Latestarter's ramblings/musings/gripes and grumbles.

[Wehner Homestead]

Wow! I don’t deal much with ortho other than the occasional hip fracture as most cases don’t land in icu. Be sure to wear your brace to protect the area from further damage, use caution with lifting, take in appropriate and if possible, extra, calcium and protein to encourage healing. I’ll say a prayer that the bone mends in a timely manner!

 

[Latestarter]

I got nuthin on you GB... Guess I'll stop complaining about my aches and pains or next thing you'll break your neck or some such... Sorry about your wrist, & hope you heal up OK. Had a tornado warning pass north of me earlier today. Some good T-storms passed over but nothing compared with what middle LA is dealing with and TX south of I-20. I don't know GB but you might have some rain headed your way before this whole thing is over. Think I got about an inch...

Was down visiting with the baby goats and one of the young bucks has already dinged up one of his burn rings to bleeding. Carried him up to the house and cleaned it up some and blukoted it. I'm really liking Dots 2 boys more and more. They are growing the best and are the largest/heaviest of the lot. They are also nursing off both Bang and Dot. So I guess that explains why they're growing so well. I try to make a habit of picking them up as often as I can to get them used to humans. If they're gonna be someone's herdsire, it would be nice if they are friendly.

Got nada accomplished today. Combination of weather and lazy. All out of hay so called my normal supplier. He has some now, which he didn't the last time I needed some. He said it's a little more stemmy so it's only $11/bale vice the normal $12. Made arrangements to go pick up some tomorrow late morning. By then the hay feeder will be empty. Didn't want to get it today because of the wet. Don't need over $100 of moldy hay.

 

[Alaskan]

you need yourself a great big barn to store you up some hay..... or you could just put it in your house.

 

[Latestarter]

So it was supposed to be mostly/partly sunny today but cooler. Well, it's all gray and there's wet stuff falling from the sky intermittently. It is cooler though... like 41° and looks like that's gonna be the high temp. Past few days were mid 70s... Just looked and forecast for 32° tonight... Inside temp was 63 so turned the heat on set to 68.

Went and picked up hay anyways as the goats were licking the bottom catch tray of the hay feeder for flavor... Tried to get between rain squalls and almost was successful. Left it in the bed parked in the car port hoping it doesn't get much wetter between now and when we have sun again. It got wet, at least the outer bales did. Brought one bale down and it fit perfectly in the hay feeder. Put it in then cut/removed the twine and all is good and wonderful Not sure how well that last part will go with bales tied with wire... Guess we'll find out at some point.
So as I rounded the corner with the bale of hay in my wheel barrow for the goats, I find Dot outside the pen, happily munching on weeds along the storm cellar hill. OK... the gate is closed and latched... how the hell did she get out? So I find one spot where they've been pushing against the cattle panel down by the bottom to reach the outside grass. Looks like she pushed it far enough that she could squeeze through. I have to get the fencing done...

After putting dot and the hay in the pen, I watch as Dot lets one of her boys nurse. Seems I'm not going to have to worry about lots of excess milk after all. I got a bit less than 1/2 gallon from her this morning, and that's normally when she gives the most. Curious to see what she gives this evening. Might be able to move to milking once a day sooner than anticipated.

 

[Baymule]

Yeah, today was cold and wet. I stayed in and did laundry, much to DH's relief......LOL

 

[farmerjan]

