Fertilizer Time
We are finally able to get to some of the fields to work the soil and apply fertilizer. The first piece will have alfalfa with a cover crop of barley. We still have to be careful to avoid wet spots,…
Yum!
I think the picture says it all. Life is good being a rancher.
Sunshine and Progress
How did you like those few days of glorious sunshine? It sure got HCH to thinking about fieldwork, fertilizer, equipment, and seed. Matt was busy with equipment, tractors and fence repair. We had a fellow drive his van over the…
Corn, Barley and AI
First: pick up corn at Basin City. Next: load barley seed at Connell Grain Growers. Finally: head home to AI one cow and two heifers.
Not a Lake, but Pasture
Due to the abundant rain and warmer temperatures, we seem to live near a lake now. The extra water is the overflow from the Colville River and the downhill runoff. Our new lake is home to geese, ducks, and even…
Smart or Lazy?
During my early morning heat detection tour, I encountered this bull calf reaching through the hay barn fence to have his morning milk. The calves have an area inside the barn to rest and eat hay at their leisure. At first,…
How AI Works at HCH
A quick look at how we AI (Artificially Inseminate) cows. Secure cow in the headgate. Thaw bull semen and cut the end off “straw”. Load into “gun”. Insert into the cow and find the correct placement to deposit. Of course,…
Recips and AI on the Agenda Today
A busy day as we had to run ten recipients through the headgate to remove cidrs and administer a shot. They should be coming in heat Tuesday evening. These fine ladies will be getting embryos implanted in the near future. We also…
King of the Logs
On my early morning tour of the barnyard what should I spy, but calves playing on the log pile. This Hereford calf was burping up cud balls to snack on as he surveyed his domain. My stroll to look for…
AI (Artificial Insemination) Thinking
It is time to artificially inseminate (AI) the cows for calves in January. It certainly does not seem to be the time of year to ponder what AI sires to select or to chart heat cycles, but the calendar says to…