2024 March Month in Review

I finally get all the sheep together for the first time. This is a great achievement. I build a sheep chute so I can handle the sheep every move. It is a complete disaster though.

The dogs keep coming home and chasing lambs. I need to solve this problem.

I lost another calf, but another one was born — #44. And then a young heifer gave birth to a calf that isn’t standing and passes.

I officially start the spring rotation on 3/12.

Friday 3/1

Greg Judy’s rule on keeping sheep in the wire is that the sheep shouldn’t leave if there is plenty of forage for them.

The dogs are escaping from the field. I need to keep them at the field rather than terrorizing our neighborhood.

Saturday 3/2

A bull got out, new calf, #4 (tag tore out) gave birth to #44, and Rammy is following me around.

Sunday 3/3

#42 is dying.

Monday 3/4

I was able to move the sheep successfully.

Tuesday 3/5

I finally got all the sheep together!

Wednesday 3/6

Thursday 3/7

Friday 3/8

We got some rain today. I’m almost ready to start rotating for spring.

Saturday 3/9

Is spring finally here? Also dogs were chasing a lamb. This is not good.

Sunday 3/10

The cows are at the southernmost part of the pasture.

I’m trying to train the dogs to stay away from the lambs. They hurt Rammy’s sister.

Monday 3/11

Now I’m trying a spray bottle to keep the dogs away from the lambs.

Tuesday 3/12

We are officially starting the spring rotation. I’m moving all the cows back to the northernmost part of my pasture.

Wednesday 3/13

I’m having doubts about whether I started the rotation too early. If I had more hay, I’d keep them on hay for a few more weeks at least.

The sheep chute is a failure. I need better fencing leading to the chute — solid fencing! The sheep really don’t like new things and they certainly don’t like confined spaces.

Thursday 3/14

My new plan is to put up more wires in the cattle pen so it can handle sheep too. The weather is supposed to be really bad today.

Friday 3/15

Saturday 3/16

A calf got her head stuck in a nesting box so we had to rope her. New row! We got 1.5″ of rain so far.

Sunday 3/17

I got a new calf but he is not doing well. The young heifer gave birth to #45. He is not standing and not nursing. We fed her colostrum but it had no effect.

Monday 3/18

Tuesday 3/19

Yellow’s new calf likes to hide in the grass. She’s very good at it.

Wednesday 3/20

Thursday 3/21

Rammy is going to stay at the field full time now.

Friday 3/22

Saturday 3/23

Sunday 3/24

The puppies will no longer bother the lambs anymore.

Monday 3/25

It was raining so we brought Rammy home.

Tuesday 3/26

Wednesday 3/27

Reinforcing the cattle pen with woven wire so that the sheep will stay in the pen when I put them in there.

Thursday 3/28

I’m seeing Yellow Dung Flies and dock. Both are very good signs.

Friday 3/29

Saturday 3/30

Sunday 3/31