It's been cold, damp, wet, raw, and WHITE here today. Friday was sun and near 70; today it never got above 40, dropping from 58 at midnight, and is 37 but feels colder. Only 28 at my son's 5 miles away and they are literally snow covered. Grass/trees/bushes everything is white. Not just frosted but white. Started about 1 p. m. when we were at a bull sale by 2 local farmers that have registered Angus and the other registered Limousin cattle. Alot of people, too cold & crappy to do anything else. All sold but one for at least the minimum price listed, some more. Between $2,500 and a couple hit 6,000. We had no intentions of buying another bull, went to just talk to neighbors and such. Saw one we both liked alot although I am not usually a Limousin fan due to them often having some very "protective" and sometimes aggressive temperments. But we wound up getting the one to use as a backup bull. Cost around $3600 I think. Really like his build, he has a good round rump. Too many bulls have gotten that "hatchet-azz" as we call it. I want something that "has an azz". We have added 3 bulls in the last 4 months. Sold one we have used for several years and he was starting to have some feet problems. He was walking good and it was a good time to let him go. He will wind up as bologna as do 90% of the big older bulls do; cooked meats. Weighed just shy of 2,000 lbs. and not our biggest bull.
We have a couple of people that have rented bulls from us over the years. It doesn't pay for a small farmer with only 15-25 cows to buy a bull that they will only use for 2-3 months a year. So we have found that we can provide a service, make a few dollars and they feed them for 4 or so months. It is a risk if the bull should get injured, but we have agreements that if the bull is injured or something, they "own the bull" for a pre-agreed price. Not a way to "make money" but it helps and they aren't eating in our lot. Have a couple of people that have bought a bull from us after we have gotten done with them for a year or several. Again, not a "money making" thing, but sometimes gives a decent bull a 2nd lease on life. We don't keep any bulls that have bad attitudes, they go to the stockyards and kill.

PLEASE SPRING COME TO VIRGINIA...... it is supposed to be sunny but 40's tomorrow, then another round of snow showers or something Sunday night into Monday. YUCK.....

 

[Latestarter]

Sorry Jan. Man... the weather is weird all over. I thought we were past all this and headed into hot & humid, but I guess not so much. Feels like a late December day outside. 40°, pretty breezy and clear blue skies. Sun is shining nicely but wind chill puts it in the low to mid 30s. Gonna wait till this afternoon to move the hay from the truck to the pallets. I have them (pallets) all uncovered to hopefully air/dry out a bit.

Went out to milk this morning and saw Bang laying in a huge puddle of milk so plans changed from milking Dot to milking Bang. Just to save you the trouble of trying to determine the answer to an oft asked question, I'll enlighten you right now. Yes, the cranium of a goat is very hard. It will place a dent in even a very heavy, 1 gallon stainless steel bowl. The milking started out OK, but after a spell Bang decided she should start acting up. After placing her crap covered hoof in the bowl, tipping it, kicking it, dumping it, and wasting over 1/2 a gallon of milk, I picked up the now empty bowl and bopped her on the head with it. Didn't phase her in the least and my bowl is now marked for life. I did successfully deflate both chambers of her udder, so I got a win in at least that round. But, I have to conclude that she won the bout.

Because the bowl was totally contaminated I didn't keep Dot's milk either. She only gave about 1/2 gallon once again, so I know she's nursing the kids. In fact one of her boys and one of Bang's girls tried to climb under for a sip while I was milking. One of her boys did nurse after I'd finished. I didn't empty her completely so they could have some.

 

[greybeard]

Have a couple of people that have bought a bull from us after we have gotten done with them for a year or several. Again, not a "money making" thing, but sometimes gives a decent bull a 2nd lease on life.

And, it helps offset the cost of the replacement bull.
(I've bought more than one 'pre-owned/used' bull just to get by for a couple of seasons.)

 

[Devonviolet]

Bang decided she should start acting up. After placing her crap covered hoof in the bow, tipping it, kicking it, dumping it, and wasting over 1/2 a gallon of milk,

Been there, done that!!! My "stainless steel bucket" is actually an old cooking utensil holder. It holds a little less than a gallon. The thing I like about it, is it is taller than it is wide. I hold onto it, with my left hand while I milk with the right. The second I see a leg move, I pull the bucket out of harm's way. I have also started emptying it into a 1/2 gallon jar when I have a quart of milk, just in case a dirty hoof finds its mark.

Ruby was my "bad girl" in the beginning. But lately, I have to be ready to pull the bucket out of the way when I'm milking Falina.

 

[Latestarter]

I normally milk the left udder with my right hand (goat facing to my left) and milk the right udder with my left hand (goat facing to my right). That way when the leg comes up I can (generally) block it with the forearm of my milking hand. Danged animals learn ways around it though... like jumping up a little while lifting the leg over the milking forearm and planting the hoof where least desired. Or throwing her entire body backwards then lunging forward. I've tried the "pull the bucket away" and often times end up sloshing milk out all over my hand and the ground anyway.