Smith Land and Cattle Co.
Claremore, Oklahoma
Journal January and February
Welcome to the CR Ranch Journal. Look here if you are interested in our month to month activities at Smith Land and Cattle Co. Thanks for stopping by - Carol
Copyright © 2007-2009 Smith Land and Cattle Co. All rights reserved.
Wow January is finished and we are moving into February. According to a groundhog we are going to have six more weeks of winter. I can but hope he is wrong. Heard this morning another groundhog in Georgia said spring is on the way! Guess that's where the weatherman gets his information too!
January overall was not a bad month considering weather was pretty great around here. Had some days that reminded us it was winter and some spring like days to throw you off. Then we got a the ice and a little snow, Mother Nature's way of saying, I'm here. We only lost electricity this time for about five hours, not hardly long enough to notice except for the chill in the air. Unfortunately those to the east and south of us got it as bad as we did last year and will be without for sometime.
We got the A. I. breeding completed and put the bulls out to come behind us and things slowed down as the weather started to drop. We got out vet building next to the chute ready to put tin up, so we are moving along on that project.
Had the grand girls for New Years eve so brought the new year in with popcorn and a movie and all three of them had a blast. I'll remember the saying Group Hug Group Hug for awhile.
Got one foal this month and he's a beauty. Won't get anymore until next month as they will come along with calves, towards the end of the month.
January News 2009
February has been an interesting month. The weather has gone from freezing to teasing us with some days close to seventy. We did receive some rain, but are still under a burn ban because of the wind. Have been trying to get ready for burn season getting stuff moved around and plowed. Couple of neighbors said they would like to burn this year and would make life a lot easier if we can all coordinate and lighter up.
Grass isn't up yet but calves are. I just love this time of year with all the new ones on the ground. Makes you believe spring is a coming.
Got another couple of foals this month. One was a bit of a surprise. Had the grand girls for Valentines eve and was going to get up early and take two mares that were getting close to the stud farm to foal out. Had it all planned out, got the girls fed as Ed had hooked up the trailer the afternoon before. I was supposed to take the mares then go to a meeting in Oklahoma City, then return that evening.
Imagine my surprise when I went to get the mares and there was a foal in the pen! She hadn't been born very long as she was wobbly and trying to get up and nurse. Called Ed then the vet. Give me a calf any day and I know what to do, but a foal and I'm lost. Vet said to move them inside then give the foal an enema. And they could give her plasma tomorrow as she still needed to go to the stud farm to be bred. Well I have never given a horse an enema so told him he needed to come do that. Not bad, I only got kicked once and she missed my kneecap. She was only a few hours old at this point, so if anyone tells you they don't know how to kick tell them, yeah right! Ed stayed at the house with the girls and all went well. We did wait a week and took them before the other one foaled. Had to make a few phone calls to let people know I wouldn't be bringing the mares and had to unhook the trailer but did finally get to leave. Chad had come by then to pick up his girls and he graciously picked up Sophie also so left Ed to pick up the house! What A guy!!
We weighed our yearling bulls we have had on a home feed test, high gainer was 5.75 ADG . Was very pleased overall with the results. Made our second round of cuts and sent some to the feeder for various reasons. Have kept the cream of the crop barring any major problems from them.
Got our vet building done, that we had been building next to the chute area. I am so excited, as now maybe can keep medicines and everything in one central location, instead of scattered between my house and Robbie's and the trucks. Will have to keep after everyone for awhile until we get used to having everything in one place.
We ultra sounded preg. checked some of the recips to help us know kind of what we have. I was pretty happy with the results. Got ten heifer calves and eight bulls. I had Sophie that day and the weather was decent so she got to hang out down at the barn with me once the vet got here. Gave her a bag of Cheerios for munching and other than the few she dropped on the ground and had to put in her mouth I thought it all went pretty well. When she got tired I just put her in the backseat of the pickup and bless her heart she went right to sleep without too much of a fuss.
Ed went on a pheasant hunting trip again. Says he had a blast. (No pun intended). They shot 307 birds out of 400 so we have pheasant in the freezer again. Look forward to cooking them, think we are going to try and grill a few this weekend.
The Angus sales have started again for the year and made it to Buffalo Ok., for those of you that don't know it's out in the western part of the state. Have a few more to attend then, in March will really pick up. Also coordinating and helping set up for the annual meeting for the OAA, then in May my tenure is up and life will settle back down again. That is as much as it ever really settles down on a ranch.
Still have semen testing for the pen of bulls that will be open in March and have six to get ready to sent back to the OBI sale March 26th held in Stillwater. So if you are in the area look for them. And be sure to check out the bull page to see the bulls offered private treaty. Til I see ya down the road.
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February News 2009
