Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Got up to chilly temps.. down to 30 overnight. It is cloudy but forecast to clear off in a couple hours. Then the snow to start to come in and maybe start snowing here in the 6-10 a.m. range... Southwest Va will get the snow and icyness earlier... looks like we will be a mostly all snow event... still saying 4-8 inches here.

I am going in to get a couple of boxes of bottles, and put the bottles into racks as I take a couple empty boxes with me to this farm so we have places to put bottles so I can keep the numbers together... we put all the 7000 in one box, each of the number sequences.... 7100's, 7200's, etc in a separate box, so when I go to pack them at home in numerical order, I am only looking in 1 or maybe 2 boxes for the samples instead of having them scattered in 10 boxes... boxes hold 60 bottles so sometimes have, say the 7500's in 2 boxes.. As they calve out new heifers and cull the older cows, you get fewer and fewer of the 6000, 6100 etc., sequences and more of the higher numbers... so there are empty spaces in boxes that have fewer cows still milking in the lower numbers. I will double up and put 2 or more of the number sequences in a box of the lower numbers, where there are fewer of them... just makes packing at home later easier...
Plus I will need a couple racks of bottles for the Wed and Thursday herds if we test... so this gives me the bottles already racked up, some empty boxes to use at the 500 cow herd, and then when I get them packed in exact order and fill the boxes at home, the samples will fill the boxes to send and the empty boxes will be available for the bottles that are in the racks I normally use in the barn. The 500 cow herd I can use the bottles directly out of the boxes without them getting dirty/splattered with cow manure etc., but most farms there is not the room to spread out the boxes because the parlors are much "tighter" without extra space. Luckily this farm has extra space where we set up....

Time to eat something and get started on the list for today. Hoping the sun comes out and it warms up some to work on the poultry run... I will have to have help with the roof pieces...DS actually offered yesterday when he saw me out there, when he came to get the hay across the road... of course we all know how he says he will do things and then never gets it done. Will see about getting into another box to get a replacement panel for the one the termites/mice chewed up. Then see about getting a replacement piece of board made for it, for the next "run"... but want to get this one completely done in anticipation of getting the turkeys. If I don't like them then have it ready for the next project.

Then hopefully we can get the cow and calf moved up to the barn at the nurse cow pasture later on... we'll see.

 

[Ridgetop]

But of course he did not fix the fence in the corner where it abuts the weaned steer calves... so several got in with the cows and were having a high old time running around in this field and such... I don't feel sorry for him. Seems gf told him the other day he needed to put up a couple panels/old gates, to keep the steers from going over the old fence.... it is a section of some of the fence that is supposed to be replaced.

Such a shame that the GF is such a problem in her relationship with DS. she sounds like she tells him the same stuff that needs doing as you! If she was not such a problem for him you might have been friends.

and he hates that he cannot do what he did even 5 years ago...

Aaaaah! He can join the rest of us in our Prime! If us "Primes" were 5 or 10 years younger we could rule the world!

They will weigh like 15 lbs or something as full grown... and they are listed in the "rare/endangered category"... because no one raises and shows them...so an added incentive to raise them.

Actually you might have a good Thanksgiving market for them finishing out at 15 lbs. Maybe pass out your card with prices at the apple butter festival where you work annually? Or the Farmers' Market when you take in your potatoes? So many people now like smaller birds.

 

[Baymule]

Do the Midget Whites fly?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I like the Midget Whites. Hope these turn out to be nice.

