Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Snow! I’m so glad I live in a warmer climate and don’t have to deal with that. Take my 22” of rain, turn it to snow and ice and we would all be going stark raving mad. LOL

Talk about cabin fever, you wouldn't be able to see out of your house from the top of the roof... or the top of the telephone pole...1" rain=10-12" snow....

 

[farmerjan]

Friday night. Mostly cloudy all day and a little damp/raw. Light breeze so chilly... 34 up to 49...

The 2 newest calves have learned to come to me and not fight the nipple or anything.. That's nice... I did not let them out of the hutch because of calling for rain/snow tonight. Maybe get that done tomorrow if it clears off like they say.... Do not need them to get wet and chilled.

Fed the ones at the barn... they are really going after the grain... Put hay in the bunk also.
Then went and got the bale truck and put out 2 more bales at the nurse cow pasture. Put out a wheat/rye/sorghum mixed one and a bale of grass hay also. Took the truck back to the barn.

Came home and switched the bag of feed from the outback, that I picked up the other day, to the forester. Unloaded all the meters out of the outback. Then I came in washed up the bottles and called the vet's office and explained the deal with DS and work and how we might not get the cows moved this weekend...
Called my farmer about getting milk and he will have it for me tomorrow....

Then I took the ranger p.u.; unloaded the crate and loaded the pallets and went up to the calves and put them where I needed them in the lot at the barn. Then, went to town to the feed store. Got a "tub" of vitamin/mineral/molasses mix... it is a cooked tub so solidified.... which slows down the rate that they lick it... 200 lbs in the tub... plus a couple more bags of feed for the calves and another bag of milk replacer so that I have it for these "project calves".... Then I went to the stock yards to see what prices were doing.

Calves are HIGH. Watched some groups of weaned and vaccinated ones in the 375 lbs all the way to 550 lbs that brought as high as 3.30.... for a 450 lb calf @ $3.00 that's.... $1350 a head..... totally unreal...
Now, if you figure in inflation, they should be bringing that right along.... with the cost of everything else, and what it is costing us to keep a cow and then do all the farm work and all.... that is not so far off base... But still, that is way more than we try to hope for so that we can at least break even....

I am going to PUSH a bit to sell as much as we can possibly can.
There is talk that it ought to hold for awhile... but there is also some talk about how precarious things are... and that it could just crash like it did back in 2014... one month it was gangbusters, 2 months later it had dropped over 1/3 and went all the way back to 1/2 of what they were bringing in less than 3 months. I really think that it might hold a bit, but I am really worried with the economy on the brink and people not being able to afford things. I hope that it holds for a other year or 2... but....
I also heard a short statement on the radio; which is concerning.... there hasn't been any rate decreases in the last 2 times the fed has gotten together to discuss the Prime rate situation. I heard today that instead of the hoped for 1/4 percent DECREASE.... there might be a 1/4 percent INCREASE since the inflation is not falling like they said it should be..... and the way they now skew the way they figure inflation... if the true inflation was figured the way it used to, with both food and housing figured in... it would be alot worse than what they say now.
If the feds increase the prime rate, even 1/4 percent... we will see things take a total nosedive.

Add to that, the price of gas here is now up to $3.09... it was 2.83 only 2 weeks ago. That is $.26 increase in less than 2 weeks That is NOT a good sign.
The exit off the interstate just north of me, the gas is 2.99 and I stopped and filled up the truck on the way home. And filled up the Explorer which I drove to get the buckets yesterday and to the Chiropractor, since I hadn't driven it for 2 weeks. I will fill up the outback when I go get milk tomorrow, it is only a couple miles out of the way when I go get milk, and they called again about buckets, so will make a swing and get both milk and buckets tomorrow. I would like to try to get on a 2 or 3 day a week pickup... so I might see if I can just do that so they don't have to call me. I never thought to stop today since I was just there yesterday... We will need about 10-20 at a minimum to replace so many that got cracked and split... and it will help me with the getting milk situation.
With buckets costing $4.99 at TSC or Lowe's, I might just get a bunch and sell them at a yard sale this year, with all the other stuff I am slowly getting together for that. It does cost me a little gas if I have to make a special trip...

