Spring Check Ups

Last week the "Man of The Place" told me that it was time to work the cows. Now what he calls working the cows - I call their spring check up - cause its a lot like giving my cat's their annual check up

So last weekend and today we did our herds.

We round them up 

and will seperate the cows from their calfs 

so we can run them threw the chute. This is where we give them a good look and take notice of their overall health and if there anything that needs to be attended to.

Like this old girl who had  a back hoof that is growing oddly and  needed a pedicure.

You can see that her hoof is growing upward, forgive how gross looking it is. It does not hurt her now but it could become a problem and she could go lame.

It should look like the other back foot

Remove the odd hoof - or just a part - and off she went after she was dewormed and given her vaccines. We vaccinate to prevent sexual diseases and the prevention of birth defects. Thats it, keep them healthy and the calfs to come.

Also ear bling if needed. The "Man of the Place" knows each of the cows by site, but not me, so numbers are very helpful for me to identify who is who. Plus with record keeping too.

My father-in-law can still get out there at 84 and help work the cow.

And myself beside helping - I got to break in my new mud/poop boots.

When done with the girls they are united back with their babies.

And boy are they happy to see each other.