 

[farmerjan]

From what I have heard, the Midget whites do fly a little... but with the extra large breasts I don't think much... really have no experience with them so this will be a discovery ownership.
Texted the guy back and said I would like to come out Fri/Sat/Sun... hope to hear back from them maybe tomorrow...
On that vein, I got all the sides together on the "run"...... and the 2 "support rafter like pieces" attached in the center..that was trip by myself... I already see some "reinforcing" that is going to happen... The screws are okay but the whole thing is built very lightweight so will be doing some serious reinforcing. It is made out of 2x2's or something like that... The wire mesh is lighter weight but 1/2 inch so not easily penetrable by normal predators. Totally enclosed on the top once I get it finished... so NO Hawks or anything at least. Get the 4x4's on the base and it will be decent. Probably use some 2x4's along the sides to give it some strength...and I definitely want the heavy "base" so it can be moved.. will put some large eye bolts or something so it can be towed... so it will need some reinforcing to the upper part... BUT, that said, for the most part it is not bad... something that a backyard person would be okay with for a first time deal...it will work for a place for safe outside daytime space for something like growing young birds in the future... But for now, it will be home to the turkeys if/when I get them... AND any chickens I have....

So that is all good. Worked on it for a bit in the sunnier warmer afternoon today. Got all the bottles in trays for testing Wed and Thurs afternoons... and the boxes all in the explorer ready to go in the morning. Think I got everything else... the aprons and some crackers for snacks... DS is supposed to be at the house by 3:15 a.m.

He texted me this afternoon late, asked if I was going to go up and get the longhorn's steer in to pick up when he brought the cow and "adopted calf" up to the nurse cow pasture... It has dried out pretty good at the barn so getting back to it was not going to be a problem. So, I said give me 15 min... I went up there, got the jersey in and fed her and the calves on the other side.. then the black steer was alongside the fence and I managed to open the gate a little so he could go along the fence and in the barn to eat grain... Texted DS and said he was in... He said he would be up in about a half hour.
So the jersey got done with her grain, I kicked her out and left the 4 smaller calves in with the longhorn's steer so he did not get all stupid being alone. DS came, he backed the trailer up and we unloaded the cow/calf into the lot, then got the steer sorted from the other calves and he went right on the trailer... I hate him getting "weaned" with the snow coming, but hopefully he will follow the rest of the calves and the couple cows, into the barn for the feed. Jess (longhorn) needs a break, she is an exceptional mother.

The jersey came up along the fence mooing to the new calf... I was laughing... I sure hope she is pregnant now, I think she will be an exceptional nurse cow next time around... just hope she milks decent...
Then she went around to the other end to the gate she usually comes in for grain... I moved the cow/calf into that side of the barn so the smaller calves can have the other side with the creep gate to go in and out... and she acted like she was p.o.ed that there was another cow in that side. Tomorrow will be soon enough to sort it out with those 2...when I bring her in and they both get grain in the bunk... I will put it in 2 separate sections so they can both get something... and see if the calf will start going on her... AT Least, they are out of the mud and mess at the barn and are together... so hopefully will be able to see if I can get the calf to go to nursing her... we'll see how it goes..

DS then said he would take the steer down to the barn, and was going to come up and feed a bunch of hay so he won't have to go in to grant's behind my house, or the nurse cow pasture for a couple days... so I wound up opening and watching gates...good thing, after the 2nd roll at grants several cows decided to head towards the gate when he was getting a 3rd roll; he went in the gate and then "thought" they were headed "out".. I stopped them at the gate and hollered and then drove in a little bit and honked the horn and they decided that they may as well give it up... he brought the tractor up since it is so muddy there at grant's...he fed with the truck yesterday, they had eaten both rolls and he nearly got stuck . He had fed 2 rolls at snyder's and they still had 1 left.. so he fed 5 at grants and 2 more at snyder's so won't have to feed hay until Thursday or Friday....

Looks like the snow might not start until 7-8 a.m.. I am headed to bed to get a few hours... when I am scheduled for mornings like this I don't sleep good as I am "afraid" I won't hear my alarm.. so do more dozing than real sleeping.

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm getting cold rain, vice snow.....probably. I'm on "the line" of one or other. May get a winter mix but don't expect anything to stick, just the mess! Heavy work schedule all week -- reset season at stores -- so a 60 hr week for this & next 2.

