Baymule’s Farm

[baymule]

Prices at auction were terrible, lowest I’ve ever seen. My lambs were scrubby culls, I’ll freely admit. There weren’t really any nice sheep except for a load of blackface sheep that didn’t sell well either. The lady “no sale” 2 of hers and took them back home. Goats were ridiculously low. Most of them were scrubs too but there were a few nice ones. One lady “no sale” a few of hers also and took them back home.

This time of year, lambs and kids are plentiful and prices are low, but these prices were lousy. Throw in that it is predominantly a cattle auction and that practically none of the sheep or goats were good quality and I see why prices were so low. At least my culls are gone and off the feed bill.

My friend had so much fun. She had never been to a livestock auction, everything was exciting to her. We walked the catwalk above the holding pens, looked at all the cattle and watched unloading the animals. She was amazed at how many there were and all the different breeds. After the sheep and goat sale was over, we watched the cattle until 20 minutes till noon, then we went to the cafe for cheeseburger and fries.

 

[flowerbug]

does "no sale" mean that the owner refuses a low bid or was it that there were no bids at all?

sorry the prices were poor.

 

[baymule]

does "no sale" mean that the owner refuses a low bid or was it that there were no bids at all?

sorry the prices were poor.

It means the owner/seller refuses the price offered and will not sell it. Usually that is done by the seller setting a reserve, meaning a price that they want, or higher. This person did not set a reserve price and just told the auctioneer that she would not accept the lower price. .

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

@baymule from our post ..,it sounds like you have a way busier day just for one person. It’s a lot when caring for animals when they depend on you.
Good Luck

 

[baymule]

Yesterday I ran the ewes through the chute. This group are the ones who lambed this spring and got hit so hard by parasites. I took fecal samples on most of them. I’ll examine the samples under the microscope this afternoon. Somebody has tapeworms, I saw them in poop droppings in the lot, so I wormed them all for tapeworms. I hate tapeworms. I treat them again in 10 days.

I need to trim feet on some of them. I wish I had a better way to do that. I have to bend over, grab a foot, push sheep against the side of the chute, while they kick and struggle, trim hoof while they fight. I usually have a lot of bruises from that fun exercise. Did I mention that most of them weigh more than I do? LOL

I’ve got to get this group in shape and ready for the breeding pens. I’m dividing them, 13 ewes, between 3 rams. And I need to take 13 ewes out of breeding pens, run them through the chute, take fecal samples to see who needs treatment for worms. Trim feet where needed.

I kept 7 of the ewe lambs from the spring batch that were so decimated by parasites. These 7 not only survived, but they look good so I’ll see how they grow out. They got wormed yesterday too. I did not take fecal samples, they are too young and still too small. If I suspect a heavy load of parasites on young lambs, I just have to hang around and wait for them to poop. Pick up quickly with a gloved hand, turn inside out and write name on glove.

I washed out the trailer yesterday, scraped the boards and cleaned the spaces between the boards. I even sprayed the chunks of dried mud clinging to the truck. Then I dropped the trailer, chocked the wheels and parked the truck.

I came inside around 1PM, soaking wet with sweat and took a shower. After I fed and watered yesterday evening I had to take another shower. LOL

This morning I’m going to go get feed, I get 20 bags at a time, 50 pounds each. I unload and put the feed in metal trash cans with lids to keep rats out. I take my big black dog, Carson. He adores truck rides and especially loves going to the feed store where he thinks everyone should be his best friend. I keep the back seat folded up, metal tray pulled out and a blanket over that for Carson. He takes up the whole back seat.

And I need to mow the yard. It’s a jungle. And I need to put the clamp on pallet forks on the front end bucket and set a round bale of hay.

Another hot day, but cooler than yesterday. It’s 77F now, high of 95F today and 78% humidity. Yesterday it was 98% humidity.

 

[digitS']

Bay, I probably told you this before but I had a 2-day job working for a state vet when I was 13. Dad and I went with him to a large sheep ranch in NE Oregon. We then went on to ID, my first visit there – we wanted to look at some property in the community where Mom's side of the family had lived on their arrival in the Wild West in the 19th century. Mom and I made a separate trip to ID a short time later since she wasn't along for this one.

We were at the sheep ranch to check for hoof and mouth disease. It required trimming hooves and we would stand the sheep up on their rears, holding them between our legs. With the adults, it soon became too much of a job for a 13 year old. As I tired, I was delegated to mark them with chalk as we checked each. It was a relief to finish in just 2 days and travel on ...

