that time of year...

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

We have been below average on temps (20's), but dry the last month. Last week ushered higher temps, and some solid and liquid precip. Now the pens are a mess, half frozen and half sloppy. Fast forward to yesterday and today; temps in the low 60's, again not usual for us. And now, a big cold front just hit! Literally! I was scraping out the barn (to prepare for this slush/rain cold spell coming), and on the first three trips it was warm enough for a light hoodie to be warm. Go back in to scoop more poop, and come out to at least a 30 degree difference (in just minutes!), with my breath visible! I got one more scoop full out and had to retreat to the house to thaw (remember, just a hoodie!). Now it is raining, windy with a temp of 21. Good thing I cleaned around the hay rings this morning before the vet got here!
Because of this crazy weather, I had to have the vet out. Lots of sick, coughing calves. One in particular was breathing like he just ran a race, with a temp of 104.8. Just Saturday we temped and treated! Ugh, hate these highs and lows this year. The good thing, the vet wrote me a scrip for Aureomycin to put in the feed of the show heifers (all barking coughs, like dogs), and put some creep out for the others with it.
My favorite season is fall, then spring. I dislike summer the most, but with a winter like we have had I might change my mind!

 

[Nesikep]

I don't like the in-between seasons much.

 

[True Grit Farms]

We had light snow last week which is almost unheard of, and temperatures in the high teens. It warmed up so Sunday we worked calves. Some of the bulls I cut aren't feeling very good and now it's raining and fixing on getting cold again Saturday. I guess we'll know what's happening by Monday. I'd like to feed them but I'm not getting out in this weather.

 

[jerry27150]

why would they be in pens or lots, that is good way to get them sick

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

why would they be in pens or lots, that is good way to get them sick

The pairs and heavy breds are in a 10 acre pasture, which I call a lot (or the sacrifice pasture), because that is what it looks like! We are on hay, out of grass. That is what we do every year, and it works. This gives them access to the barn to get out of the nasty weather.
The open heifers are in a big pasture, with hay.
Temps are 18, or 3 with the windchill. Remember, it was almost 60 (58) this morning when I went out. CRAZY!

 

[TCRanch]

why would they be in pens or lots, that is good way to get them sick

The pairs and heavy breds are in a 10 acre pasture, which I call a lot (or the sacrifice pasture), because that is what it looks like! We are on hay, out of grass. That is what we do every year, and it works. This gives them access to the barn to get out of the nasty weather.
The open heifers are in a big pasture, with hay.
Temps are 18, or 3 with the windchill. Remember, it was almost 60 (58) this morning when I went out. CRAZY!

Ditto! Ours pairs/breds still have access to as many acres as they want but there's no grass so they all stay in a centralized area by the bale rings/feed bunks and the barn is not far away for shelter. Plus it makes it easy to bring them down if they're close to calving. Same situation as yours with our open heifers. Same temps! On a positive note, it was so windy I didn't have to break ice in the pond :roll:

 

[Tbrake]

I know the feeling. 54 at 6:00 this morning, by 9:00 it was 26 and a 30mph wind. Had 4 baby's today, good ol weather change gets them every time.

 

[greybeard]

Been in the 60s for a few days then we got nearly 2" of rain this afternoon, then wind shifted and turned cold just as I was puttin hay out. Be in the 20s around dawn.
Cows are mostly hunkered down in a wooded area.