Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Baymule]

That’s the spirit! Chickens are livestock too!

 

[Ridgetop]

Chickens are a no go for me. I think I am allergic to chicken/bird dust. My mother raised cockatiels and parrots for about 10 years. She gave us a cockatiel and every time I cleaned the cage I developed a racking cough that lasted for weeks. I finally gave away the bird. He was cute and tame and the little girl I gave him to lived in an apartment and was thrilled with him.

I didn't think much of it until we had chickens and the same thing happened every time I cleaned the coop. Racking cough again only this one was worse and lasted for months. Then my mother was diagnosed with bird lung and developed pulmonary fibrosis. It later killed her.

If my family wants chickens I have no problem with it but I won't clean any coops.

 

[farmerjan]

Sat night. Been a long day since I tested 2 farms today. Left at 3:45 a.m., to do 115 cows this morning, then came home, changed the brackets on 24 meters, loaded extra hoses, and then left about 11:15, and went to test 230 cows at 1:30... had a slew of computer work to fix since it had been 4 months since they tested... and we have made a "pact" to talk the first of March to try to get back on every other month....
I left DS a message last evening that the cow and calf deal was his responsibility for today... she doesn't really like calf to nurse when she is eating, dances around alot but does not kick him... I did her yesterday afternoon, after we got back from the seminar... because.... that PITA bull, Roscoe; that stupid gf made a pet out of, that has no respect for anyone's space.... and no respect for fences, and has been out once at "grants pasture" there behind/across the dirt road from my house... and I had to go get back in a couple weeks ago, because he forced a gate up off the ground some and bent it all to the dickens.... So we had to come straight home, as he was out... although a neighbor did get him back in the catch lot and shut the gate..... because he get the spot fixed he got out of this time... and because DS didn't shut the outside gate to the small catch lot so he was out in the road.... and then DS had to go back to town and to his father's... that he was going to do on the way home... so I got left with the cow/calf deal.... and "gf" had done his silage feeding with the skid loader for him.... Can't breathe without turning around and she is right there....

So, today he went with a friend to a stockyard/sale and took the mean cow... she brought 1.22 lb and she weighed about 1150 or 1200 can't remember what he said.. but that was like $1400 or so... and texted me that he put the cow and calf out in the alley where there is grass and exposure to the sun...but that he had to put her in the chute to get her to stay still long enough to let the calf nurse... and that she doesn't seem to have much milk so the maybe I need to feed the calf a bottle???? I am at work, get the message......I call and he is on his way home... should be at the barn so when I get home can I make a bottle for the calf...
I just figured I am too tired to get into it... so I get home, make the bottle... and go there and who do you think it there, with Colt of course... Colt wanted to help feed the calf, so I gave the bottle to DS and they went into the barn and fed the calf... he takes the bottle good, so on ly a couple of minutes, and I got it back and came home... I am going to go to bed here shortly.

The ground is very wet, and slick from the rain on the frozen ground and the top thawing out. We got somewhere around 3/4 to an inch or so of rain... I did not have the rain gauge out but that is about what was in the bucket outside. It will be too wet to try to get the cattle out tomorrow, all depending on what the road in is like. I guess he will tell me. I have all the samples to pack and I think I might go do some sheets and balnkets at the laundromat since it is supposed to be sunny for a couple days... It seems he is doing the cow in the morning... and putting them back out in this alley area.... we only bring the cows down through there so it has grass and such grown up in there...Whatever....

I will see what is what in the morning... I am tired, and hungry but have no idea what to eat at this hour since I have been home from the trip down with the bottle at after 9 pm....like "Scarlett O'Hara"... I will deal with it tomorrow...

 

[farmerjan]

Sun eve. It was cloudy today after a sunny decent day yesterday weather wise, It got down to 25 last night and barely hit mid 40's with the cloudiness. We did see some sun late this afternoon. It was chilly enough though.

Didn't get much done today.... brought all the samples from last night in the house... got all the laundry loaded in the car so I could go to the laundromat...the sheets and spreads and bulky things.

