MARCH 29 Last month I mentioned the inverter (tilt) table that Lynn uses to help his back and ease the pressure on his sciatic nerve. We had several calls from people asking about this. There are many brands and models available (more than a dozen are sold through Walmart stores, for instance) at a variety […] Read more
Calving season begins and ends
Calving season begins and ends
MARCH 29 Last month I mentioned the inverter (tilt) table that Lynn uses to help his back and ease the pressure on his sciatic nerve. We had several calls from people asking about this. There are many brands and models available (more than a dozen are sold through Walmart stores, for instance) at a variety […] Read more
Upside down treatment appears to work
FEBRUARY 24 After more computer problems, our friend Steve Dahl decided my old computer was hopeless and he refurbished a newer computer for me. I’m still getting used to it (because it does things a bit different than my old one) and catching up on article deadlines. The good thing about the computer problem is […] Read more
Tire and computer problems hold up production
JANUARY 25 Last week the weather was cold (-18 C). We had to break ice in the creek waterholes for the cows. The two holes I’d been keeping open in Fozzy’s pen got so thick with ice we carried water in buckets for a couple of days until we got the holes chopped open again. […] Read more
Advice on the risks cold-stressed calves
Calves that get chilled at birth, without immediate assistance to warm and dry them and haven’t ingested colostrum in a timely manner, have poor survival rates. If a calf gets cold before it suckles, it won’t be able to get the teat in its mouth. If it fails to nurse, it doesn’t get the crucial […] Read more
Technology helped to connect family at Christmas
DECEMBER 23, 2011 Yesterday, Lloyd and I drove over to the Big Muddy Ranch to work over some cattle. Ryan, with help, had rounded up my cattle and had them in a corral when we got there. Ryan is taking 100 head of my cows on shares. The cattle were put through the chute and […] Read more
Wolves getting a bit close for comfort
DECEMBER 24 We’ve had cold weather, down to -18 C, but Andrea’s kids have been enjoying the icy driveways. Their sleds coast all the way down their lane to the bottom of our field. Michael helped us build a fence around Andrea’s new house, and got it finished last week. We can now graze the cows in the field […] Read more
Tips on proper use of a calf puller
Most calves can be pulled by hand after correcting any abnormal position, but occasionally a mechanical calf puller (“calf jack”) is needed. It is important to determine whether the calf can be safely pulled, or should be delivered by C-section. Mark Alley, (NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine) says a calf jack is an excellent tool […] Read more
Ranchers’s Diary: Bit of a rodeo while fencing
NOVEMBER 26 Lynn and Michael have been setting posts for the new fence boundary on our 160-acre pasture, hoping to get as many set as possible before the ground freezes more. Monday they hauled steel posts up there in Michael’s pickup and got 40 set that day. I sent a lunch with them. Tuesday Michael […] Read more
Hoof Sand Cracks Are Fact Of Life
PART 1 OF 2 Hoof cracks are a common occurrence in all beef cattle across Western Canada. Often they don t cause a problem for the commercial beef herd, but in some cases they can cause lameness, and certainly for the purebred operator, it s not a good sign to be selling breeding stock with […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
