Coffee's Ready, Come and Sit on the Porch

[CrealCritter]

Hay is rotated and in from the field. It's not a big deal, until the the pastures are transformed into the land of ice and snow. Then it becomes a big deal, even little baby bail snack becomes important

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[farmerjan]

@CrealCritter ... Just a suggestion... putting the hay flat to flat is great...tight against each.... protects the hay from more "aging" ... BUT don't let the rounded parts touch ...keep at least 6 inches or so apart... so the water does not run down against each bale... it will cause it to soak in more, rather than run all the way down the rounded part to the ground. The net wrap does more to protect from weathering than just strings(which we mostly use) so that is good for you.... I would keep the little bale out and put the same sized ones tight against each other for more protection from weathering...
We put ours in long rows along field edges/woods... but leave at least 1-2 ft between the rows so they can shed all rain directly to the ground off the rounded sides... and we can get inbetween them if we need to for any reason. The only time the rounded parts touch is if we are stacking to cover with a tarp... 3-2-1 to form a triangle- shape...

So nice to have the hay as an insurance against bad weather/drought/any other need. And anything that gets "crummy" is great mulch, as you well know and use yours. Glad you have that...

 

[CrealCritter]

@CrealCritter ... Just a suggestion... putting the hay flat to flat is great...tight against each.... protects the hay from more "aging" ... BUT don't let the rounded parts touch ...keep at least 6 inches or so apart... so the water does not run down against each bale... it will cause it to soak in more, rather than run all the way down the rounded part to the ground. The net wrap does more to protect from weathering than just strings(which we mostly use) so that is good for you.... I would keep the little bale out and put the same sized ones tight against each other for more protection from weathering...
We put ours in long rows along field edges/woods... but leave at least 1-2 ft between the rows so they can shed all rain directly to the ground off the rounded sides... and we can get inbetween them if we need to for any reason. The only time the rounded parts touch is if we are stacking to cover with a tarp... 3-2-1 to form a triangle- shape...

So nice to have the hay as an insurance against bad weather/drought/any other need. And anything that gets "crummy" is great mulch, as you well know and use yours. Glad you have that...

I'll have to move it again when 2nd cutting gets baled. Or put first second cutting somewhere else.

I'm only going to have 4 head over winter and perhaps some nursing calf's. I think I have enough hay now, so 2nd cutting will be more better.

I set out my last full round from last falls cutting, they are enjoying it. IDK maybe I don't have enough, last year I had deer eating hay out of the hay ring also

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[farmerjan]

The deer eating out of the hay feeder is VENISON in the freezer... you are "paying for it" with their free loading on the hay...
One other thing... deer can carry lepto.... which can be passed to the cattle... it causes abortions... Not all and not all the time... BUT.... they will either have trouble breeding or abort in the 4-6 month range and you will never know it.... something to consider...
I am NOT one of these fanatics with all these vaccinations etc... BUT..... if you are going to have a few breeding and having calves there are 2 things you really ought to consider...
BLACKLEG... known as clostridials.... a 7 or 8 way... it helps the cows immune system... to pass on to the calf in the colostrum We give it to our cows every 2 or 3 years.... BUT we give it to EVERY CALF.... because after about 6-10 weeks, the immunity from the cow wears off in the calf and they have not developed enough immune response... if you get a wet spell.... they could get sick and be dead in 24-48 hours and you will never know what killed them. We lost 2, 3 month old calves weighing about 250-300 lbs.... when we had a wet spell this past winter and some warm days and there was a "bloom" of clostridial spores... they hadn't been vaccinated yet...

And the lepto for cows... every mammal can pass lepto... dogs, cats, foxes, deer, you name it...

We use only KILLED VIRUS vaccines... And because we buy and sell some it is just good insurance... I realize you have a "closed herd" ... but you are bringing in the steers and putting them with your cattle... they can pass "bugs" to your animals... like kids in school that pass around every cold/flu bug/virus there is... most they will get over... BUT.....

I would suggest something that covers everything, except the blackleg - respiratory/lepto/other reproductive for the older animals... I like TRIANGLE - 10 HB the HB is a form of lepto that will basically render the cow as a constant aborter and is not treatable (like a respiratory virus)... covers all the bases... and at least use something like Ultrabac-7 or even better Calvary 9... for the calves at 6-10 weeks of age; Calvary has tetanus so that any bull calves will have extra protection at banding...

We went about 6 years and, never had a problem, Years ago.... then lost 3 calves in 3 days... vet diagnosed blackleg... with the prices today that is $1,000/ head.... The shot is a couple dollars...

Those 2 we lost this past year was just that we hadn't gotten them in and we had a warmer spell, some rain.... and they were dead... BAD management on my part..... and over $2,000 lost....for less than $10 in the meds.

We hit the cows with the vaccine when we preg check since they are already in the chute... 5 cc under the skin in the neck area.... once a year. Not going to bury an animal because we were lax again. And the calves when they get moved with their mothers and the bull calves banded, out to pasture for the summer or moved to winter pastures for feeding with the fall calving group. Lockjaw, ie. tetanus is totally avoidable... and black leg is also...
If you vaccinate the dogs or even the cats, the cattle should get the same consideration. There are enough things that can happen that you can't control, and enough disasters, to not try to take care of what you can.

 

[Country homesteader]

Good Morning all!
I'm good but this heat has gotten to me. I should be well acclimated to it by now seeing how I've lived in VA for a number of years now but it just seems as the years go by the Summer months get hotter and hotter.
Well we have the venue, the menu planned, the officiant, the wedding party , the color scheme and the theme. As you can see we are going with a soft country rustic theme. Found lots of those items at the 100 Mile yard sale that was held on sat July 1st. We're currently working on getting a DJ, bartender, and the guest list made up so we can get invites, RSVP cards made.

 

[baymule]

Looks like wedding plans are making progress!

 

[Mini Horses]

Is wedding still June 2024? Cause WOW, that's a lot all done that far out! Anything past 6 mos stumps me

Iffy morning. Sun or clouds? Temps good and only going to mid 80s. More chances for showers late day. I'm thinking I'll go finish a pasture of fence repair I've started/prepped. Materials there, so may go well.

Coffee in cup. Please kick in soon. Need the wake up.

 

[Country homesteader]

Is wedding still June 2024? Cause WOW, that's a lot all done that far out!

Yes, it is @Mini Horses . Just trying to get everything set/ planned so that way come Feb- April all we have to do is concentrate on getting our wedding clothes, marriage license in May and all the Non Perishable foods (we're suppling all the supplies that people need to make their dishes). We even have someone to run the grill(s) for us and the best part is we offered to pay the person (actually my Aunts husband, they're going to come all the way from Texas) and he said he doesn't want to get paid.

 

[Country homesteader]

Looks like wedding plans are making progress!

Yes @baymule they are. I'm just glad we're getting everything set/planned NOW so that way we can relax as the time gets nearer and nearer because you know how the months fly by.

 

[The Porch]

Good Morning,
Up and at-um early, it was in the 90's yesterday and will be hotter today- came in to refill my outdoor coffee mug and am getting back at it.
Staying focused & purposeful in the work of Self Sufficient living,

Have a great day!