Went up to the snyder's to let the jersey cow in for grain and the calves to come in for their grain. Put hay in their side of the bunk.
Then went down and fed the calf a supplemental bottle. I think the cow was over a month early with the calf and she has not come into much milk yet... The calf works on her but is not getting enough so a supplemental bottle is needed.
I want the vet to blood test her when he comes to do the preg checks. I am a little concerned since that is 2 cows in a row that had dead calves and both are about 4-6 weeks early. The crazy one is sold, but this one is one of our a little concerned about this own raised up heifers... she is actually better than 10 years old now... BUT... they both had been at the same pasture... different times... and I am a little concerned about thelieriosis ... that tick borne disease that had infected many cattle farms last year... She does not have the typical symptoms... BUT.... late term abortion can be one sign although not seen as a primary sign.
He said he can check her blood and so why not... if he is already here for preg check... He suggested Lepto, but we do vaccinate for it, so that is not high on the list of problems... although cannot rule it out...
If she checks out "clean" I think I will get her up to snyder's, keep her in the pen for a few days with the calf.. and grain her, and can supplement with a bottle once a day.... and then bring her in with the jersey for grain and see if we can get her to come into her milk more... it is inconvenient to deal with her at the barn for too long... the pen she is in, is where we bring the cattle around to go up the chute to the head catch and you have to haul water and all to her... and if the calf has half a bit of gumption, I think he will come with her to the barn up there like the others do, once he gets used to being with her...... We'll see what the vet says and go from there.

So, I came home and then took the laundry and went to the laundromat and did the big bulky stuff in the big machines, and did a couple loads of socks and stuff also. The weather is supposed to be decent tomorrow and into Tuesday, so will hang them all out in the morning.
Went to the chinese place and got some food... haven't had chinese for awhile... and went to Food Lion grocery store (all in the same strip mall complex) since I was out of lemonade for my iced tea...

I will get the samples packed and sent out tomorrow...and see what the day brings.

Numbness in the hand has been better, so looking forward to another appt this coming Thursday before I go test... to hopefully get the adjustment again to get more relief...even get it back to not being numb again...

 

[fuzzi]

Sun eve. It was cloudy today after a sunny decent day yesterday weather wise, It got down to 25 last night and barely hit mid 40's with the cloudiness. We did see some sun late this afternoon. It was chilly enough though.

Didn't get much done today.... brought all the samples from last night in the house... got all the laundry loaded in the car so I could go to the laundromat...the sheets and spreads and bulky things.

Went up to the snyder's to let the jersey cow in for grain and the calves to come in for their grain. Put hay in their side of the bunk.
Then went down and fed the calf a supplemental bottle. I think the cow was over a month early with the calf and she has not come into much milk yet... The calf works on her but is not getting enough so a supplemental bottle is needed.
I want the vet to blood test her when he comes to do the preg checks. I am a little concerned since that is 2 cows in a row that had dead calves and both are about 4-6 weeks early. The crazy one is sold, but this one is one of our a little concerned about this own raised up heifers... she is actually better than 10 years old now... BUT... they both had been at the same pasture... different times... and I am a little concerned about thelieriosis ... that tick borne disease that had infected many cattle farms last year... She does not have the typical symptoms... BUT.... late term abortion can be one sign although not seen as a primary sign.
He said he can check her blood and so why not... if he is already here for preg check... He suggested Lepto, but we do vaccinate for it, so that is not high on the list of problems... although cannot rule it out...
If she checks out "clean" I think I will get her up to snyder's, keep her in the pen for a few days with the calf.. and grain her, and can supplement with a bottle once a day.... and then bring her in with the jersey for grain and see if we can get her to come into her milk more... it is inconvenient to deal with her at the barn for too long... the pen she is in, is where we bring the cattle around to go up the chute to the head catch and you have to haul water and all to her... and if the calf has half a bit of gumption, I think he will come with her to the barn up there like the others do, once he gets used to being with her...... We'll see what the vet says and go from there.

So, I came home and then took the laundry and went to the laundromat and did the big bulky stuff in the big machines, and did a couple loads of socks and stuff also. The weather is supposed to be decent tomorrow and into Tuesday, so will hang them all out in the morning.
Went to the chinese place and got some food... haven't had chinese for awhile... and went to Food Lion grocery store (all in the same strip mall complex) since I was out of lemonade for my iced tea...

