#$%%^^& Waterholes

[Northern Rancher]

We cut our waterholes real small-just as wide as a cows muzzle and maybe 2-3 feet long. Well we have no snow yet so still cutting them-it's above zero so the hole is melted out a bit and getting slick. Go out this A'M and there's a calf wedged in there-yanked him out and then they just kept walking up and slipping in. Guess we have to gather critters and move them to different water till it freezes up again. You'd be surprised how much calf you can yank out by the ears when your'e mad lol.

 

[George]

There are times when I feel the other guy has it easier than me - - - This is not one of them.

So far this year the cattle could find water on their own in the creeks but I still supply it to them in a Ritchie fountain to keep them at the barn. I feel it is a small cost that allows me to walk 700 feet from the house and check on them.

I'm having to feed them any way so I just don't make them go to water. I know I'm spoiling them but so be it.

The cattle have access to a 22 acre woods with a creek running thru it but they like the shelter of the loafing shed with hay, water, and twice a day corn screenngs. I have to drive them out and close the gate once a week to clean the floor. I think I hurt thier feelings, my son finds it hard to believe I get cattle in (bought three coming second calf hiefers about a month ago ) that have never been touched except to run thru a chute or some other distressing thing and in just a couple of weeks I can walk up to any of them and give them a good brushing.

I guess when you only have 32 cows you can treat then differently.

 

[Kato]

A friend of ours lost 15 cows last night when they went through the ice in a dugout.

 

[Northern Rancher]

Ohh these weren't in danger of drowning but getting darn cold.

 

[sw]

NR,
we used to be on a place up near the border that had a lake surrounded by muskeg type pastures. I hated that place unless it was frozen hard, otherwise we were bobbing for cows. The worst was when we lost 11 cows one night when they fell through the ice on a pond. They had to walk right past a newly installed Ritchey fountain to walk the 1/2 mile to the pond. Smart creatures sometimes :???:

 

[Northern Rancher]

I hope some were EXT's so it wasn't a total loss-yup they can be dumber than sheep.