pics from recent days

Rain, rain, rain. We get rain when they predict it and when we least expect. Farming is only a dream at this point. Too wet to do much of anything. I mowed some of the yard last night and just went around the standing water.
All of this rain does give us time to take care of the cattle while they are having calves.
We had a calf born late friday afternoon and he has been giving us a headache. He didnt want to nurse.

This isnt the calf but this is what we do. Put momma in the chute and stick him under her and see what happens. I had to put him on and when he let go I had to put him back on. We have been doing this 3 times a day until today when I saw him nurse by him self. He has been a little slow and not much energy. Then tonight, after nick and I worked out in the rain and mud tagging, banding, giving shots, and chasing off a ornery cow or two we come back to the sheds and find a nursing calf that when he gets done is running around kicking up his heels. It was a nice feeling to see him doing that finally.

Nick has been pretty good at carrying a camera when we are checking cows and has got some nice pics.


This was just before dark saturday. The calf has been on the ground less than 30 seconds at this point. He was up and around in a few minutes and is doing fine. He is tagged #4.


This calf was born a couple hours before the other on saturday afternoon. A little bull calf and he was a handfull to give shots to and band tonight. He is calf #3.


Momma and heifer calf #242 headed from the feedlot out to the pasture.


This is my favorite picture. Nick took this while we were watching the cows on saturday evening. I think I may hang this over my desk so next winter some day it is cold and snowy I will remember why it is worth all of the work. This is the freemartin heifer we had earlier.

Enjoyed your pictures as always and recognized the little heifer. I think hanging her picture over your desk would be great. Its a lovely picture.

Thank you for taking the time to post these fine pictures. I always enjoy your photos and these were terrific. Great looking land, too.

very nice pictures. You need a caption to put under the calf thats sticking her tongue out. My mine is blank right now I just got out of bed...

Bill, try to let some clouds go by without wringing all the moisture out of them. Here in NH we have gotten probably just one significant rain event in 10 weeks. I would say that grass is running three weeks late at this point. We have only a prediction of a few possible showers for two out the next 10 days. It's starting to look a little scary.

One year we had a terrible time with calves that wouldn't suck and cows that wouldn't claim their calves. Eventually you run into msome very weak calves. If you stand a calf up over a square bale it helps. Unlimited patience helps, too.