Juan said:
Soap,looks like you got your (swamp hay)up in good shape.Quite a lot of green and no mold.Could that be cord grass?
In those first pictures, the swamp hay was mostly bull rushes and "three-cornered grass." One thing about these past few real dry summers, even the swamps are dry enough early that we can hay them in July when the quality of the grass is at its peak.
As far as breaking ice in the pastures where the cattle are at now, it is not a very hard job. Most of the pastures have eleven foot Hastings tanks, with windmills pumping into them. With any wind at all, there is usually no ice to break. In the picture, that drinking spot is on the far side of a 30' tank, with a windmill on the other side of the fence pumping into the tank. The water runs over the tank and comes out near where the cattle drink, so even this spot doesn't seem to get too thick. This morning it was about the thickest it has been all winter, and even then it was only about three inches.
An ideal set-up is a windmill pumping into an eleven foot tank, and then on into a thirty foot tank for extra storage. My neighbor has several set-ups like this, and quite a few of my cattle are at his place right now. The cattle are enjoying his facilities at the present, and I am, too. The hay will be used up down there soon, and the cattle will be moved close to home for calving. About two thirds of my neighbor's hay that I bought was hauled home in August, so it will be convenient to use it during and after calving.
As long as the snow doesn't get too deep, the Hydra-bed pickup works very well. I load a couple bales, pull into a bunch of cattle, and cake them. While they are eating the cake, I have opportunity to cut off and gather up the "biodegradable" twine. Then I roll out the bales, and go get more if necessary.
I am feeding four bunches of cattle at the neighbor's ranch, and one bunch here at home. Saddletramp has four bunches of cattle that he takes care of this time of year. He feeds hay with an Agco Allis front-wheel assist tractor, and a two-bale Haybuster processor. He cakes with a Welker caker mounted on the flatbed box of a 1996 Ford pickup.
Peach Blossom is enjoying some "house time" for a little while before calving commences in late February. She had an operation on her right hand a couple weeks ago, for carpal tunnel and "trigger-thumb." When we get real busy, she uses another 1996 Ford F350 equipped with a Hydra-bed hay hauler and a caker. It doesn't have duals, so if the snow gets deep, we can put chains on all four wheels to get around better.
The cows are enjoying getting hay on these cold winter days, and it is somewhat satisfying giving it to them. They do seem to appreciate my efforts. :wink:
