selfie

I (grandpa Wohlers) grew a winter beard so the winds would be kinder to his handsome, but delicate face when the temperatures dropped to 0 degrees and below--it did help.  However I was expecting it to be red as it once was many years ago--it wasn't.  The beard is now gone.

Redneck feedtruck

It's -20 degrees F and the calves are out of feed ----the creep feeders need to be filled--the auger wagon is broke down and the 5 ton farm truck won't start--what am I going to do?  Well, I found an old liquid supplement tank in the junk pile (it holds the equivalent of 8 to 10 bathtubs of feed) and strapped it on the hydro bed pickup, filled it from the overhead bin then commenced scooping.

Sad time

Kate was excited to get out of the house to go on a quick trip to the ranch Sunday to check ice on the tanks and be certain that the cattle were alright.  She was anxious to be out of the pickup and was being her usual exuberant self while going to the shed to get feed for the heifers.  Somehow she went under the pickup and was ran over dying instantly.  The human members of her household are very sad.  Kate will be fondly remembered forever.

Drink then back to work

The autumn construction project was to build permanent corrals around the central water tanks with gates going to 4 separate pastures for the rotational grazing.  An old theory was to have a pen around the tank with only enough room for cows to come in to drink and then need to leave to go back to grazing.  The thought being that they would not lounge in the area of the tank destroying the grass.  We needed a small entry gate rather than having a wide opening as we have had in the temporary openings to the whole pasture since building the cross fences several years ago.  Now we wait to see if the theory works.

parks and fossils

 This past week Paul Phillips and Arden toured 4 national parks in the Black Hills with Abdul from Afghanistan.  Abdul is preparing to head up 2  national parks that are set to open up in his country in the near future.  We not only toured the parks over 3 days, but had an inside look of park programs and discussions on park operations and management.  I have visited all 4 parks in the past, but this time I learned many things that the typical tourist doesn't.
One of our more interesting discussions was had with the paleontologists that were salvaging a 30 million year old turtle fossil in the Badlands national park. This was of interest since the Agate fossil quarry is 20 miles from our ranch and occasionally we come across a fossil on the ranch.  

bigger tractor

The JX65 Case IH tractor that has been at the ranch for the past 6 years was a great tractor. but often it was just a little light for the tasks that we asked it to do so it was traded in on a new Case IH 95C that is also a 4 wheel drive with a loader.  It is still a mid size tractor but being heavier and 30 more horse power it should be more suitable for the work we request from it.  A pull blade was also purchased so we can do some work like grading the roads and leveling prairie rat mounds.  The tractor has a sun roof but much to Blake's disappointment it does not have a cab with ac, heater, stereo, TV or computer drive.

creep feeding

What a difference a year makes, last year due to the drought we were running out of grass for the cows and needed to wean the calves on Sept. 4.  By placing the calves in a separate pasture on extra feed the cows were able to have enough to eat in their pasture.  This year there is a lot of grass, so we plan on waiting until December to wean, but the calves need extra protein in the ration so  we are adding an alfalfa pellet to creep feeders that the calves can enter but the cows can't thus allowing the calves to get the extra feed and vitamins that they need to grow.  We have 2 old green feeders and 2 new red feeders that we will put feed in about once per week and the calves will self regulate what they need for a proper

diet to go with the available grass.  The goal will be for the calves to gain 1 1/2 pounds per day until the grass is green next spring then they should gain about 2 pounds per day on pasture until time to be marketed to a feedyard where they will gain about 4 pounds daily until they are marketed for beef.  On our ranch calves gain their first 900 pounds (about 450 days) grazing pastures that are unsuitable for growing anything other than grass.Then they go to a feedyard where they eat crop residues and corn for about 100 days.

Resting

Isaac, Joe and Blake decided to rest after a hard day of ranch work.  There could not be a better place to rest than setting on a toadstool at toadstool park 30 miles north of the ranch.  Of course they didn't rest that much with the climbing and running during the 1 mile hike through the park.

Becoming ranch hands

Isaac has joined Joe in becoming cowboys on the Wohlers Ranch as they get experience in horse back riding on Blondie and Blackie.  They made many circles of the corral and are learning how to control these untrained broncos.  Hopefully they will soon be helping in cattle roundups.

Gravel Pit

The ranch uses gravel to fill in holes around water tanks, on roads and other places that become mud spots when it rains.  Fortunately we have a gravel pit where we can access our own gravel for this purpose.  Blake spent many hours hauling gravel where needed to finish this annual task.

