A walk in the snow.

[Dylan Biggs]

Winter grazing conditions since all the snow the last few weeks have made it, IMO, time to bring the girls home. Been feeding them where they were for the last 2 weeks but it is a lot of traveling with the tractor and bale processor.

Cows waiting for the bale I had on, they didn't think there was any need to go for a walk. Had to send my dog Trixie back to get them coming.

Two and a half mile mark.

About the 4 mile mark.

Can see our destination on the horizon.

My dog Trixie is still bringing up the back, you can see that little black speck on the left.

Zoomed in to make sure I wasn't just seeing things.

Not a lot of daylight left.

Cows showing how I was trying to avoid the deep spots, came very close to being stuck more then once, lucky to actually make it.

Without front the wheel assist I would have had to trail them eleven and a half miles instead of about eight.

Third last gate going on to a road allowance, had to get off it though the snow was to deep.

Made it home just before dark, cows finally got that hay they were chasing.

Trixie made it also, about 8 miles and only one request to get them started, she took care of the drag the whole way and loved every minute of it.
Good dog!

Token sunset shot from a couple of weeks ago.

 

[SRBeef]

Wow. Great set of pictures. Dog deserves a good bone and warm spot by the fire tonight. Thank you for sharing. I have no idea why anyone with cattle especially would ever buy a tractor without front wheel assist.

Jim

 

[Dylan Biggs]

Wow. Great set of pictures. Dog deserves a good bone and warm spot by the fire tonight. Thank you for sharing. I have no idea why anyone with cattle especially would ever buy a tractor without front wheel assist.

Jim

Thanks Jim, yeah I was thinking today, chewing through some of those deep spots with front and rear diff lock engaged, about the old JD 70 we had as kids and having to chain it up when the snow got deep and how you could use your brakes to alternate which side was chewing. You would start rocking back and forth, actually more like side to side. Amazing how much snow a guy could get through really. But glad to have the tractor I do now though, for sure.

You are right she does, she is in the house as we speak. :cboy:

 

[jedstivers]

Sure is a lot of difference in our parts of the world. What kind of dog is she?

 

[Dylan Biggs]

Sure is a lot of difference in our parts of the world. What kind of dog is she?

Short haired Border Collie. Not purebred though, she might have a bit of some thing else in her though, don't know.
From her Roman nose and jaw almost looks like she may have some Staffordshire Terrier in her. Just a wild guess though. :tiphat:

 

[kenny thomas]

The cab is a little better than the old JD70 also. Great pictures and good looking cattle. Don't look like the winter has hurt them.
I can't imagine mine following me that far but we never have snow like that either. I don't even have to haul them that far to sell them.

 

[Dylan Biggs]

The cab is a little better than the old JD70 also.

Thanks, yeah the old canvas "heat houser" cover with the plastic 3 piece windshield and the steel floor, wasn't quite as comfy.

Man, my feet use to just freeze, I would be doing a steady dance just to keep a little blood flowing. :cboy:

 

[Roadapple]

Great pics and a nice looking set of cattle. Tough stroll for 8 miles in that snow. You did give your hand a nice steak for a job well done did'nt you? Where you located?

 

[Kingfisher]

You better give that dog a hug..........

 

[kenny thomas]

The cab is a little better than the old JD70 also.

Thanks, yeah the old canvas "heat houser" cover with the plastic 3 piece windshield and the steel floor, wasn't quite as comfy.

Man, my feet use to just freeze, I would be doing a steady dance just to keep a little blood flowing. :cboy:

Still have one of them stored away somewhere. Never use it since I got a cab tractor. Probably dry rotted by now.

 

[Dylan Biggs]

Great pics and a nice looking set of cattle. Tough stroll for 8 miles in that snow. You did give your hand a nice steak for a job well done did'nt you? Where you located?

Central Alberta about 250 miles north of Havre Mont., as the crow flies.

She got some trimmings off some great ribeyes, glad you enjoyed the pics.

 

[Roadapple]

Back in the late 70's and 80's I hauled produce into McDonalds[Safeway} in Calgary and Edmonton. Alway enjoyed the country and people. Some of the friendliest and most helpful people I ever met.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

The basic quality of those cows stand out in stark contrast in that snow! Beautiful genetics to show that kind of phenotype in that kind of weather. My arms are around the neck of that phenominal dog, Bless her heart! A dog like that is worth more than words can express. And I can hear her saying in that long shot picture, "I am bringing these guys as fast as I can, Daddy! Wait for me!"

Beautiful work.

DOC HARRIS

 

[hillsdown]

Dylan, I am definitely planning a trip to visit your ranch soon . Not only to see your GV influenced cattle but to see the ranch itself. There are not mnay ranches left in Alberta that have 16 connected quarters ..

 

[Dylan Biggs]

You would be welcome anytime HD.

 

[KNERSIE]

That is a great dog and cattle!

 

[Dylan Biggs]

Knersie, Trixie is coming along for sure, I have been blessed with a great dog before, "Cap the wonder dog", so called by my family, I have a standard to go by and she may make "great" yet. She is a big help for sure!

Appreciate the comments, the cows look better from a distance.

Some are in great shape considering, and some, especially the younger ones could have some more condition. I don't usually have close ups of the cows on my cull list, some of the cows I saw yesterday are making me wonder why they are not gone yet. Might regret it come calving. :???:

 

[Chris H]

Knersie, Trixie is coming along for sure, I have been blessed with a great dog before, "Cap the wonder dog", so called by my family, I have a standard to go by and she may make "great" yet. She is a big help for sure!

Appreciate the comments, the cows look better from a distance.

Some are in great shape considering, and some, especially the younger ones could have some more condition. I don't usually have close ups of the cows on my cull list, some of the cows I saw yesterday are making me wonder why they are not gone yet. Might regret it come calving. :???:

I think 8 miles is a little more than a 'walk' in the snow! What do you have, 3 - 5 more months before the grass is ready?

 

[KNERSIE]

Some are in great shape considering, and some, especially the younger ones could have some more condition. I don't usually have close ups of the cows on my cull list, some of the cows I saw yesterday are making me wonder why they are not gone yet. Might regret it come calving.

Call me stupid, but once I've made my mind up on a cow to cull her, I can't stand seeing her with the rest of the herd, more so the registered herd. Culled a great cow that lost an eye last week, I just couldn;t stand looking at her longer so I just weaned the calf by putting the cow on the trailer.

 

[Dylan Biggs]

I think 8 miles is a little more than a 'walk' in the snow! What do you have, 3 - 5 more months before the grass is ready?

We have enough stock piled grass that we can turn out once the snow clears off, as far as green grass not until mid May.

Never know how much stock piled to bank. At some point stock piled grass can turn into non-utilized grass when dormant season grass is not accessible due to to much snow. Standing litter is a good snow trap if nothing else though. At some point it needs to get back on the surface for litter cover. Drought reserve is always nice to have also, especially in this drought prone country.