30 days, 41 birth events with 23 yet to happen, 3 sets of twins, 5 extensive seek-and-find missions through tall-grass pastures and brushy thick timber…
It’s calving season at the Hilbert Farm!
Plus, an overnight six-inch gully-washer rain storm that did, indeed, gully-wash our little No-Name Creek, upending a 1,400-gallon stock tank full of water and launching it on a float trip downstream.
It’s calving season at the Hilbert Farm!
Plus, an overnight six-inch gully-washer rain storm that did, indeed, gully-wash our little No-Name Creek, upending a 1,400-gallon stock tank full of water and launching it on a float trip downstream.
Calving Update
Although we haven’t experienced any epic adventures yet, the second birth of the season was a set of twins. Mama 72 let both calves nurse but if she walked away, one went with her and she left a sleeping calf behind. We had several days of 90+ degree temperatures and a new born calf left out in the sun can quickly dehydrate. The solution: a few days of coerced family bonding in the corral with access to the barn.
Bill loaded the twins into the back of the pickup topper and slowly headed for the barn. He did his bawling calf impression and Mama 72 followed along behind the truck, even passing us a couple of times!
A few days spent in a limited space with access to shade gave the family time to bond and allowed the twins to grow strong enough to find Mama at mealtime, when necessary. The new family wasn’t particularly cooperative for family pictures so I couldn’t get everyone together.
Bill loaded the twins into the back of the pickup topper and slowly headed for the barn. He did his bawling calf impression and Mama 72 followed along behind the truck, even passing us a couple of times!
A few days spent in a limited space with access to shade gave the family time to bond and allowed the twins to grow strong enough to find Mama at mealtime, when necessary. The new family wasn’t particularly cooperative for family pictures so I couldn’t get everyone together.
Ten days later, we had another set of twins. Same scenario, same solution: Another family excursion from pasture to corral. But this time, one twin was with Mama 562A and one was sleeping a distance away. Bill loaded the twin that was with Mama onto the tailgate of the truck and held it while I drove slowly to the barn. He put them in the corral and we went back for the other twin. Again, a few days of quality family time did the trick. Another family doesn’t care for the photo session.
Both sets of twins consisted of a bull and a heifer. We named the first set Freddie and Flossie, recycling Bobsey Twin names used a few years ago. The second set we named Linus and Lucy, from the Peanuts comic strip. Even though the cartoon brother and sister aren’t twins, we liked the names!
A couple of weeks later, we had a third set of twins—unprecedented in our herd—born during the night, another bull-and-heifer combo. Sadly, the bull didn’t survive. As I said above, we still have 23 cows left to calve.
A couple of weeks later, we had a third set of twins—unprecedented in our herd—born during the night, another bull-and-heifer combo. Sadly, the bull didn’t survive. As I said above, we still have 23 cows left to calve.
Stock Tank Float Trip
What a wild ride! At least it would have been if, indeed, I'd been along for the ride. I almost wish I had just to see how it all happened! What we know: On the evening of August 30th, our 1,400 gallon fiberglass stock watering tank in the timber pasture was in its place and full. The next morning, after a 6-inch torrential rain storm accompanied by wind, Bill found the tank upended downstream in the creek on a pile of trees, limbs and assorted debris swept along by the deluge.
As to why we have a stock watering tank in a flood zone near a creek: First, No-Name Creek probably doesn’t qualify as a creek. It’s a drainage ditch for runoff and it meanders for several miles through our neighborhood. It’s nearly dry most of the time unless we have a wet spring and summer.
Second, we experienced a drought during the summer of 2012 when our three ponds dried up as did some ponds in pastures we rented. We had one well with a good water supply and Bill hauled from it to our pastures and the rented pastures. But under those conditions, it couldn’t keep up with the need.
Bill spent the winter researching and contracting to have two additional wells dug on our place. The wells were drilled, one in the pasture near the original well; and one in the adjacent timber pasture near the creek, which was where the water witcher found the best vein.
Water Witching 101 – Also called “dowsing,” and referred to as a “pseudoscience,” this practice also has a technical name, rhabdomancy. The “witcher” holds a Y-shaped branch or two metal rods while walking around an area until he feels a pull on the branch or rods. The pull indicates there is a vein of water below. The water witcher Bill contracted with was accurate in his findings. But there are doubters about the reliability of this practice, hence the “pseudoscience” reference.
The original well had electrical power which was extended to the well drilled near it. A trench was dug and pipe run to the pasture next to this one so the new well supplied two new fiberglass tanks in separate pastures. The well near the creek was too far away to run an electrical line so Bill researched and bought a solar panel to power that pump. Now our cattle have cool, clean water to drink. During a drought, even if the pond doesn’t totally dry up, the level gets so low the water becomes pretty nasty because the cattle stand in it and don’t bother to wade to the bank to relieve themselves! Low water level is also hazardous if a cow or calf gets stuck in the mud. We nearly lost a calf this way. Luckily, Bill found it just in time.