So, after I left the stockyard, stopped to see if the co-op had any Safeguard wormer blocks and they were out. Wanted to see what the price was compared to TSC... Then I came on home. Went to the nurse cow pasture and put out more grain for the calves, moved the hay inside into the bunk, that I had put out in the metal feeders outside in the lot, so it doesn't get rain/snowed on tonight. Looks like I will be feeding at least 25 lbs of feed to these calves a day..(7 calves) . and it will increase since they are holsteins/dairy calves and they just eat more.
Slid the tub off the truck up near the barn area for them to start working on. They are not getting any silage and when he feeds silage he puts some grain in it, so these guys are not getting any added protein from the feed so need something. I could feed some grain but then they are always up there around the car everytime I go to the calves... and do not want to deal with that daily.
Time to get a couple tons of feed, delivered in the big bulk bin I have. Since DS still hasn't gotten the slide made for the bottom, that got all rotted out after years of use, I will see if I can get one at one of the companies that sets up these bins....can't wait any longer. Been a year.... Feed is cheaper by the ton, and they don't charge to deliver if they can do it on a day that they are in this area... so I have always just ordered it to deliver at their convenience... which is usually once a week or so. Then I can just get buckets from the bin and keep them in the car and not handle bags all the time.

Fed the 2 babies at the house and they came right to the front of the hutch and drank without too much fuss. Going to put some grain in a bucket in there for them to start trying, and will start putting water in there also. These are "deluxe" hutches so have a holder rack for feed and water buckets. Cost about $300 or so when I got them, but they are in very very good shape, and the hard fiberglass (or whatever they are made of), will last a long time. Have a roof vent, and side windows for air circulation and they are all intact and work.

Did not get the tarp of hay out of the barn today, or any extra bales. I will get the tarp with the loose hay tomorrow I think. Going to need it in a couple days. They are eating quite a bit of hay now... nearly 1/2 small sq bale it looks like. If the weather clears out, I will open up the creep gate again, on the one side of the barn lot, for the bigger calves to go out loose. The orphan calf got out and was waiting for me this morning and came right back in for the feed... so I will let it go out loose also... another reason I needed to get the pallets up there. Covered up a hole in the one gate area where the small calves can squeeze out. Be great if they start to come in and out the creep gate and then maybe they will "make friends" with the couple of beef baby calves in the field, and they will start to play, follow the leader and start coming in and learn to eat the grain also.

Going in to put some folded clothes away that are still sitting on the couch. Put some jeans in to soak and will wash and hang them maybe tomorrow or Sunday. This "weather" tonight is supposed to clear off by morning... fast moving clipper system they said. Hasn't started to do anything yet. It is still 40 degrees so will be all rain if the temps don't drop some more.

 

[Ridgetop]

Calves are HIGH. Watched some groups of weaned and vaccinated ones in the 375 lbs all the way to 550 lbs that brought as high as 3.30.... for a 450 lb calf @ $3.00 that's.... $1350 a head.....

Sounds ike your bottle calf project may bring in a good bt more than you thought!

but there is also some talk about how precarious things are... and that it could just crash like it did back in 2014... one month it was gangbusters, 2 months later it had dropped over 1/3 and went all the way back to 1/2 of what they were bringing in less than 3 months.

Sell now and if things crash you can buy some good cows cheap (specially with all that calf money)

the hard fiberglass (or whatever they are made of), will last a long time.

Even if the fiberglass cracks, you can repair it with fiberglass tape and a type of epoxy. If Lowes doesn't have any, I think a boat shop will have some since a lot of boat owners repair small dings to their own boats that way.

 

[farmerjan]

@Ridgetop ... the calves bringing all that money were all beef... angus calves... not holsteins.... Holstein feeders are in the $1.50-2.00 range at 300 + lbs... but mine won't be that big before fall since they are babies now... BUT... we used to be lucky to get $.75-1.00 lb.

I also was talking to Caleb, he was at the sale for a little bit, and worked yesterday at the sale that we took those 28 steers to last week... he said holstein baby calves were bringing $3-500... and some black calves were bringing over $600... I may wind up selling the baby calves if the prices stay way up there... double or more for calves I might have a week??? Get them going good for a week, and weighing 100 lbs or over, take a group together, (they are selling by the weight)... he said $4-6.00 a lb.... I guess I need to go to the sale up there, and watch the baby calves sell... They don't bring squat here..... sold a black baby calf off a cow that got put in the pound pen (cull) and it brought $150... I didn't want to take a chance on bringing home "something".... but I almost bought it...probably should have and put it in the other calf hutch separate...
Yes, I want to get these feeder calves GONE.... I don't think prices will be a problem before the summer... too many wanting something to go out on grass.... so even the mediocre type calves are bringing over $2.00.... and if it does drop some, maybe will be able to buy a few cows later on......but these feeders need to be gone while the prices are good...

