From the Barns: Shutdown impact

Weather and conditions haven’t changed much over the past 30 days. We only received one 2-inch rain a couple of weeks ago, a brief respite that cut the dust for a few days. Outside of that you can’t really tell that it has helped long term, not enough to refresh pastures, and once again the dust is flying everywhere you drive. Temperatures have been above average for this time of year, not unbearably hot, but uncomfortable, and not good on calf health with the cool mornings and hot afternoons.

We have been wanting to preg check for the last three weeks, but with the heat we just didn’t think it wise to stress the females by running them through the chute. We are not in a crunch to get it done, other than get the open heifers into the feedlot and get rid of the open cows. We are supposed to get a cool down in the middle of this week that is following a good chance for rain, so it’s possible it could get done later this coming week.

We have also been thwarted in getting any forages sown this fall for grazing. The dryness and hard ground conditions have not been conducive for fieldwork. We were wanting to broadcast and roll in some wheat, but not getting the ground worked up like it needs to be. We have been no-tilling for years, but felt like this might be the time to break the soil up, fearing the drill might have trouble penetrating the ground. I believe we will try to drill later this week, on the fields that we have gotten worked up, and we may have to go ahead and try to drill the unworked ground, as well. We need to get the seed in and see what happens, hopefully with some timely moisture coming in, as well.

Our home-raised weaned calves are doing well. Got them revaccinated a week ago. Have only had to doctor a handful, and they are eating very well. We also got some other newly weaned calves in and vaccinated yesterday. The yearling heifers that we are going to breed this winter we just ran through the chute and gave them their first pre-breeding vaccination. Will follow up in 30 days with their second round, along with deworming. Grinding a lot of hay and feeding a lot of feed through the total mixed ration. Besides the feedlot and grower cattle, every female within driving distance is being fed with the TMR, since there is absolutely no grass to be had. Once again this year, we are not free-choice feeding hay to the breeding stock, but are feeding them strictly through the mixer. This strategy prevents hay waste, and we can force them to eat the hay. It also allows us to force feed any supplement or mineral we want them to have. This time of year we use this method to mix in their mineral that contains chlortetracycline to aid with control of anaplasmosis.

Almost have a big Environmental Quality Incentives Program project completed at one of the remote farms. Waterlines are in the ground and the heavy-use area pads are poured and in place. The only things we have left are setting and plumbing in the automatic waterers and also fill in the trenches. The concern now is getting reimbursement from the Natural Resources Conservation Service for these practices. With the shutdown of the government, there is uncertainty in knowing when we will receive our cost-share funds that will be paid to us — hopefully sooner, rather than later.