Noses to the ground....

There's still some grass sticking up out of the snow so the cattle, sheep and horses still do some grazing, but with the cold days we've been having, the extra energy from hay and cake makes a big difference to everyone's bellies.  It's all noses to the ground when the feed gets spread out.

 (bucks)

 (a few herd bulls)

 (mature cows)

 (a few young cows)

 The ewes hear me honking and come out of their hiding place.

(Noses to the ground, it's time to eat)

In order to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep

one must above all be a sheep oneself.

~Albert Einstein

er to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep, one must above all be a sheep oneself.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/sheep.html#LVHiZGIACItSYTZZ.99

In order to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep, one must above all be a sheep oneself.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/sheep.html#LVHiZGIACItSYTZZ.99

Servicing cows...

  

These pretty Herefords are yearling heifers.  They have never had calves.  It's "that time" of the year when we turn in the bulls to service the cows.  I've always thought that "service" was an interesting term for breeding cows.  Actually, they call it natural service now because there is also a type of service that is artificial insemination.  We did AI (artificially inseminate) the heifers on June 2nd and then turned the bulls in with them after that.  A bull can service approximately 25 cows, so we turn out enough bulls with each group to make sure the cows get bred.  During this time we watch the bunches closely to check for injuries.  If a bull gets hurt, he's got to be replaced in the herd or we might come up with open cows in the fall when we pregnancy test.

 Say CHEEZE!

 This big fella loves his summer job. 

This is Easy 947W, one of our best herdsires.  Isn't he a beaut?  Soon we will begin AI-ing some of our mature cows, and then more bulls will go out to do their service!