 

[Ridgetop]

If you can do it yourself, go ahead and get them to the sale. Sounds like DS is back on track with evil GF and not listening to your good advice. You are right about him listening to his friend saying the same thing you are saying but listening to him instead of you. Happens here too.

Looking forward to putting in a proper chute in Texas so I can run the sheep through the scale, squeeze (with DH), etc. without DS1 crabbing about stuff. He is good with the sheep, knows what to do, but says it is too much bother to put up the portable panels to make a chute. We end up running everything into the barn and he catches the sheep by hand for hoof trimming, vaccinations, etc. With a permanent chute it would be easier and faster. And not so hard on his back. I am still in my Prime, but he is 40 after all.

 

[Mini Horses]

With a permanent chute it would be easier and faster. And not so hard on his back. I am still in my Prime, but he is 40 after all.

 

[Mini Horses]

Saw this in an article today, mainly discussing less dairy heifers being bred.

At a late-January livestock auction in New Holland, Pennsylvania, cattle feeders paid an average of just over $414 for newborn Holstein bull calves, the highest price in eight years. But dairy-beef crossbred calves brought a whopping $675/head at the same auction and crossbred heifer calves commanded a similar price.

 

[SageHill]

Looking forward to putting in a proper chute in Texas so I can run the sheep through the scale, squeeze (with DH), etc

So have you started shopping around? Or are you going to build your own? I've been looking and haven't really settled on anything - from DIY to order and just be done with it. OTH I absolutely LOVE that tilt chute I have.

 

[Ridgetop]

Haven't decided. Can make one with my temporary panels but want solid sides for a chute. I can cut 1/2" plywood into the right sizes to be wired onto the panels. Or I can save up and buy the metal solid chute panels. Using what we already have is preferable due to costs of rotational fencing that still need to be put in. And the generator. Have to see what we will need in the way of using the portable panels for jugs in TX.

 

[farmerjan]

Well, went to the stock sale in Harrisonburg today... DS had to work last night and we got all of .1 inch of rain and some light snow in a couple of spots to the tune of 1 inch maybe... pretty much a waste of DS's time having to work all night...
But, since it was cold today, windy and very chilly, he called and asked what I thought about going to the stockyard with the cull cows and bull, and taking brother with us. I told him I thought it would be a good idea... and his plans for the evening got cancelled since the couple that "they " were going to go out with, couldn't go... he was free. I had gotten done feeding at the nurse cow pasture and the ones here at the house... so I said it worked for me. So he said he would let me know if he got them in at the barn... Called me about a half hour later, and they were in the barn, and he was heading down with my brother...
I went and met him, and we left. There was a graded feeder sale up there, so many of the calves were not going to be sold until 6 pm that were in the graded sale... so, we got them unloaded, went in to eat, and then sat through the ones that did not make grade and then the cull cows... we got between $.80 and 1.10/ lb for the cull cows which was fine. My one old cow brought the .80 but she was over 1100 lbs so still brought $900... which is $100 more than I paid for her 2 years ago, and 2 calves.... her calf was dead this year... so I did not lose any money on her...
There were a couple of bred cows that I thought DS should have bought... $1500 each and they were making an udder... but he didn't .... I should have gone on and bought them myself instead. Not bad looking either...

BUT.... the shock to DS was that they were selling baby calves... and the black ones were bringing $350-650 EACH... and holstein bull calves were bringing $200-400 right along... some were pretty wobbly looking. They also were selling some by the pound... one group averaged 89 lbs and brought nearly $4.00 /lb... so over $300, a head and a group weighing an average of 102 lbs, that brought just over $4.10 a lb....
Guess I am not going to be bottle feeding too many of the baby calves... If I can double my money on them m/l, in only a week or so, there is no reason to put all that milk replacer in them... at least not the nice healthy bigger ones... DS kept looking at me when the black ones, most were crossbred dairy/beef, were bringing $400-500 right along and a couple big ones hit $650 and one hit $675.... for baby bottle calves....
He liked to fell off his chair.... I said,,, I told you so....

