Equipment Utilization

[slowzuki]

I spent 2 hours weds night thawing out the pump and fuel filter on the diesel tank so I could take em apart to get teh water out. What a chore at -10 C! Ended up cutting the hose off so I could get fuel into a jug at least. Always small things to keep ya busy around farms.

 

[kensfarm]

"Now its work feeding calves on the bottle in the winter."

Amen to that.. this is my 2nd winter bottle feeding calves.. making and carrying two 5 gallon buckets of milk twice a day.. for every 10 days that pass.. I've carried 1 ton of feed on my shoulder to feed the big boys.

Sometimes I think.. I should be 21 doing this.. not 41.. but I count my blessings that I still have the strength and ability to work hard and live this life.

I'm raising 10 Guinies I got this fall.. they are my bug patrol for this coming growing season.. not nasty.. but they sure can be loud.

 

[HayDR]

Guinies are great. Some call them the farm alarm.

 

[Egon]

Why don't you let them drink out of a bucket. ?

Egon

 

[kensfarm]

I have tried the bucket method.. even have 8 buckets the same size.. bought a small cart from Northern Tool.. made a divider down the middle to hold the buckets in tight. The milk splashes out too much from the buckets transporting it in the cart.. so I still ended up carrying the full milk buckets by hand. The calves end up wearing the buckets on there head and getting so much manure & mud on them.. making cleaning them a big pain. They will also drink it too fast.. one of benefits of making them work for the milk out of a bottle is the silivia they produce.. helps them digest it.

The bucket method would probably work better if I penned the calf's individually.. but I raise & shelter them as a group.. give them access to a small field so they have room to run & play.