We traveled on and crossed the Snake River. The property was near the Lolo Pass so we had a look at that – from the opposite direction that Lewis, Clark and Sacagawea first saw it, oh, 1 or 2 years before .

Steve

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

Bay Cutting feet is a tough job. I wonder if there is a grooming hammock for trimming feet like for dogs?
Or place a snap lead then tie to both sides right and left from each lead rope to post.

 

[baymule]

Bay Cutting feet is a tough job. I wonder if there is a grooming hammock for trimming feet like for dogs?
Or place a snap lead then tie to both sides right and left from each lead rope to post.

I run them up in a short section of the chute, bend over , grab a foot and the fight is on!

I have a sheep chair, it’s a sling type thing. You back up the sheep to the chair and tip them in it. They are supposed become immobile. My sheep neglected to read the directions, they spring right up and run. I haven’t trimmed a hoof in that darn thing yet.

 

[baymule]

I have a long list of things to do. It’s going to keep me busy for awhile. Yesterday I ran the ewes from the front field in the chute and sorted out 5 more for Cooper. He immediately bred Nora. He’s limping this morning, probably twisted his leg or shoulder. He breeds a ewe 20-30 times. It’s not surprising that he would hurt himself. He makes WHOOPEE until his tongue is hanging out, gasping for breath.


I mowed in front yard, several strips, raked up grass and gave it to sheep. Then I put pallet forks on the bucket, that’s always a waste of energy. They won’t tighten down, no matter what I do. I had 14 plastic syrup lick tube I tried to have a garden in, a dismal failure. I did, however, grow some bodacious weeds, both in and between the tubs. What an eyesore. I thought maybe I could slide the forks under the tubs to lift them up. Nope. They slid apart like a V. So I eased up to the tubs, laid forks on the ground, got off tractor and wrassled a tub up in the forks and pushed it up against the back of the forks. Got back on the tractor, went to a spot to dump the dirt out, lowered the forks, got off tractor, pushed tub off forks, dumped dirt, put empty tub back on forks and took it to the faucet to be washed out. Rinse, repeat. Thought I got them all, but sitting in my recliner yesterday evening, I saw another one nestled up against the fence, so, one more. The dumped out dirt Looks like large compost cupcakes. Dont eat ‘em.

A giant ragweed. At least I grew something.

I mowed Carolina horse nettle in the front field, there are patches of it. I hate that stuff. Mowed some goat weed too.

I came in at 12:30, soaking wet and cooled off, ate lunch and started painting. When I bought this place I spent weeks covering the entire floor with plastic, taped off door knobs, took electric face plates off, taped the outlets, taped off windows and covered with plastic, took down all that crappy mobile home trim, covered and taped off bathroom fixtures, stove, refrigerator, kitchen cabinets, took down window blinds, basically covered everything I didn’t want paint on. Sprayed walls and ceilings with Kilz, sprayed ceiling with white paint. Then taped, floated, textured sheet rock, painted. By that time I was getting anxious to get moved in. I didn’t cut in the top and bottom part of the walls in the living- dining- kitchen area, figuring I’d put up some pretty trim and that would cover it up. It’s been 2 years…… I have not put up fancy I’m or any trim for that matter. Not going to any time soon. My money is still being spent on outside work. I have my priorities straight!

But I finally want to hang up some pictures. I have way too many, been bringing some over from son’s house, opening boxes, picking out what I want. Even I have to admit the walls look pretty tacky with that unpainted strip top and bottom. So yesterday afternoon I got furniture moved and paper taped to the floor and got 2 walls done in the living room. I had to mud a corner where the tape showed. It’s dry now, I’ll paint again this afternoon.

Back outside this morning for more yard work. It’s all grown up and looks terrible.

 

[SPedigrees]

…… I have not put up fancy I’m or any trim for that matter. Not going to any time soon. My money is still being spent on outside work. I have my priorities straight!

But I finally want to hang up some pictures. I have way too many, been bringing some over from son’s house, opening boxes, picking out what I want.

Back outside this morning for more yard work. It’s all grown up and looks terrible.

Ah the conflict between inside and outside work, I've been struggling with it this summer.

As far as pictures go, I have not one inch of wall space left anywhere in the house. One can never have too many pictures! My home is like a cross between a cluttered antique shop and a natural history museum, and I like it that way. It makes cleaning difficult, so everything is usually adorned with a layer of dust.

My property too is grown up and needs trimming badly. Jungle growth takes over in late summer and, while I hate winter, it's always a relief when fall comes and outdoor tasks start to diminish. The amount of work you do makes me exhausted just to think of it.