Life on the ranch is always busy. I’ve written before about how pointless it is to wonder what’s on the agenda today, the day has a way of filling up all by itself! When I was employed in the corporate world I used to get frustrated that my days seemed to blur together. I was being pulled in so many directions that I couldn’t enjoy any of it.
At that time I started making a conscious effort to stop and smell the roses. Funny that even if you live in the most beautiful place on earth doing something for a living that speaks to your heart and soul, you still have to make a purposeful effort to slow-er-down sometimes and enjoy life around you. Here are some things making me smile:
I love the subtle hints of spring I’m seeing now. After the long cold season, that first burst of life from the trees is something I look forward to every year. And it’s really hard to beat those blazing blue Texas skies!
We have several registered Hereford cows and we breed them using A.I. At a recent Noble Foundation seminar we attended, the presenters noted that A.I. typically results in a positive pregnancy only about 50% of the time, of course we already knew that.
Even with its reduced effectiveness It’s worth the effort for us, we’re a small homestead and would like to eliminate the expense of having a high-quality bull in our pastures yet we still want to maintain superior genetics in our herd. But the fact remains that this procedure will, in the best of circumstances, only yield a positive pregnancy about half the time. Repeat A.I. sessions are common and expected.
When I lived in the city I noticed that between the ribbons of highway clogged with speeding cars filled with people in a rush to get somewhere there were often beautiful blooming wildflowers in the medians between the sections of 8-lane highways with their large concrete overpasses. I noticed how beautiful these cheery yellow blooms were even though these plants were deemed to be “only weeds” by the powers that be in median maintenance.
How many times had I myself rushed past this sight without noticing the simple beauty? It was then that I began to try to purposefully notice beauty around me. It’s hard to beat the sight of a healthy heifer calf hanging close to mom. Looks like she’s being a typical little diva – striking a pose for the camera. (aaaaaand turn!)
There’s an old saying: “Make hay while the sun shines”. Although you can’t control the weather, it’s important when you work outside for a living to work as closely in tune with nature as you can.
When I worked in a corporate environment in the city my days were much the same. Get up, get dressed, drive to work – sit at a desk all day long, come home, LIVE LIFE. (Shower/Sleep/Repeat).
Now that my days are filled with ranch duties workdays are not only much longer since we work weekends and holidays, they’re less comfortable since there’s no climate control in the pastures, and they’re infinitely more fulfilling since I LOVE what I do!
Many of you know we run a small registered Hereford herd and that we breed our cows via A.I. That means action had to be taken for this little cutie 10 days prior to her conception with a synchronization program for her dam, then the actual A.I. procedure, then 28 days later the pregnancy was confirmed via lab blood test. From that very moment I’ve been anticipating this event, and oh my was she worth the wait!
One of our cows is due to deliver her calf next Monday. It’s always exciting when you’re expecting a calf but if you’re using the A.I. procedure you know the exact day that cow was bred and even the exact number of gestation days for that particular cow. For me it makes the waiting game all the more nail biting because I’ve known this blessed event is coming since just 28 days after her breeding.
Every day we make a round through the pastures, always including a thorough inspection of our girls and calves. Does everyone look good? Is everyone accounted for? Are all the calves bouncing & happy? Our herd is used to our presence and we’re allowed to come close to any of them without anyone becoming alarmed. If they’re laying down they don’t even bother getting up – to them I’m just one of the girls! Although it’s labor intensive to be in each cow’s physical presence so often, a gentle herd is worth all the work necessary to maintain it. Continue reading →
We utilize rotational grazing here on the ranch. We’ll allow the cows to graze only a small area for a short amount of time, then move them to a fresh paddock to graze fresh grass. It allows each paddock to be eaten down and then rested for a period of time to allow it to recover.
Although it’s more labor intensive it results in healthier pastures and healthier cows so it’s worth the work to us. The cows are all familiar with this routine and it’s easy to move them from one paddock to another – they know what to do. Occasionally a new girl in the herd will be confused and we’ll have to guide her through the gate separately but it’s seldom a lengthy process. We’re slow and deliberate with our animals and they know we’re the good guy.
The trouble starts when little ones are in the herd. The calves haven’t had as long to adjust to the routine. They’ll watch lazily as the rest of the herd gathers up and maybe yawn & stretch as the they all move through the gate. Then they’ll panic, not knowing where to go. Now anyone that ranches for a living knows that you cannot accomplish your goal smoothly with quick movements around an uncertain animal. So patiently we’ll walk behind them and gently push them toward the gate.
Now today there are three younger calves in the herd and they are looking to each other for direction – kinda like the blind leading the blind. As we slowly and gently guide them to the gate they’ll bunch up together. Then just as they finally get to the gate, one will veer left or right and then they’re all off in different directions. By this time the mamas are calling them to hurry up.
We’ll slowly gather them together again, leading them finally to the gate. Now they’ll promptly parade right past the gate and trot further down the fence line. REALLY?? The gate is RIGHT THERE! Your mom is even giving you the step-by-step directions to join her! But a patient hand will finally result in the calves getting through the gate. They’ll run to their mama – no doubt telling a wild tale of the bravery & valor it took to reach her. 😉
We’ve always had a saying: You can push even the most stubborn cow through the gate if you’re patient enough, but trying to push a calf through the gate is like trying to push cooked spaghetti in a straight line across the table.
C’mon by & sit a spell! Come hang out at our Facebook Page. It’s like sitting in a front porch rocker with a glass of cold iced tea. There are lots of good folks sharing! And you can also follow along on Pinterest,Twitteror Instagram
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