I will get the samples packed and sent out tomorrow...and see what the day brings.

Numbness in the hand has been better, so looking forward to another appt this coming Thursday before I go test... to hopefully get the adjustment again to get more relief...even get it back to not being numb again...

I add lemonade to my water, helps me drink more. It's supposed to be good for kidney stone prevention, too.

Aldi's has an all natural brand, just water, lemon juice, and sugar.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yep...laundromat for those big things. The $spent is way less than repair bill on smaller home washers. Plus they are huge units and do a good job! I've even dried there just to be done!

 

[fuzzi]

Yep...laundromat for those big things. The $spent is way less than repair bill on smaller home washers. Plus they are huge units and do a good job! I've even dried there just to be done!

I have a little nest egg I am using to get a new Speed Queen set. My current GE washer is off warranty and is making occasional grinding noises, don't want to be messing with it once I retire and my income is limited.

 

[Baymule]

Speed Queen is the very best!

 

[fuzzi]

Speed Queen is the very best!

Made in the USA, too.

It's taking them weeks to arrive, ordered them December 27th. I must be patient...

 

[farmerjan]

Wed morning... Going out to bring in the laundry because I didn't have the time yesterday. We got the cows moved out of the pasture yesterday... I went to the pasture with the truck and trailer after DS had gone a little bit earlier, with some grain and sq bales, on the bale bed truck to get them in the pen... I came on after they were in...
Was another deal with her there too... he cannot do anything without her.... He hauled a load of the cull cows that were open from Jason's preg check the other day... then came and got the truck and went to the pasture... Jason was hauling the 2nd load to town then came and helped haul cattle... I sat around there after DS had gone with the first load... then they both got there... DS loaded and left and we got Jason loaded... 5 cows got out past the door and so he left with what he had then gf and me and a kid that came to help Jason had to get them back in... I got 3 in by myself talking/tempting them back in with grain... 2 had headed down the road but they got them back in... then managed to get them to walk up alongside the fence along a gate panel, and I had untied it from the fence, and these 2 went in finally alongside... like squeezing through... like it they had wanted to get out... but finally got them back in...
Anyway, it was interesting... but then they came back, got 2 more loads, and then I took the bale bed truck back to the farm and got my car and had to go to work... did not think I had time to come home and get the clothes all in... dropped the samples at UPS... and went to work and set up meters. Tested, and finally came home..
I had made up a bottle... half full so DS could add hot water to feed calf in the afternoon. left it for him when I went to test.
So plan is to go to the barn about 11-11:30... to sort off the calves from the cows and to look over the heifers and see if we are going to bangs vacc any also.
Of course, he said she will come with him... and when I called last night to ask what the "plan was" as far as time etc... she was in the background making comments to questions I was asking him... so he is definitely back there... I thought he hadn't been at his house nights but this pretty much confirmed it...

There is a guy that is coming to look at steers on Friday... and now he mentioned that he was going to take some to the sale on Friday, as well as heifers we don't want to keep, to the sale on Saturday... and I hope that he will be able to get up to the pen at snyder's (nurse cow pasture), on Sat morning... to get the steer off the longhorn as he will sell better at the Sat auction.... BECAUSE... we are supposed to get some rain/ice stuff tonight into tomorrow... and it gets slick up there due to the flat area where we load out... plus I guess he is going to take that cow up there with the jersey calf... actually I said he ought to just sell her and I will put the calf on the bottle and let it live up there with the other calves... maybe see if he would try to go on the jersey and if she would allow it... I don't know... she won't be able to stay in the pen at the barn due to all those cows going through the chute and all... it will be a total muddy mess after they all churn it up... it is muddy now after the rain the other day...

So, I am on the way out to get the clothes... it is cloudy and they will probably be damp... but I do not want them all to get wet...

It is cold out too... 36 degrees... and raw.... not supposed to get over 40 today so going to be chilly....

Be glad when today is over and I won't have to "do stuff" with her right there all the time... I am trying hard to not show how I really feel.... I will say things that cannot be taken back....