After a mild week in Louisville it is back to winter - sleet, freezing rain, cold wet wind and more snow coming.  At least some of the mountains of snow here last week melted down a bit.

With the change in the weather and going back down to zero or below this coming week  I was going to give the heifers and cows some grain for energy. However looking at them, their condition seemed pretty good. With the start of calving only about three weeks away, I don't want them on grain umless they need it.

I am a softy when the weather turns like this and set a partial bale out of the feeders on the ground for them. While unwrapping a fresh bale to put in a feeder I stopped to take a few pictures in the sacrifice area where all hay is fed. The good pack of manure in this sacrifice area should make real good compost.

Their condition looks pretty good for the winter we have had and being on hay and mineral only. Here are a couple pictures from late this afternoon. #91 and #3 are heifers due to have their first calf in the second half of March.

Some heifers have kept their condition better than others though. There are a few weaned heifer calves in the picture also. There must have been something different about the remains of the bale in the double feeder in the background. Some of the cows just would not be distracted from that one.

It was very nice to meet some of the stock talk regulars for the first time in Louisville last week. Thanks for stopping by. Lots of folks mentioned they enjoy seeing cattle pictures. These pictures are from late this afternoon. My cattle are just soaking wet from the freezing rain today and have dirty faces from having their heads in the hay feeders. But overall I am pleased with the way they are coming through the winter.

Jim at Dawn

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