 

[Baymule]

Good on sorting out the steer. You have a busy day today.

 

[farmerjan]

Up early and we left here about 2:55 a.m. to go test. It was cloudy but not "heavy air". Got to the farm and set up ,which we always do, their sample collectors and they were milking by 4:15. Got done about 10. Paper work went well and we were out of there on the way home 10:30. Went by the guy's place that is buying the steers... just a few miles from this farm...
Stopped at TSC because DS needed to get a wireless collar for the system he has for the dogs... The one dog chewed part of the collar and the "sending prong" so it wasn't working on the other dog... but they were out of the replacement collars... Then came on home from there...
It had started to snow at the farm about 8:30 or so... not alot... but by the time we got 20 miles south to TSC, it had snowed more and the ground was white... by the time we got down to our exit, it was 3 inches deep... the storm had been working from the southwest heading to the northeastern area... so it started at the house before we saw it 40 miles north.
It was small flakes and it really good snowball packing snow so pretty moist...

Brought DS up to my house where his truck was parked..... and it had a flat... so glad it was not on his way to my house this morning... because of course he was coming from the GF house... it would have been smart for him to stay 1/2 mile up the road at his own house instead of 35 minutes away so lost over an hour sleep by going down there and back... I mean really....
So I took him back to the farm and he got the r&w bale bed truck... 4x4 which he was going to need anyway. I came back to the house. Got my boots on, got a bottle made... and headed up to the nurse cow pasture.
Snow was over 4 inches by then... little forester does good in the snow. Got the grain in for the 4 calves that always come in... fed the cow with the calf and she was a little "antsy" but then let the calf nurse... He went on all 4 quarters while she was eating... I then got the jersey in the side where the calves were... gave her grain also. Then I put a sq bale of hay in the bunk with them. And, I put a bale in the other side with the cow and grafted calf. The calf was going on all 4 back and forth, so I gave him the bottle.. I would not have done it then, but I knew I would not be going back up there in the snow later today. He drank it, and then did some manure. It is very runny, but he acts fine and I think it is just the extra milk thing... not thrilled he is loose, but shouldn't be something to worry about. I will keep my eye on him.
I came out and had to go get gas in the car. Went by the barn, and here comes 2 calves... so I chased them back to the barn.. seems he went in to feed some grain... and all the weaned calves on one side, and the cows we got preg checked, with the calves we will completely wean after we sell the calves to that guy next week: had completely cleaned out the bunk feeder of all the silage... DS was dumb founded so decided he would have to feed some more.. Well, naturally, some of the calves decided to come out the gate he was driving the skid loader in, through... Pain in the butts... he told me they had fed yesterday and filled the bunk so they did not have to feed today... and the animals had totally eaten the whole bunk full. So I stayed and watched the gates so he could go in there and refill the bunk again. You know that there is always someone that "has to be" where they don't belong... plus the snow, was making them act silly....

Got done and I went and filled the car with gas... about 1/2 mile from the farm; and came home. It was up to about 6-8 inches by then. The snowplows were trying to keep up with the snow in front of the several gas stations/truck stops... I mean it was flat putting down the snow. Tractor trailers were having trouble getting up the small hill to get in the Pilot truck stop... I finally got around all that, and the road had several inches back on it again... I was glad to get home.

So I am done. Not going out again. Everyone has plenty to eat and will be fine for the night. Maybe the cow will let the calf eat more tonight. At least they are together all the time now, maybe they will bond a little better.

Temps have been in the 27 to 33 degree range... perfect for the snow we are getting. Supposedly it is going to warm up a few degrees and turn to rain...

I am tired... needed a nap but then decided I would try to stay awake and just go to bed early this evening.. I did not sleep good worried that I would not hear the alarm this morning. Therefore, have had trouble staying awake this afternoon.

