3 out of 4 Sons say the CRUD SUCKS!!!! LOL

Well I seem over the flu/crud just weaker than heck. Well you how that goes. Got called later last night that two more of the boys where sick with whatever you want to call this stuff.

So That left my oldest son and I as the only two feed guys today. Our backups are either sick or busy at other places.

So that left he and I seven different places to do the feeding on. So I started out at just before 4 am to see which cattle would need feed first. Then he and I talked at about 6 AM about how we would split up the places. He had his home chores about half done and I had one farm done at that time.

My Oldest Grand daughter took off work at noon and came out from Cedar Rapids and helped us after lunch. THANK THE LORD FOR THAT!!!

The Daughters-in-laws kept us all fed. Treats included. LOL I am not sure if the cattle where the only ones on "FULL FEED" today.

Finally got done just after 7 PM. It been a while since I have done that much work. I know I an tuckered out but my mind is going ninety miles an hour. SO I need to worry you fellas a while before I call it a day. LOL

Here is some interesting things:

1) Between all the farms we feed over 125 tons of TMR feed today. That is corn, corn silage, hay ledge, ground dry hay, and supplements combined.

2) Used 50 bales of corn stalks to bed with.

3) Fed 25 round bales of dry hay to the cows, calves and heifers. ( The bedding and dry hay double in snowy/colder weather)

4) Checked 46 automatic waterers.

5) Opened and closed 78 gates.

6) Used 9 different tractors

We tried to think of anything else that we could count. LOL

My wife made a BIG pot of home made vegetable beef soup. So the three "feed guys/gal" ate together this evening. Visited a bit and then they took off for their homes.

Truthfully a very fulfilling day!!!!

Hope tomorrow is a better day, you need it!!

Hope ya,all get to feeling better.

Sounds like you had full day. Steve

It's going around, and not just in your area.

So many kids are out sick at the local high school there's talk tomorrow evening's Christmas concert may be postponed.

My Wife Son and I have been sick the whole weekend I went back to work yesterday and boy is headed to school today.
Ron

I came down with a head cold a coupla days ago, but I'd run out of vitamin c so I got some of those gel 250 mg's. Had her knocked out in 24 hours by taking 500 mgs an hour. (except when sleeping). That surprised me!

1) Between all the farms we feed over 125 tons of TMR feed today. That is corn, corn silage, hay ledge, ground dry hay, and supplements combined.

2) Used 50 bales of corn stalks to bed with.

3) Fed 25 round bales of dry hay to the cows, calves and heifers. ( The bedding and dry hay double in snowy/colder weather)

4) Checked 46 automatic waterers.

5) Opened and closed 78 gates.

6) Used 9 different tractors

We tried to think of anything else that we could count. LOL

Truthfully a very fulfilling day!!!!

Click to expand...

WOW, you really put the hurt on that chore list. LOL - must be one of those RICH farmers making tons of money, right? (sarcasm)
My company doesn't, but many will provide paid "sick days" for employees. Not quite the same scenerio on your farm, eh?
Good job JD - well done!

Opening and closing 78 gates means getting on and off the tractor at least 156 times if there is no one to do the gates for you. Only 78 times if there are two of you on tractors. And you are a couple years older than me! Then there is getting on and off the tractor to load the silage wagon. My legs ache just thinking about it.

JD, how many cattle is that feeding, other than A LOT? lol. What a operation. Makes our 50 head cow/calf herd and 50 head feedlot seem a toy! I know what it takes for us to keep ours taken care of (we all work off the farm jobs) what a tremendous amount of work.

And I'll bet son #4 is not too wild about it right about now, either!

Might have to press a couple more granddaughters into service, too, if only to jump off the tractor and open and close the gates. I remember "helping" dad feed when I was a lad, and that was my primary job.

There is a TV commercial where the dad is poking his head in the baby's room, baby in crib, and he dad saying he was sick and needed the day off.

They they tell how dads can't take a day off.

Well, dads can get a day off easier than a cattle man or dairy man. (or woman, gotta be PC)

Gene

Sounds similar to when i worked at the seed plant, got a bad cough, started taking the syrup. after the first day I got fed up remembering to take it. It was one of those non drowsy deals. Took the top off chugged half the bottle, coughed up some stuff for about 5 hours. Cough was done and gone the next day! I got lucky I guess but would not recommend the overdose tactics to anybody else!
Regards Robert

It all sounds doable except I don't envy you checking/cleaning 46 automatic watered in freezing weather!! What a miserable job.. And back in the day, I only had 5 to take care of!! Cmore

It is actually four separate operations. Well 5-6 if you sort out my cows.

My oldest son has his own setup. We usually just help each other when sorting/working cattle.

My Next son has his own cows and is in halves with a friend (Steve on feeder cattle)

My youngest two sons are on the home place they have feeder cattle there and on two rented farms.

Then the youngest and I jointly own another set of 30 brood cows. He is working for total owner ship.

Then there is my brood cows and replacement heifers. Plus I have two lots of feeder cattle right now.