Thoughts from the Middle of Nowhere

This just shows how Gov. Brian Schweitzer and the state's Democrats do not support the largest segment of the agricultural industry in Montana, cattle production. I guess the goal is to drive all cattle producers out of Montana if the weather doesn't do it first. For the record I am not a member or supporter of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, but an a member of the Montana Cattlemen's Association, so I am not part of what Gov. Brian Schweitzer believes to be some sinister, evil plot to block Stan Boone's nomination.

This also shows how vindictive Gov. Brian Schweitzer can be. Now he is going on a McCarthy style witch hunt against those Brand Inspectors who had the moral courage to oppose Boone's nomination. I guess freedom of speech isn't allowed in the Schweitzer administration.

Kill a man, and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men, and you are a conquerer. Kill everyone, and you are a god. Jean Rostand

It's been snowing all day yet again. I am really getting tired of this. The sun shone yesterday and reduced the amount of snow but I found that instead of it soaking into the ground the water is being held up in the snow. This just shows that the ground doesn't need any of this moisture for those of you who keep wanting to say, "we needed the moisture." All it's doing is costing me money, heartache, and ulcers.

I've been doctoring a few baby calves for the scours but not too many so that's good I guess. Have only lost two calves that I know of so far but I have two more so sick that I don't think they are going to make it. I am trying everything I know to try but they don't seem to be turning and getting better. I'm tired of looking at cold, wet, sick calves. I wish it would quit snowing and get nice again.

I know, this isn't what you would call a positive post but I'm not in a very positive mood right now. About the only positive I can see is that I am positive that it's never going to quit snowing and all the calves are going to die. How's that for positive?

I have a negative side toward the world because the world is self destruct. Sun Ra

My Darling Wife always tells me that bad things happen in packets of three. I'm waiting for the third one.

To start with the little lady, the last bum I found, died last night. It wasn't particularly surprised by this. I had fed it and doctored on it but I could not get it over the scours and she slowly slid down hill. So, one bad thing.

Then The hired man informed me he is moving on. He wants to finish the month out then he is on his way to Arkansas to set up mobile homes. We had been riding pretty hard the past couple of weeks and he said that the riding was a lot tougher than he thought and that is why he is quitting. I don't know but I have to take his word for it. I will keep him working until he leaves, what else can I do?

So now the search begins yet again for a hired man. Home early to make phone calls, get ads on the Job Service and generally work towards finding a new person. Awful short notice in a busy time of year so I will be short handed for a while. The other problem is that most people doing this kind of work probably all ready have work lined out for themselves this late in the spring season so finding someone will be tough.

Quick little pity party ahead so read at your own risk. Continue reading "Waiting For The Next Blow" »

Well, quite a day yesterday. Both Sunday and Monday I found a dead calf out on the cows in the morning, so yesterday I was pretty leery about going over to feed because I was afraid I would find another dead calf. Both the calves that died were so picked apart by the Bald Eagles that I could not determine why or how they died. It's depressing is all I know to find them dead like that. We got over to feed and it was looking pretty good. I didn't spot a dead one right away so thought I was in the clear. Then, from over the top of a hill here comes two bald eagles swooping down on a cow standing up on the hill by herself.

"Damn", I thought, "she must be standing over a dead calf there and she is protecting it." So we fed hay up that way to check the situation out. The eagles kept swooping at here and she would throw her head and chase them off every time. Even some magpies and crows were joining in attacking this cow. I knew for sure the calf was dead. When we got up there with the hay guess what? The calf was alive and the good momma had been valiantly protecting her baby. I was really surprised. I had never seen Bald Eagles attack cattle like that and was amazed. It makes me wonder if that is what happened to my other two calves. The eagles killed them. I got no proof one way or the other but I am keeping it in the back of my mind.

So what does this have to do with the title, "Two More Gathered?" Not a damn thing, just some thing interesting that happened. Also while we were feeding I noticed the other twin from the old cow I talked about the other day. I have had my eye on him ever since we pulled his brother and he hasn't been doing very well. I kept hoping his mother would come into her milk to feed him but she hasn't. I was worried if she would have enough milk for two babies, as it turns out she doesn't have enough for one baby. He was so thin that I decided I had to pull him and bring him in and put him on a bottle. Best thing I could do for him.

Then I found another calf on the feed ground who was starving to death slow but sure. I have no idea who his mom is or what the situation was but he was in poor condition. I threw an ear tag in him to identify him and left him until afternoon to see if he would mother up to a momma. When you have over 500 cows in a bunch it's hard to mother things up real easy. When we checked later in the afternoon we still couldn't mother him up and all he did was run around from cow to cow trying to get something to eat. The only thing I could do was grab him and bring him home and put him on a bottle. After having three sets of twins, there is an outside chance that this one is a twin that got separated form mom and she still has the other one. Judging by his size it wouldn't surprise me.

So that's the two more gathered. As you can see by the picture I now have three bum calves to take care of. It's a pain in the ass but it's best for the calves. Maybe we will get a mom like the other one I grafted, which by the way is a stunning success, she loves the little thing, but whatever happens, happens. I just hope there is no more mysterious dead calves like the two. I'm tired of that.

The day is always his, who works in it with serenity and great aims. Ralph Waldo Emerson