Here is a picture of the solar-powered tank when it was new.
As to why we have a stock watering tank in a flood zone near a creek: First, No-Name Creek probably doesn’t qualify as a creek. It’s a drainage ditch for runoff and it meanders for several miles through our neighborhood. It’s nearly dry most of the time unless we have a wet spring and summer.
Second, we experienced a drought during the summer of 2012 when our three ponds dried up as did some ponds in pastures we rented. We had one well with a good water supply and Bill hauled from it to our pastures and the rented pastures. But under those conditions, it couldn’t keep up with the need.
Bill spent the winter researching and contracting to have two additional wells dug on our place. The wells were drilled, one in the pasture near the original well; and one in the adjacent timber pasture near the creek, which was where the water witcher found the best vein.
Water Witching 101 – Also called “dowsing,” and referred to as a “pseudoscience,” this practice also has a technical name, rhabdomancy. The “witcher” holds a Y-shaped branch or two metal rods while walking around an area until he feels a pull on the branch or rods. The pull indicates there is a vein of water below. The water witcher Bill contracted with was accurate in his findings. But there are doubters about the reliability of this practice, hence the “pseudoscience” reference.
The original well had electrical power which was extended to the well drilled near it. A trench was dug and pipe run to the pasture next to this one so the new well supplied two new fiberglass tanks in separate pastures. The well near the creek was too far away to run an electrical line so Bill researched and bought a solar panel to power that pump. Now our cattle have cool, clean water to drink. During a drought, even if the pond doesn’t totally dry up, the level gets so low the water becomes pretty nasty because the cattle stand in it and don’t bother to wade to the bank to relieve themselves! Low water level is also hazardous if a cow or calf gets stuck in the mud. We nearly lost a calf this way. Luckily, Bill found it just in time.
Here is a picture of the solar-powered tank when it was new.
Here is what Bill found—or didn’t find, namely the tank—the morning after the deluge. The creek is behind the tank area.
The next picture shows a flat area beyond the now-absent tank that was completely covered with flood water. No-Name Creek is beyond the left side of the picture. The steel tank in the middle of the picture leaks and is not used for water. It was upside down and stayed docked in place.
No-Name Creek has flooded previously but not to this extent. Completely full—which hardly ever happens—the creek is only about 10 to 14 feet deep on our property. Apparently, with so much rain coming down so hard the water rushed not only over the bank, but rose to about two to three feet over flood stage. When the water and debris reached the full fiberglass tank, the tank was upended and floated to the surface to be launched on a wild ride downstream. It finally hit a pile of trees and limbs which blocked anymore downstream progress and lodged there. This picture was taken from the creek bank by the water. I almost got stuck in the soft mud/sand mixture!
This is a shot taken above the marooned tank. Notice the tractor tire, part of the debris.
A shot taken of the underside of the tank from downstream.
Luckily, none of the solar power apparatus or the fill pipe was damaged. The overflow pipe was ripped out of the tank and required minor repair. The fence Bill had constructed around the solar equipment to prevent cattle from messing with it was caved in by debris on one side. Bill cleared out enough of the debris to reset the fence panel and wire it in place.
Bill had a spare fiberglass tank he set up in place of the dislodged one. He made a hole for the overflow pipe, sealed it in place, turned on the switch to fill the tank and was back in business.
The float trip tank appears to be undamaged except for a small chunk missing from the top rim. It’s still hung up on the pile of debris in the creek and will probably stay there for a while. Retrieving the tank will require heavy equipment and accessing the pasture on the opposite side of the creek through a cornfield. That won’t happen until after harvest.
As I finish this post, another major rain/wind storm is headed our direction and expected to arrive during the evening. The rainfall prediction: five to six inches. YIKES!
Note from the next morning: Luckily for us, the major storm didn’t happen. We received about 0.60 of an inch of rain.
Bill had a spare fiberglass tank he set up in place of the dislodged one. He made a hole for the overflow pipe, sealed it in place, turned on the switch to fill the tank and was back in business.
The float trip tank appears to be undamaged except for a small chunk missing from the top rim. It’s still hung up on the pile of debris in the creek and will probably stay there for a while. Retrieving the tank will require heavy equipment and accessing the pasture on the opposite side of the creek through a cornfield. That won’t happen until after harvest.
As I finish this post, another major rain/wind storm is headed our direction and expected to arrive during the evening. The rainfall prediction: five to six inches. YIKES!
Note from the next morning: Luckily for us, the major storm didn’t happen. We received about 0.60 of an inch of rain.
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