….we were working after dark last night and the last job was moving our herd bull, Jackpot, from his herd and back to the bull pasture.  We also wanted to get tail hairs to confirm a calf’s parentage.  The whole job was done smoothly, with only Duane Ard’s smart phone for a light. (and we only used that to confirm we’d gotten a good sample in the dark) There aren’t many bulls, not even Devon, that I would be comfortable pushing around in the dark.  But they don’t come any better behaved than Jackpot! Duane also grabbed a quick picture with that smart phone of a Thistle Hill evening sky.

….Rose Hill tech Jane Narrimore trims the nail of a young lady who had an abscess that needed cleaning up. The heifer moves into the cage…is tightly cinched to the side wall with wide leather straps…and then the whole assembly and heifer is tilted on its side.  The animal is given a mild sedative to calm its nerves. Wooz could have used something a bit stronger. We’ve done it in our own chute but without the tilt table, the job is more difficult and probably not quite as good.  The heifer was treated and back in her pasture in an hour.

….generally, we just give a “whoop” and our cows come running.  In fact, if they see the Gator they head to the nearest gate.  And on this side of the road, they get ready whenever the garage door opens. But this is certainly a more colorful way to summon the herd.  Wooz is already promising to take lessons. http://www.wimp.com/cows-didgeridoo/ Thanks to Cathy Cochran of Palmyra, Virginia, a fellow Devon breeder, for the link.

….well, not really.  But this group of heifers Wooz is checking out have their health exam completed and are now waiting for their export permit.  On the right is a bull from Lakota Ranch which will be sharing the trailer. Destination is Ontario, Canada and a farm owned by John and Connie Moelker.

….we’ve been trying to decide what to do with this old tree…victim of multiple lightning strikes over the years. Never occurred to us that it was a work-of-art, just standing there waiting for Emily Brezezinski, a sculptor of note who in recent year has been work with wood…..tree trunks, for instance.  With a chain saw! She happened to be driving by last fall….saw our most prized possession…and dropped by several times.  We knew we had her on visit three!  Recently, her crew came by….trimmed the excess….and carried it off.  We can’t wait to see the result. If you’d like to see Emilie’s work, go to  www.emiliebrezezinski.com.   If the name seems…

….the cows have the best view  Photo by Duane Ard.

….others look for the first robin….or first blade of grass.  A cattleman, of course, looks for the first calf.  And ours was born overnight to one of our Devon/Senepol dams….the proud papa (though he was a half-mile away in another pasture) was one of our TDA English bulls, Highwayman. Wooz had to go and tell the dad, of course, and swears he was looking very pleased with himself.  He’s got a son! Actually, we prefer our calves to be born in the fall, after the summer heat in Virginia.  This heifer mama lost her calf last year and we rebred her immediately to keep her from getting too fat.