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Thoughts about winter and ranching

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leanin' H

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So today I was taking down some electric fence on some leased hayfields I had used. With 18 inches of snow on the ground, it was sure enough tougher taking it down than it was putting it up. My inner self had a fine conversation with myself as I got to thinking how the storm sure was needed. But the other side is, it makes things harder and things sure take longer. Feeding cows is a project now. It takes almost an hour longer to chore at night. Now don't get me wrong, I am NOT cussing this snow. It's a for sure God Send blessing and it will put one heck of a dent in the drought we've been battling. But isn't it funny how many times what we need to ranch can throw a wrench into our plans. I reckon life is like that too. It's a twisty stream and ya just never know what the next bend may bring. I love the change of the seasons. While a place like Hawaii would be awful tempting with temps always moderate and such, I can't imagine living without the promise of spring or the excitement that fall brings. I'm longing for a July day tonight. But by then, I'll be craving a winter sunset. Folks who live life surrounded by AC and concrete sure have my sympathy. The elements provide many challenges. But they also provide so many countless experiences and make for a richer life in my mind. How thankful I am to have ranching in my DNA!!! With the ups and downs, this lifestyle I get to chase is one grand adventure. I wouldn't miss this ride for all the money in the world.
 
Called a friend on Christmas eve years ago. He had the Willow creek ranch, even had the lease on the school section where the hole in the wall is. He was in a cancer hospital in Houston. He told me to "thank the good Lord for making people to live in cities, so you and I don't have too."
 
my 4 wheel drive went in the shop at Kreuters this morning needs a front shaft out of the differential , using the JD 4040 with bale unroller, that also hold the cake drum. cows kept fallowing the tractor unrolling hay as they wanted cake.
 
Last night when I fed the steers I found one who wasn't feeling well. I got some drugs and put him in the chute. Try as I might I couldn't get the head gate to open. It was froze shut. Ain't winter grand........ Now it is no problem giving a shot to a steer squeezed in the chute isn't a problem. But putting sulfa boluses down his throat is a bit of a problem.
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
I had had great success with Excenel RTU for respitory problems this fall/ winter
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I was guessing a gut issue. He seems to be breathing fine but is humped up and sucked up. He does look better this morning. Ate grain with the other calves. Keeps going to an old lick tub in the corral that has ice and snow in it. I packed some water out there and dumped it in that tub. I will see if he drinks. Project for this afternoon is figuring out where the head gate is froze and thawing that out.
 
webfoot said:
I was guessing a gut issue. He seems to be breathing fine but is humped up and sucked up. He does look better this morning. Ate grain with the other calves. Keeps going to an old lick tub in the corral that has ice and snow in it. I packed some water out there and dumped it in that tub. I will see if he drinks. Project for this afternoon is figuring out where the head gate is froze and thawing that out.
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July will fix everything 😁😁😁
 
A few years back through bad scheduling Bert and his hired man both went to the NFR at the same time. I ended up feeding for him. I was also feeding my own her at the house. Took a couple pictures of the two feeding methods. I will let you guess which one is at Bert's and which one is at my house.

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Big Muddy rancher said:
Wonder who makes more money/head?
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Well I do. But that is because in exchange for my work my stocker calves graze for free in the summer. On our broken mouth one and done cows I buy the cows. He feeds them (well I feed them his hay). And we split the profit or loss. I am his unhired hired man.
 
Went down to the mailbox. then around the corner to Kreuters. They had to pull front axles to get differential out. they also had to cut propeller shaft to get spline coupler off the front shaft going into differential. Then when shaft get here sending to a machine shop to pull shaft and bearing and then pressed back together. Takes a special press unlike the one they have. Good thing I took it there still not allowed to lift anything , and all that stuff taken off is heavy.
 
Leaning H you know what we call those small hay bales------Idiot cubes. But then round bales make for round bales. Back in SV where we got lot of snow the big squares we called sanitary napkins, unless you had a lot of big hay sheds.
 

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