6/26/17- End of an Era-#63 Delivers last Calf of 17

#63 finally delivered her first but the last calf of the season and the last on the farm if things go as planned.  The calf #92 (a heifer) was born along side the pile of bones from the first delivery this year (see post for #62- 4/17/17).

Next year if things go as planned- all the calves will be birthed up in Delta.  All the breedstock will be moved North this fall. Thus we enter a new era- that of finishing feeders.  Next spring we will take in yearlings that will be finished on pasture.  Many of them will be coming back where they were born!

While we Worked Today- #61 Labored- 5/9/17

This morning I noticed #61 heifer was starting to labor so this evening I checked and sure enough a little white bull- #91 was dried off and ready for the world.  Both of them agreed that they would be better disposed to pose for a picture tomorrow.

Tomorrow

Gate of Eternal Consequences- 6/1/17

Some gates are more important that others.  This is the gate that separates the bull from about 25 unbred cows and heifers.  Today that gate opened and the consequences will be far reaching.  The bull had been put into his paddock of green grass a couple of days ago and he successfully checked out the electric fence.  When I opened the gate the bull never found it but the cows were in there almost instantly.  When one of them hit the electric fence they started a stampede that vacated the paddock almost instantly.  A few short hours later some of them were cautiously moving back into the abundant grass!

#37 has Large White Bull- #90- 5/31/17

Very near where #37 dropped a still born calf last year (her first) she was proudly licking off a large very docile bull #90.  He let me put my arms around him and put in that tag.  Tomorrow we will see if he has forgiven me! 5/31/17

#27 has her second calf - a red pointed bull- #89 5/26/17

#27 has her second calf- another red pointed bull.  He will be #89- 5/26/17

#55 has white heifer #88- 5/20/17

It's been almost a month since the last calf.  #55 has her first calf- a nice little black pointed heifer.  #55 has the distinction of being the only cow with the ear tag in backwards.  You can't read it of course but since she is the only one it doesn't matter.  She is a good mommy.

#66 has White/Red bull- #87- 4/28/17

Another heifer #66 had a white/red tipped bull- #87.  I noticed them while I was tagging Cinderella's calf.  I'm not having a clue this year about who is next to calf.  The body profile is so different when they are on hay instead of carrots.  It's hard to tell that some of them are even pregnant and then they show up with a calf!  #66 looks so bedraggled.  I can't imagine how she got so filthy.  It had rained that morning so perhaps she had been rubbing a dirt bank and then the rain spread it around.