A New Corral?

So what is this thing?  Corral?  Puppy containment area?  Calf holder?  Armadillo cage?
Soil/grass test area?  Goat enclosure?  Grandchildren feeding enclosure? 
Check back and its mysteries will be revealed....

Update

We returned Ferdinand to his owner on Saturday.  He was very unhappy to leave and "the girls" seemed upset also.  Our fingers are crossed that Ferdinand has done what he was "hired" to do! 

We have reunited the mamas and babies and there were some heartwarming exchanges between them.  Unfortunately at cube feeding time the babies get pushed around and don't get their fair share. 

We attended the Texas A & M Beef Cattle Short Course this week.  Gosh there seemed to be more information than ever:  DNA screening, castrating, implants, etc., etc.  Also Peg has put the down payment on a cattle working system.  In theory it will making doing all of the above safer. 

As the "Dog Days Of Summer" wind down, we are hoping for rain.  So far this year we have received less than ten inches.  The tank is as low as it's ever been and the grass in the pastures is waning.  Some rain is forecast for this weekend, so we'll see. 

Zeek

Welcome Zeek! 

Zeek joined us after a brief stay with a nearby Lab rescue group.  He is very sweet and loving.  His estimated age is 1-3 years old.  He is potty and crate trained.  Walking on a leash is his one limitation.  We will get there!

Range Cubes

I have had several questions about what a range cube is so have provided a couple of pictures.  The cows and calves love them.  Given some of the things I've had to feed animals over the years, they aren't nasty at all.

Basically they are just giant rabbit pellets.

Weaning

Weaning our baby calves off their mamas has been and continues to be an adventure.  The babies get fed "creep" twice a day.  They all have clocks it seems and show up for meals on time.  After their meal, they are hand fed "cubes" which are like giant rabbit pellets.  They love them! 

The mamas are within sight view with a fence between them and the babies.  We survived the crying from both sides at separation. 

The babies had no trees/shade on their side of the fence so we bought a "Weaning Tent."  The first big winds we had, blew it down.

The repairs have been made and planning is in the works for something more substantial for the future.
We are three weeks out from the separation and the babies are doing well.  They have daily routines and say "Hi" to their mamas but are independent now from them.

The mamas are getting to "know" Ferdinand better.  We are hopeful he will be the "baby daddy" for next springs crop of babies.

We've Got Hay

In a partnership with locals, we've harvested our first hay crop.  It's not enough to sustain us (the girls) through the lean winter months, but it's a start.  With a little rain and some luck, we're hoping for another cutting before winter.

Slum Property

Three years ago I received a Purple Martin apartment complex for Christmas.  It took months to construct and get it installed.  Great care was given to height requirements, etc.  We had lots of lookers and fly overs, but no tenants.  This spring we had some major winds and the complex slipped down its pole to its current height of five feet.  What happened?  We had a couple of Martin couples move in!  All of the apartments must have been filled at the Martin Sun City.  Just goes to show they aren't as particular as we think.