Drove by there this morning to drop off my daughter. They had heat lamps on in the barn where the cows and animals all sleep. It only got down to 44 degrees, but it was enough to necessitate the heat lamps. Makes me wonder what they would do if it got to freezing temperatures?
Heat lamps were probably for the humans. 44 degrees won't change anything with cattle or any other 4 footed livestock that I know of, but might with poultry...
But, with extended periods of single digits (48 hrs or longer) and especially in snow and ice conditions, tails and hooves could freeze off. Not in great numbers but it's not uncommon either according to my internet friends in the North lands.
Heat lamps were probably for the humans. 44 degrees won't change anything with cattle or any other 4 footed livestock that I know of, but might with poultry...
But, with extended periods of single digits (48 hrs or longer) and especially in snow and ice conditions, tails and hooves could freeze off. Not in great numbers but it's not uncommon either according to my internet friends in the North lands.
There was no one in there when we drove by and saw them, and even though I don't know a lot about cattle... I kind of figured as you said that the livestock can certainly handle it. My guess is that this was probably a "teaching moment" to show the kids what you would need to do in a cold situation, since we rarely get weather this cold. This is the first time it's been in the 40s since fall / winter and they probably wanted to take advantage of it.
[This message has been edited by 82-T/A [At Work] (edited 11-29-2023).]
The Franklin FFA had an all you can eat pancake breakfast fund raiser at Off Road Maple today. The Jordan family have pancake breakfasts a few weekends a year after the syrup season is over. The recently built Maple Barn has a kitchen and dining area. It also has maple products and their angus beef for sale six days a week. The store is unmanned. You can just drop in, pick up what you want and leave cash or check in the box. Nice and simple - just the way I like it.
The new ag program seems to be doing well. They have 20 kids in it. Out of a total of 49 high school students that's a pretty high percentage.
Healthy, wholesome, grain fed, free range, generous hind quarters, well endowed. Yep, farm girls are the salvation of mankind ! ' Hey ! Mr. Is that a roll of dollars in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me ? ' ' Yes ma'am, I will be happy to clean out the stalls for you ! '
The Franklin FFA had an all you can eat pancake breakfast fund raiser at Off Road Maple today. The Jordan family have pancake breakfasts a few weekends a year after the syrup season is over. The recently built Maple Barn has a kitchen and dining area. It also has maple products and their angus beef for sale six days a week. The store is unmanned. You can just drop in, pick up what you want and leave cash or check in the box. Nice and simple - just the way I like it.
The new ag program seems to be doing well. They have 20 kids in it. Out of a total of 49 high school students that's a pretty high percentage.
I didn't know places like that still existed... e.g., that had "trust" like that within the community. I remember back in the 1980s when I lived in Richmond, VA... everyone left their doors unlocked, and people would let themselves into other people's homes just so that they could drop off an apple pie or something (something that always weirded out my mom that people would let themselves into her house and drop something off, haha).
But that's wild... but very cool.
I check out the animals and see what's going on every time I drive by (which is several times a week when I pick up my daughter). To this day, I've only seen one boy out there. But it's always... I mean ALWAYS girls. And they are usually dressed like in the Scarlett Johanssen video you just posted Valkrie... haha... I kind of think to msyelf. They're not getting dress-coded in class, but when they're out here with the cows, chickens, etc... they dress like that... I guess it's ok and the animals don't mind.
Shamrock (the younger white cow), seems to be getting a shower every other day, usually by a different kid. If he's not getting a shower with the garden hose, he's always sitting there with some teenage girl taking a selfie with him. This is probably the most-lived cow I think I've ever seen... these kids are constantly giving him hugs and taking selfies with him.
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: I didn't know places like that still existed... e.g., that had "trust" like that within the community. I remember back in the 1980s when I lived in Richmond, VA... everyone left their doors unlocked, and people would let themselves into other people's homes just so that they could drop off an apple pie or something (something that always weirded out my mom that people would let themselves into her house and drop something off, haha).
It's still pretty common here. Many farmers here plant 1 or 2 acres with sweet corn when they plant the field corn. Later in the summer there are many road side stands where you can buy ears of corn or other produce. Same deal - just leave money in the box.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:
I check out the animals and see what's going on every time I drive by (which is several times a week when I pick up my daughter). To this day, I've only seen one boy out there. But it's always... I mean ALWAYS girls. And they are usually dressed like in the Scarlett Johanssen video you just posted Valkrie... haha... I kind of think to msyelf. They're not getting dress-coded in class, but when they're out here with the cows, chickens, etc... they dress like that... I guess it's ok and the animals don't mind.
Ha Ha. My younger son went to an area state college for ag mechanics. His roommate (from a dairy farm in PA) said my son spent a lot of time at the equine barn (mostly girls and good looking too). He also said " It ain't no big deal to get girls here. All's ya gotta do is grab a feed bucket and these heifers will follow ya anywhere".
Marc
[This message has been edited by OldsFiero (edited 04-17-2024).]
Shamrock (the younger white cow), seems to be getting a shower every other day, usually by a different kid. If he's not getting a shower with the garden hose, he's always sitting there with some teenage girl taking a selfie with him.
In Canada (and as far as I know, the rest of the planet), cow's are generally of the female persuasion. Is there maybe a little more gender fluidity in the US?
quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:
This is probably the most-lived cow I think I've ever seen...
Are we talking number of years here... or perhaps number of genders?
We may need MJ to step in here to set the record straight.
'Cows' is catch all slang for cattle but most of us use 'pairs' when defining how many we have. 1 pair = a cow with calf by her side, but for purposes of determining stocking or carrying capacity of any given sized land area, 1 pair equals one cow/calf pair or 1 bull. cow=a female that has birthed and raised at least one calf already. Heifer=a female that has not yet birthed a calf but could already be pregnant. 'Open' = a female that is of breeding age but for whatever reason, is not pregnant. 'Steer' =male that has been castrated by any number of methods. Bull equals any male bovine with gonads still hangin. (some people, mostly in the NE US use a term "heiferette' meaning a female bovine that has had 1 calf and is already bred again, or a heifer that is bred but not yet given biirth. That term isn't often used in the South or Southwest US except maybe by little hobby backyard 'farmers'..I had never heard of it until a couple years ago on line) Then, there is Freemartin which is a defective female..defective as in having reduced or no internal reproductive organs and even parts of both sexes. Almost never happens in single birth but happens in about 50% of twin (or more) calves where at least 1 newborn is male and one is female.
And no, horns is not indicative of a bovine being a bull. Nowadays, in the US beef breeds anyway most bulls are polled (no horns)
Then, there is Freemartin which is a defective female..defective as in having reduced or no internal reproductive organs and even parts of both sexes. Almost never happens in single birth but happens in about 50% of twin (or more) calves where at least 1 newborn is male and one is female.
That's quite interesting, I had never heard of that term (or what it meant) previously.
Don, I knew you'd be a wealth of information on the topic!