The one I just picked up and the bull twin would bring me some serious money... even the heifer twin... and might sell the 2 that were on the cow that I just weaned off the bottles... there is a holstein feeder sale next Wednesday... going to call, and see what time etc.... and may very well take them....does not make sense to keep feeding them at this point... just pick them up at the dairy, and sell the ones that will bring the big bucks, keep the small ones that would be cheaper.... I could buy a couple of bred cows like those 2 today, by selling 3- 4 baby calves each....and then the work would already be done, and they would drop calves, do all the work feeding them, and sell those calves in the fall....even just to sell the calves at the regular sale like today...
Here's to hoping she has a lot of bull calves... I can make some money on them and turn it into a few more ready to calve cows... or the fencing.... he is tied up right now, but hopes to find some time here soon he said.... especially since I am wanting it where there is not alot of fenceline clearing to be done... and mostly straight stretches.

So, was a pretty good day overall, and 6 more head of adult cows, out of the barn gone...

She was at the barn with the truck, feeding hay this evening... REALLY.... at dark????

We went to DS's house... he had ordered some spaghetti dinners that the class of the sister's daughter had done for a fund raiser... and ate and then he went to go "feed" some... which of course he was going to get her to go with him... my brother cannot stand her at all... so DS was smart enough to not say anything about her...I stayed there talking to brother for a bit... then DS calls me... he says you will never guess... I just got called in to work since there is so much wind, we have to have a crew on because we have had 3 calls of down trees already this evening... so he has to work again... I said really, and when are you going to get some sleep??? and he said he hoped to be able to get the couple of guys situated with some jobs, and catch a couple of naps inbetween.... I told him he should delegate it to the "next in command" and get some sleep...
I said, well I would see/talk to him tomorrow...
Came home and fed the 2 babies... the older ones at the barn got fed extra grain and hay this morning since it was windy and chilly, so they should have been all right... I was not going up there at 8:30 at night as they would be all bedded down for the night.

Da#@... just remembered I am supposed to go help with the 2500 cow herd on Wed.... well, the calves can keep for now... there might be a problem with going to do that herd though...the one girl that has been there before says she cannot go now...I have about had it with this... if it turns out we aren't going, I am going to see if Lindsay and I can go do my 500 cow herd instead since she is off... at this point I would rather do that....
Tired of trying to juggle things... I will tell the one tester that is setting it all up, that i need to know for sure by Monday evening... Maybe see if Lindsay can do it Wed morning at my herd, if the big herd doesn't work out... Then I could even take the calves to the wed sale... or just hold on to them and go on Sat when there might be the possibility of another bred cow or 2....Plus still looking for a nurse cow or 2 along the way.... Might have a possibility of getting one or 2 from the dairy I tested this past Tuesday night... he is talking about selling... with replacement dairy cattle being so high... and there would be a few that would not make the cut to go to another dairy that I might be able to buy... for less than the $1800 that the one was advertised for in the paper that I called about...

So, early morning I will go up and do the calves... not going to feed any hay in the pasture up there, until Monday, since they need to clean up some... They were working on the 2 rolls I had taken up yesterday... but they need to clean some of it up... will look at it tomorrow afternoon, but really want them to eat some and not be wasting it...

It is cold out tonight. Temps were 29 this morning and up to only 45 with the cold wind making it colder... the forecast was for it to maybe get down to 23 or 24 tonight... well, SURPRISE.... it is already down to 21 and dropping... wind will make it really cold tonight. But up to maybe 50 tomorrow???

Got some clothes in the washing machine to soak this morning, will run them through in the morning, and get them hung tomorrow. Want to get another load of jeans and such in and hung since it is supposed to be pretty decent weather for next 4-5 days...

Noticed this morning, the cows had already started on the molasses vitamin/mineral lick tub; so that is good...
Not going to get cows moved from the pasture, so vet appt is definitely cancelled... DS is going to be too damn tired to be moving cattle... and my brother is not leaving until Tuesday since DS is off Monday... that will mess things up too... Just need to put it off.... AGAIN.... and get the cows moved this week... and hopefully sell another load this coming friday that he didn't take yesterday.... he asked what I thought and I said that I thought all the ones that could be sold.... should be sold... while the prices were good... and maybe when things hit an off week, then buy some back... in the meantime the pastures could just get a rest and the grass can grow... even if the prices stay fairly high, there are always "off days" and some "buys" ...

Time to call it a night...