We installed our 3rd 24' livestock water tank this week on the ranch.  It will hold 8400 gallons of water--this replaces 5 smaller old tanks that held a total of 6700 gallons of water.  However 2 of the old tanks were completely disintegrated and 2 others leaked quite badly inspite of our efforts to seal them.  So we only had about 2000 gallons of effective water storage at this mill.  Our rotational grazing system that we now practice requires running large groups of cattle for short periods of time in a pasture, so this increased water supply will allow us to get by when the wind doesn't blow for several days to pump water.

bulls to pasture

Tom and Blake (the one with the hat) are taking the bulls to the pasture where the cows are.  This timing will set the ranch up to start calving in mid April of 2012.  We did not have any problems getting the bulls to go to the pasture.

Prairie rats

The 100 plus acres that was destroyed by the rats the past few years finally was nearly restored this past year.  Alas I spoke to soon as they have invaded again, in another year this area will look as smooth and devoid of grass as a Walmart parking lot.  Once that happens the dirt will blow and horses will need to be careful not to break legs in the holes.  But aren't they cute.

many flowers

The above average amount of moisture the past 2 years has lead to incredable numbers of prairie wildflowers of many species in the pastures. This is 1 of 2 patches of wild Black-eyed Susans (10 acres each) on the ranch.

abundant grass

The ranch has had 13.5 inches of moisture in 2011, about 5 inches more than average for this time of year, June 28.  Consequently we have tremendous grass growth, lots of extra cow feed.  This is a seeded grass field, the native grasses are not this tall but doing very well also.  The native grasses i.e. Blue Grama and Buffalo Grass is shorter but more nutritious for the cow.  Since total ranch income is based on cow numbers and cow feed comprises 60 to 70% of the cost of ranching it would be nice to have another 100 cow or so.  But then weather would probably change and that would be too many for the ranch to sustain.   

last calf vaccinated

The 3 man ranch crew finished the spring calf processing today.  We did this in 5 pasture groups over the last month avoiding the hassle of organizing a 12 to 15 person crew to do it in 1 day.  The calf table allowed us to process 1 calf per minute without injury to calf or cowboy.  The calves received vaccines that protects them from 12 different diseases, they were identified with the "frying pan" ranch brand and steers were created.  All the calves need to do the rest of the summer is eat, sleep and play calf games.

All of this years calves have been born now and the work load should have been reduced;  not so; the unusually wet weather has added stress to the new born calves and they are experiencing an outbreak of scours (diarrhea).  Within a few hours a previously healthy calf can become too weak to stand due to the toxins from the bacteria that infect  them.  Oral electrolytes, antibiotics and an antiinflamatory has saved any that we find in time.  Sunshine has returned  the past couple of days so hopefully this problem will disappear.