Tues, March 9

Good morning everyone. It's been awhile since I've checked in again. The last few weeks have just blended together with everything that is going on. I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes open at work even with drinking diet mountain dew. However, the best news is the absolutely wonderful spring weather we have been having. And the sun is shining!!!!! And I was able to go out to do chores without putting on boots. My feet just ache at night from lugging the extra weight of boots and mud around. Last week we had at least 5 inches of rain/slushy snow. It's so much "fun" trying to chase cows and getting stuck in the mud. Ruth we had a stitched prolapsed cow that calved on her own on Friday. Unfortunately, she prolapsed again early Sunday a.m. We were not happy with our regular vet. He said he "couldn't get away" from home as he was babysitting until late Sunday afternoon. He called back on Sunday at 6 p.m. and said he wasn't sure when he would get to our place. DH called a friend who is a vet. He lives an hour away and came up to our place immediately. He brought his wife along and they ate supper with us. Our regular vet that couldn't get here specializes in cows/cattle. I wonder what happened if somebody needed a c-section on a cow which usually can't wait. Ruth, are you going to keep that cow after she calves? DH thought we should get rid of this cow but she is a registered Angus and has good calves, is good natured and is a good mom. Our friend, the vet, thinks we should keep her, even if we have to hire the vet to come sew her up.

Ruth, lol about the gravel for Mother's Day. I not only want more gravel, I want a slab of concrete at my back door.

This year we have had more problems than usual with ewes that don't have adequate milk. They are in good condition. DH thinks it is a hormone problem. The ewes that are having problems are older ewes and have never had problems in the past. Maybe that is the problem - they are too old. I am now bottle feeding 8 lambs. One is really "mentally deficient". He just can't get the knack of sucking from a bottle, no matter what kind of nipple I use. It takes about as much time to feed him as it does the others put together. We also have 3 additional lambs sucking directly from a goat. We get up at 5:30 a.m. to get chores done so I can get to work by 8:00.

We are almost half done calving - just 13 more to go. 9 of the 12 that have already calved, had their calves within the last 12 days. Three calved within 10 hours last Saturday. So far, knock on wood, we have had only one difficult birth. Maggie's calf was coming with one foot pulled under so DH had to pull the leg forward. We were nervous about Maggie as she lost her calf last year when it came backwards. And she is a real "witch". After dh pulled the calf with a little bit of assistance from me, we both take a flying leap over the fence as we are afraid she will take us. We have really been watching for scours this year with the muddy weather. So far (again - knock on wood) we have only had one with scours. We are using two vaccines within 12 hours of birth - one is called "Calf-Guard" and the other is a C&D. We are disappointed that one of our cows that had an embryo placed in her must have slipped as she does not look close at all and she should have calved last week. We used two cows for recip cows this year and we were hoping for a good bull calf to replace our present bull. The embryos are out of a prize winning cow/bull combination.

Lana - did you mean Nebr/Wyoming border? Yes those winds can get pretty nasty in the plains states. It is not unusual for the weather forecasters to give wind warnings. I hate driving on the Interstate when the wind is blowing out of north or south and always hold my breath when I have to pass a semi in the hopes it won't blow over on top of me.

Well I have blabbered on long enough. Today is my day off and I have way too many things to do. And I need to do a cow check.

You all take care.