Haying is completed

We produced 451 bales weighing 1200 lbs giving us 270 ton of hay to get us cow feed for when there is snow cover limiting grazing. Additional protein supplements will still need to be added to the cow diet as our hay (with adequate energy) is short on protein due to putting it up about 3 weeks too late to get optimum value.  Now we need to haul all the bales into a hay yard and be ready to feed it to the cows during the winter when grass does not grow.

Haying again

The first time in 16 years hay is being harvested on the ranch.  In the average year it is less expensive to purchase hay then to own the machinery and hire the labor to run it.  However, the past 2 years of the drought hay had became very expensive and if the machinery was already owned it would have been cost effective to put up our own hay, except due to the drought there was very little extra grass to put up as hay.  Due to the past drought our cow numbers are way down and this year we have came out of the drought and have abundant grass.  We therefore have a custom harvester coming to the ranch to bale up some of the grass so it doesn't go to waste.  The swather you see is cutting the grass and placing it in windrows to await the baler that will follow in a few days.  Years ago 400 ton of hay was put up each year on the ranch, but we will probably only do enough acres to put up about 100 ton and graze the remaining acres this winter.

Next years calf crop

The task of artificially inseminating 310 cows was finished today.  The herd was divided into 3 groups so the numbers were small enough that each group could be AI'd within a 4 hour time frame on insemination day.  Before that day could occur the cows were given hormone injections 3 days and 10 days prior so the cows in each group could become pregnant at the same time.  However due to different gestation times of each individual the calves from each group will be born over a 3 week period next spring.  Moving the cows closer to the corrals the day before the first injection was given and then the sequential times through the chute resulted in us working with the cattle 15 days out of the last 30.  This has been a very busy time, but now we can return to routine ranch work i.e. fence repair, water well maintenance, weed control etc.

Temporary cowhands

Blake and Arden had help moving cattle to a meadow near the corrals in preparation for the synchronization of estrus cycle for this years breeding program.  Sharyn was there to help as well as cousin Everitt and Bev Wohlers from Idaho.  It was work easily accomplished with a good crew.  The next day the cows filed through the chute and received their first treatment in the protocol.  The job was easily accomplished with the cows being handled gently with nearly their full cooperation.

drought is over

Finally we have average rainfall for the year after 2 years of severe drought.  When that happens the ranch grows normal amounts of grass and the cows have ample supplies of it to eat.  The microorganisms in the cows rumen (stomach) are able to convert grass into food that the cow can then develop into muscle that we eat as beef.  This makes land that is best suited for growing grass productive as a place to produce food to feed people.  The semi-arid climate and soil on our ranch would not be suitable for growing crops like broccoli or grapefruit.  

Future rancher ?

Joe and Travis came to the ranch to help with calving and pony training for a few days.  Here Joe is helping milk a cow to give to a calf that couldn't find it's mother for several days.  This cow's calf had died, but she was willing to accept the foster calf once he had the strength to nurse on his own.  Joe received some first hand knowledge of the work involved in taking care of cattle, sheep and horses.

Contrast of seasons

Spring has arrived but there is still a touch of winter on the horizon.  Traveling to the ranch this morning we stopped at our SE corner along the highway and took a photo of the buildings with the remnants of yesterdays snow storm in the hills to the north.  As you can see the grass is becoming green in the pastures and the .8" of moisture in the snow (rain) might make a better grass year than what we have had the past couple of years due to the drought.

The scratching tree

This old gnarly tree has stood by by itself in one of the calving pastures for as long as I can remember.  It was probably planted 110 to 125 years ago by the homesteader on this piece of ground.  It hasn't ever got any taller in  the last 60 years but the trunk keeps getting bigger around and the branches more contorted from the cows rubbing on it, which is the tree's main function in life as there are no cattle in this pasture in the summer after it has finally leaved out and could provide shade.  As warm temperatures arrive I'm certain being able to scratch off some of their winter coat is a welcome relief for the cows.

Cold weather project

 We try to have an indoor project to work on during the winter when the weather is to cold and stormy to do anymore work outdoors than what is necessary to get the livestock fed and comfortable.  Sometimes it can be difficult to warm the shop up enough to be comfortable working in it.  This winter we placed laminate flooring in the upstairs hallway, the stairwell and the downstairs bathroom.  Todd came up and revamped the plumbing and wiring as well as installed new bathroom fixtures.  We are pleased with the finished product, but we are glad spring has come and with the return of warm weather we can get back to ranching and leave the construction projects for another season.

