Another Cycle

Sometimes when I'm thinking about writing, I feel like I could just re-post from my first year of blogging.  I was pretty dedicated for one thing, and really, the seasons just keep going around.  This time in 2015, I was writing about sorting cows for calving, vaccinating and retagging the first time mommas.  And you'll never guess....but we are in the midst of it all again.  The biggest difference is that we are on "D" names now, instead of "Z" names.  

At the grain troughs.

But not to start off on a sour note!  All is well as can be.  Mother Nature could certainly do her part and turn up the thermostat (!) but overall we are in good shape.  The cows are in excellent health, strong and sassy.  The feed has held out well and proven to be of excellent quality (hence a strong and sassy cow herd).  We are nearly plowed out around the ranch, barns are prepped and we've got good help lined up.  The first and second calvers are sorted and processed and ready to go.  Tomorrow we will move the main herd up to Six Mile and start sorting them.  Not a quick or easy job there.  We will pull off the ones we feel are closest to calving, and keep them at the ranch site.  The others will be taken back out to the feed grounds.  This process happens at least once a week during our calving season.  It's time consuming but well worth it as, for the most part, we are able to have all calves born in a clean dry area, with access to help from us if necessary.  

For now, I'm consciously enjoying each full night of sleep in my own bed.  That will all very soon come crashing to a halt as these last few days will be the calm before the storm.  

This is our first wee fella, born much earlier than expected.  Luckily mum spotted his momma starting to calve when she was feeding.  We snuck her in to the hay yard and waited until she finished the birth and had a few short minutes to clean him off.  The wind was howling and it was about -15.  I took him back to the house, got him good and warm and fed him some colostrum.  Once relatively dry, I snuggled him in the blanket as shown and we rode the snowmobile back down the meadow to his mother.  He was super happy to look for some breakfast, but quickly started to freeze up again (temperature was dropping fast), so I wrapped him up and took him back in to the house for the night.  The cats were utterly disgusted, especially when he got free of his makeshift pen and walked into the kitchen while we were making breakfast.

All right folks, speaking of my bed....it's time.  Never know when the next full nights sleep will happen.  

Cheers and stay warm!

Punky