Snowy Sunday

The cattle in the background were using the trees as a windbreak from the north wind on Peace Creek.

Sunday was a day not fit for man or beast. But because we have "beasts" who rely on us, man (and woman) were out in the cold to check on mamas and babies.

I don't know how we got so lucky, but we didn't have any baby calves born yesterday. The babies already on the ground found plenty of ways to keep snuggled up and warm.

Number 503 was playing hide and seek in the feeder - and keeping warm at the same time.

These calves nestled down into the fresh straw the guys spread in the corral before the snow started.

 While mama ate, this calf had a snooze in the hay that littered the ground from the feed bunks. 

While the barn has seen better days, it does provide some shelter for cows and calves. During Randy's early morning check, he found several pairs inside the barn. After church, several babies were still inside the barn (though, in the photo, you only see the mama peering out into the falling snow).

The babies also get warmed up with milk on demand. Nothing like something warm in your belly to help feel all warm and comfy.

 

The farmer had to wait until after the cattle check to get something warm in his belly - our typical Sunday waffle lunch!

A Rancher's Snow Day

You know how you fluff up the fleece blanket and get nestled in with a good book and hot mug of coffee on a cold winter day?

We do the same thing for our cattle -- minus the book, of course. And the mamas take care of the warm drink.

After the snowstorm on Tuesday, the guys brought big round bales of straw to each of the locations where we have cows or heifers waiting to calve. On the front of the tractor, Jake carried one bale of straw. On the back, he hauled two better quality alfalfa bales for the cows to eat.

The guys had spread straw out earlier, but it was covered up by the 9 inches of snow we received. First, Jake used the scoop to scrape away some of the snow and level it out. They selected a spot south of a windbreak, in this case, the old barn.

After Randy removed the net wrap from the straw bale, Jake used the grapple fork to shake the bale apart.

He picked it up.

And put it down.

He continued the process until the bale was fairly well broken apart. I was focused on taking photos, so I didn't see any extra passengers - aka mice - scatter as the bale was spread out. Randy says that's a common occurrence, but I'm not a fan of the little critters, so I'm glad I missed that!

The straw gives a drier and warmer place for the cows to lie down. You always hope they are smart enough to have their babies in the straw, too, but it doesn't always happen that way.

These photos are from another year (and a different location), but it does show that the cows and calves put the straw to good use.

The snow also makes it more challenging to feed. The guys still load and feed silage for the feeder cattle. They haul alfalfa hay to all the locations. They also have to haul water to the locations where it's not available on site.

We have to keep the mamas "fueled" so the babies have plenty of warm milk to drink.

Everyone likes a warm drink on a cold day. 

Rescue 9-1-1

Remember those days when a date meant that you snuggled up against your sweetie as you went on a road trip? (With a seat belt, of course, Mom!) No sitting on your side of the vehicle. You didn't have to reach across that vast wilderness of the middle seat to hold hands.

We had a date like that yesterday. We were crammed together hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder, feet to feet. But that's because we picked up a 90-pound hitchhiker.

It was a tight fit. 

We had our first calf born to an experienced mother yesterday morning. Until then, we'd only had calves from heifers, mamas that are having their first babies. Because Randy needs to watch the heifers more closely, we have them nearer to the house in a corral. Then, if the mother is struggling, we can run it into the barn and help with the birth.

This baby was born in the pasture south of our house. It was 0 degrees, with a wind chill of -15 to -20. So, Randy wrapped it up in an old blanket and put it on the floor of the pickup to dry it off and warm it up. We also mixed up a little milk replacer to get something warm in its belly.

The pickup seat may never be the same, but mission was accomplished.

After the calf's tropical holiday, Randy lifted it out of the pickup and back to the straw, where it took some unsteady steps on wobbly legs.

Then, Randy tried out one of the new calf jackets we bought.

 

It was kind of like bundling up a reluctant preschooler, and the mama was concerned about her baby.

So, she led the baby away from the bunks and windbreak (and those intruding humans) and into the snow. Randy wasn't too happy.

"All that work, all that lifting, and she takes it to the snow," he lamented.

But, when we went back later in the afternoon, she'd led the baby back to the hay.

And it was snuggled up in the sun, having a little snooze.

We'll see if the stylish blue jacket gets any other customers today.