Fencing with a Mule

The ranch has 44 miles of fence to check and repair each year.  This involves a considerable amount of walking and carrying of supplies.  We used to haul posts and wire and tools in a pickup, but the past few year we have done the hauling in a small trailer pulled by a 4-wheeler.  The trailer has wore out so we purchased a Kawasaki Mule for this task.  So far it is working out well and best of all Kate has a place to set and supervise Blake making sure the work is done correctly.

Dahli gets sheared

Dahli Llama has been rolling in the hay and dirt so his hair has been trapping a lot of unwanted material, plus with the coming of warm weather he needed shearing for his comfort.  He was given a midbody shear and we may decide to take more hair off later.  He looks much better and I hope he is more comfortable as well.  His halter training is going well, but he does not like being caught and having the halter placed on his head.

Blondie & Blackie

The ponies (Blondie & Blackie) are progressing in their training, They lead well and accept pressure on their back.  We trimmed their hooves and they cooperated with working with their legs and hooves.  They have the pony mischievousness where they will slip out an open gate if given an opportunity and then tease you with evasiveness when you attempt to  corral them.  They make quite a team, maybe I need to make harnesses for them and a wagon to pull.

Niobrara floods

I have blogged many times regarding the drought and the river going dry for several months during the summer, WE ARE STILL IN A DROUGHT, but there has been a good amount of snow the past couple of weeks and now we have had several days of warmer weather resulting in run off.  However the ground is still frozen and the water can't soak into the soil so in drains down hill into the river which still has ice over it so the water cuts across the meadow from one river bend to the next.  This should subside within a day or 2 and we will be able to cross the river to feed the cattle.
Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of the drought.

lambs at last

The sheep enterprise (actually it is the train the dog enterprise) is starting to bear fruit so to speak.  When we arrived at the ranch this morning we discovered that ewe #354 had delivered triplets, a baby ewe and 2 baby rams.  Now we will need to determine if she produces enough milk to support 3 lambs or if we will need to make 1 of them a bum lamb and bottle feed it, which increases the farm chores but can be fun to do.  I guess we will call them thing 1, thing 2 and thing 3.

Small horses for small kids

The grand kids need ponies to play with on their next visit to the ranch.  Therefore 2 pony mares were purchased.  Blake and Arden can spend their spare time training them.  The grand kids may have to train them for riding as they are fairly small.  One mare is chestnut with a white mane and tail, the other is black with many white hairs.  They are both coming 2 in the spring.  We may need help from the grand kids in naming them.

New guard

Adding the sheep enterprise to the Wohlers Ranch is not without predator risk.  We have lost baby calves and maybe older calves to coyotes over the past few years, but sheep, especially lambs are even more susceptible to becoming coyote dinner.  Therefore we purchased a guard llama as a herd protector.  Llamas are known for bonding with sheep and actually chasing, even killing coyotes that try to get an easy meal.  This llama is a 2 year old male that we will halter break as Blake has that experience from his days of exhibiting llamas at the fair.  We are looking for suggestions as to what his name should be--please help.

herding dog school

The best way to train a good border collie to work cows is to start their training with sheep (they aren't so intimidating).  So we purchased 7 Dorper ewes, a hair sheep-so there is no need to shear them, for Kate's schooling.  At the introduction Kate is still intimidated, we may have to wait a few weeks to start school.  These 7 ewes are all pregnant and since this is the first sheep to ever be on the ranch it is a new enterprise.  Hopefully they will all have twins and there will be 14 lambs to market this fall.  Does anybody desire lamb for Christmas dinner?

coyote meal time

We have an animal die at the ranch occasionally from a variety of causes, last week we lost two calves from bloat.  These calves did not eat for a time because of stormy weather, then they overate when they again were able to get to feed causing the bloat.  However as nature intended this allows us to take the dead calves to a canyon were the coyotes know there is an occasional meal.  Travis gave me a trophycam that takes photos when triggered by motion.  I placed the camera overlooking the coyote meal for 96 hours.  The camera took 500 photos during that time of a coyote entering or leaving the site or chewing at the dinner plate.  Only 6 photos

where taken during daylight hours and 4 of those where of tumble weeds.  Every time the camera photographed a coyote eating 10 seconds later there was a photo of him exiting (he must be camera shy) however he quickly returned.
As you can see I need to set the correct date and time in the camera.