Diminished- Beef Booby Trap

Before

















                                                                                     
                                                                                     After

The only natural water in the early pasture cow lot is from a spring on the edge of a cliff 100 feet over the Matanuska River.  On hot days the cows crowd down there and over the years many of them have been pushed over the cliff.

The first time that happened- six of them went over.  One washed way and two drowned.  It took most of the summer to slash a trail and lead out the three survivors.

Yesterday I took the chainsaw and felled two cotton wood trees across the bottom end of the spring to create a barrier which will be reinforced with ropes.  Hopefully this will be the end of feeding our prime beef to the belugas.

4/25/16 #19 has #72 White/Black Heifer

Another gal just about got away.  Sometime before morning check and mid afternoon #19 slipped away and came back with a feisty white heifer #72.  I ran her down and sat on her only to find I had forgotten to put my tags in my pocket.  So I had to repeat the process half an hour later.  Also in the visits to the pasture today was the help of Granddaughter Remedy.  She is learning to stand quietly so the calves don't spook.

Meat Processing Room gets a new floor

#21 Delivers Heifer #71- 4/20/16

This gal was still wet and shivering after coming from her mom's body temperature to freezing.  21 has always been a good mom and took good care of the white girl with black points- #71.

Yesterday the first robin of the year was seen and heard.

#27 has an identical Red Head Heifer- #70

Sometime between the morning check and mid afternoon this little heifer showed up and it took about half a mile to run her down.  She is white with red points just like her mom.  4/17/16.
- Mom is #27.

Pippy Long Stockings has large red Bull- 4/17/16

Pippy Long Stockings #3 had a large red bull # 69 who appears to be doing well.  He stood up but mom didn't.  Will have to check tomorrow to make sure she doesn't  have milk fever.  She certainly dropped a huge amount.  Her dairy genetics are showing.  The downside of producing that much milk is that it throws the entire body into calcium deficiency and shock.

4/12/16- #22 has classic Heifer- #68

Gentle #22 was at the feed manger this morning with a drying white and black heifer- #68. Calving so far is a communal experience with everyone getting in on the act.  Last year's calves are very curious and a little too helpful when it comes to milking the mother.  Most mothers repel the older calves but not #22.  We are going to have to watch to see that #68 doesn't get starved out.

4/11/16 Cinderella - First for 16 Generation

I was a month off in my expectations so was surprised to see Cinderella sneaking away with a very agile, strong, red and white spotted heifer.  I could get up to Cinderella with a bucket of treats but couldn't get even close to the calf.  Her coloring is distinct because of Cinderella's dairy genetics so she will remain untagged.