long ago they were too afraid to get that close to the cattle and cutting net wrap was too big a job for them. They get gates and do all the odd jobs that make life so much easier. All in sweatshirts, and gloves! At least one concession made to their mother.

With cows fed and tucked away we all head back to the warmth of the house. They laugh when we say the work will build character. But we know it is helping them get ready. They’ll have the knowledge, experience, and confidence ready for one of these days when they need it. Just in case.

 

 

Category: Cows, Family, It's a God thing | LEAVE A COMMENT
27 October 2024

The Cows Are Out!

What is it with cows out this year!
I know it’s dry and everyone is running out of grass, but it’s getting a little out of hand.
Taking the kids to meet a friend to send them off with to church this morning we looked over and saw cows in our cornstalks. My daughter messaged my husband to let him know I knew they were there and would get something figured out as soon as I got back.
He called me on my way back to let me know he could see a couple of goats in with the cows. That told us both immediately who the cows belonged to.
Us! 🤣
I Picked him up on my way home. He was out building fence, in that particular field. We got 4wheelers, I got a bucket of corn, and went after the heifers.
Yearlings are famous for being difficult to chase. They’re like teenagers, slightly crazy and a little bit stupid 😉 They run off in every direction.
Luckily mine are treat trained, just like my horses! I got close to them and called. They came running and quietly lead back to the pasture.
We went round the pasture looking for where they got out. It was a gate in the far corner that we never use. We never use it partially because I can NOT open it. My husband can open it, bug strong manly muscles and all that. But he couldn’t even get it closed.
I went back and got fence stretchers. He went back to building his fence.
It is possible that the cows rubbed it open on their own. They can manage strange things like that once in awhile.
It seems more likely to me that someone opened the gate. Let themselves in to do some hunting. It was opening day of pheasant season yesterday. Then couldn’t close the very tight gate.
So they left it.
In leaving it they let a whole heard of cows out, and two goats. Who then happened to wander the right direction, up to our road, past the mail box, then back down the next fence line and still on our property. If they had gone the other way they wouldn’t have been missed for awhile. Either way they could have been hit on the gravel roads or just quietly disappeared.
I know there are good hunters out there, but the rude inconsiderate, dangerous ones give everyone a bad name. And hunting or not, always close the gates!
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8 July 2024

The Aftermath

According to the radar we were on the edge of the storm. It looked like the ‘bad stuff’ was to the north of us. Right over our pasture and the bigger wheat fields. I was worried sick about my cows. My husband was mourning the loss of his wheat fields. Looking good this year and almost read for harvest.

We couldn’t get over to look until the next day, the storm came at dusk and it as dark by the time it finished.

Then my husband was busy with other work and couldn’t come at all. The kids and I headed over. By the time we got to the end of our neighbors field of corn, right next door, we had gotten out of the hail. The south end of the field was destroyed. The north end was untouched. I knew there had been hail by the pasture. I had seen video of it. But maybe not as awful as we had feared?

After a strip undamaged I came to another swath where everything had been destroyed. It was like mother nature had raked her finger nails across the earth. Strips that hadn’t been touched mixed with lines of destruction.

The cows fell in the untouched part and a couple small wheat fields.

Then bad again at the big wheat field. How bad? It’s hard to say. The wheat is still standing but the hard brittle stems, so painfully close to being ready to harvest had let loose their fruit. The ground is scattered with wheat broken loose and lost. Only the yield at harvest will let us know just how much was lost.

We were lucky though. The corn is battered, but still there. It might be early enough in the season that it can regrow? The garden looks rough. But all in all is doing alright.

Just a little farther east of us the storm got even worse. We had gotten much larger hail here on the south end of the storm and it kept getting bigger as it went. Our neighbors a mile east has trees down. Another couple miles on friends had entire fields stripped bare. Nothing left of corn or beans. Gardens beat down to bare dirt. We got lucky and are thankful for it.

My husband mourns the hard work, heart and soul, and effort that went into the crops. The money lost. The death of the crop and the love that went into it.

I mourn our swimming pool. The kids and I had spent the whole day just a couple days before this getting the spot ready and the pool set up and filled. Waiting for it to warm, we hadn’t even swam in it. The ping pong sized hail hurled at the ground had poked hole all the way around the inflatable top. We tried filling it with pool noodles. A hopeless but slightly entertaining attempt at salvaging our beloved pool. But they did nothing to stop the water from spilling over the edges. I forced the kids out to try to swim in it this weekend, resulting in the pool emptying half the water.

Oh well. We’ll need to empty it anyway.

We’ll miss that pool, it’s been a good one.

 

Category: Cows, Family, Farming | LEAVE A COMMENT
3 July 2024

Oh Hail

We had gotten lucky up until now. Bad storms everywhere around us, but we stayed between them. No rain, but no hail either.
Didn’t get so lucky this time. And we were towards the edge.
Hate to think what things are going to look like when we go out to look tomorrow. The pasture, my cows, was right in the middle of it.

 

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8 June 2024

Putting The Toy To Work

My husband bought me a Cadillac for Christmas. It’s a lot of fun to say, especially if I leave out about it being twenty years old and high mileage. But, does that really make a difference? He thought I needed a tow vehicle so I could get a trailer. I kept thinking it would be fun to tie a bow on it and do one of those obnoxious Christmas gift pictures. But I can’t even force myself to be that obnoxious jokingly.

I bought myself a trailer to pull with it. A pretty little matching horse trailer, modified so it can serve as a stock trailer too.

Our theme song is Chris LeDoux, Caddilac Cowboy, “horse trailer on a Cadilac, talking to the cowboy in the Coup Deville” 🎶

I’m very fond of my tow set up. It’s very pretty and frivolous. I feel a little embarrassed driving the obviously made for horses and play get up out here in ranch country with the big stock trailers and work pick ups.

Today my toys did some actual work. I was so proud of them. We hauled the last of the pairs to pasture. Calves in my trailer. It’s too dainty to load down with cows, but calves it can handle. Cows in the big stock trailer. I felt pretty dang ranchy 🤣

Then came home and carefully hosed it out so it could be pretty again and not covered in calf poop.

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