It is now after 6 pm... we got a spell of some big flakes of snow for a little bit.. I will measure it in the morning to see what we got total... but it is well over 8 inches. Just heard that our county schools are closed tomorrow also. Expected that. Forecast just said we would be changing over to rain in some areas and some ice. Then Thursday it is supposed to warm up to 55... CRAZY....

 

[Baymule]

55 on Thursday? From snow storm to melted, rain and mud.

Milking from 4:15 to 10, that’s 6 hours and they do this twice a day, 24-7? How many cows?

 

[farmerjan]

Good WHITE morning... WOW... What a switch from 2 days ago out working on putting together the chicken run, weed eating some overgrown grass to make a level ground for the sides to set on..... to being buried in the "white stuff"...
There is about 8-10 inches of snow, all according to where you measure it.

The farm we were at is the 550 cow herd. It was a little slower than they sometimes are because the cows are milking so good. Usually milk from about 4:30 to 9:30, +/- ....but they are trying to start 15 minutes earlier hence the 4:15 milking time... They are AVERAGING 102 lbs per cow per day... it just takes a little time to get all that milk out of them. That means there are many many of the older cows milking 60-70 lbs per milking... so over 120-150 lbs per cow per day.... in order to average out with the heifers that are coming in and making 60-80 lbs per day as they get started into their first lactations. Usually takes right about 5 hours milking...

They are milking alot of heifers and they take an extra minute or 2 to come in the parlor, and with 20 or so shifts, that adds up to another 20-30 minutes. You wouldn't think it could matter but it adds up.

This milk production is on 2 times a day milking... that kind of production is usually associated with 3x a day milking...This herd averaged 96 lbs per cow in Dec... we didn't test in Jan because I couldn't get help and the bitter cold and everything, I had several herds not testing. Lately the cows on most herds are milking really good... Another of my herds averaged 99 lbs on 190 cows in Dec and 100 lbs per cow in January, that is also on 2x day milking...

So, it was pretty much normal for there... They used to milk around 500, have gone to 550 with all the heifers and have had to sell a bunch of cows to stay where they are. This is one herd that does not breed anything to beef... so all heifer calves are kept as replacements and they are not culling as fast as they have heifers coming into the herd.
This is one of the best managed herds I have ever seen. They have quite a few people working there and they all are pretty good. Most work an average 8-10 hour day. They only milk one milking a day, and then do other stuff to make up the rest of their time on the farm. Some only milk.
There was talk that they were going to put in a second tank and go to 600 cows but one of the owner/partners said no... 550 is enough. So they are finding ways to stay at that number... and selling cows that most dairies would never consider culling. This farm has a group that is known as the "lame cows"... cows that have some age, have some foot problems, slow getting around, different things... But even though most are older cows, they were averaging over 90 lbs a day so just not what most farms would cull. Someone came looking for cows since it is well known in the farming community that they were selling some "surplus" animals.. and they sold like 10 or 20 of the "lame group" to a guy... he was going to take them home and milk them... not for cull cows... and he probably paid cull price which right now is about 1800-2000/head. Replacement nice cows are bringing in the 2500-4000 range right now....and not animals that are as good as this herd's average cows.

So, I will bring in all the samples and get them packed in the boxes in a little bit. I was not going to fight with the snow and everything yesterday after getting everything done. Hopefully get them out to UPS today but not going to panic if it is tomorrow before I get them out.
Road is plowed in front of the house... but there has been next to no traffic on it. SOOOO NICE and quiet and peaceful. I still really dislike living on this busy road.

The birds are having a hey day at the bird feeder out there... glad I filled it up. It will be days before there is any bare ground.


The thermometer is up to 32 at this point. It was 26 overnight. Supposed to be possibly into the low 40's but not a big warm up today. Some possible rain coming later then some sun tomorrow and warming.
Yes, @Baymule , it will melt and be a muddy, bottomless mess...Especially with the forecast of a big rain coming over the weekend which will melt it all and make it near impossible to get around.

Need to see about going out and getting a little shoveling off of the steps and then getting the samples in to get packed.