Bloat

We've only had a few cases of  bloat, but we sure know what it looks like when we see it!  This is River, yesterday, when she arrived at the vet's office.  Distended left side (sounds like a hollow watermelon when you tap on it) indicating a rumen filled with unexpelled gas. 

Our vet is simply the best, but he's not always going to be available when we need him.  Soooo, this time we used the experience as both a "fix" for River and a teaching moment for us.  That silver thing is called a Frick speculum.  It's going to be inserted into River's mouth to keep her from biting down. We don't want her to bite the rubber tubing and swallow bits of it - and - heaven forbid - make things worse.

The rubber tube gets a little bit of lubricant on the end to make it easier to swallow (whole!).

 

The tube is in ......  listening for escaping gas.........

Mixing some mineral oil (to defoam any froth in the rumen) with some water.  And yes, that is a stomach pump.

 

Mineral oil and water being pumped into her rumen

All the parts come out for a while so that the mineral oil can do the job

Back in again, whereupon huge amounts of not so sweet smelling gas comes boiling out of the tube

Presto (and the picture didn't come out)!  River was her svelte self again and appeared to immediately feel better.  She deflated very fast when Chris hit the pocket of air.

When we all got home, I ordered the speculum and some tubing for our house.  Stomach pumps can be improvised with a large syringe.  We could probably come up with something for the speculum as well, but we liked the smooth rounded edges - no further damage to our girls.

All in all, we learned a lot and we're so happy for a vet who is always willing to teach us how to help ourselves.  Thanks Dr. Harty.

Yes, I did shed a tear this time

It's a fact of life that steers are destined for the table - might be ours - might be someone else's.  I know this.  Really.

Unfortunately, I fell in love and that changed everything.  Raisin is a steer.  Raisin became my pet after he was born last year.  He grew and grew, but his sweet nature just got bigger too.  He literally followed me like a large overgrown dog.  How in the heck could I eat my pet? 

Well, I couldn't.  So we sold him to someone who will enjoy his sweetness as he teaches a lot of little steers how to behave.  Then he'll "do his job" as Chris calls it and grace someone else's table.

Bye, little Buddy.  I loved you best.

Oh, No, It Can't Really Be September

August disappeared in a fog and September isn't faring much better.....  We have a bit of a break now before our final show of the year (the N.I.L.E. in Billings, Montana) in October.  At this point, we are so far behind, we are going to need every minute to catch up on summer chores and begin getting ready for winter.  Two years ago, we had planned to drive to Billings to watch the Dexter show.  We ended up staying home due to a minor blizzard.  Oh yes, winter can arrive pretty darn early.

It was hotter than heck in Nebraska, but we sure do love the beef barn there.  It's spacious, well designed, and connected to the air-conditioned show arena (my favorite place this year!).  We earned our share of bling there and had a great time with all of the other Dexter folk. 

 

 

 

One of the things that stood out most in Nebraska was that the judge took time out during our show to complement the Dexter breeders on the camaraderie among our group.  The spirit of cooperation and helping each other is one of the aspects of Dexterdom that isn't often commented about, but it is always evident when we meet up with folks who enjoy Dexters!  The judge also commented on the absolute quality that Dexter breeders bring to the show ring.  Apparently that isn't always the norm within other breeds.

 

We were also thrilled that Rick Seydel choose to take his championship cow/calf pair to the Parade of Champions.  They were excellent representatives of our breed and deserved every minute of the spotlight!

 

 



In Utah, not quite so much bling (although Alan was the Reserve Champion Bull), but we sure like the traffic in the barn.  There's nothing more fun than watching a child pet a "cow" for the very first time.  Calli spends lots of our barn time introducing various members of the show team to the hundreds of children who walk through the barn.

Chris and Calli getting Alan ready to go for his bull calf class.  She worked non-stop with him to keep him properly set up in the ring (and they looked just perfect together).  He's still wearing his rope halter over his show halter in this picture.  Alan is a wondeful little carrier bull who drew every child into his circle of "special" this year.

This week has been one of cleaning up, cleaning out, a ranch afternoon with the vet and convincing our dogs that we won't be away so long next time!  As Dorothy says "there's no place like home!"  Glad to be here again! 

Just a minor delay for the month of August

Sorry for the length of time between posts!  We were getting ready to go here (the Wyoming State Fair), then we were there for several days, then we've spent the last week trying to catch up.  At the same time, we're getting ready to leave on Monday for the Nebraska State Fair, followed quickly by the Utah State Fair.  There will be sighs of relief all around when we finally get a break!

 Truly surprised to find all three of our junior heifers in the championship round.  One from each class.  Didn't plan for that - so we had to recruit Jared, Calli's dad to help.  Chris had his hands full with our "fainting calf" - really, she fell over regularly when something new surprised her!  The whole experience has turned her into a rock solid little showgirl now.......we hope...........  In any case, we couldn't lose in the above photo!   A Champion and Reserve Champion for the Moosters' girls.

Despite the heat and hurry, we tried to remember to smile at the judge every now and then!  Here's Tracy and Alan in the cow/calf class.  They behaved quite nicely for us!

And once again, we found ourselves competing against ourselves.  Dance Machine, our next year's herd sire (on the left) brought home the Champion Bull Rosette. 

We all waited patiently for the All Other Breeds Bull Championship so that Dance Machine could have his day in the sun with the big boys.  Unfortunately, we neglected to get a picture of little Mach lining up with the AOB bulls.  He and Calli did the Dexters proud!  What better way to feature our Dexters?  The judge was just wonderful.  Even though Mach didn't win, he definitely deserved to be there!

It continues to be a busy week.  Here is Chris giving Wild Child a pedicure.  No Cow Wash can be complete without a wash, clip, blow dry and a pedicure! 

We definitely enjoyed our first year at our very own State Fair and can't wait to go back again next year! 

Swing Dance

This little cutie is Moosters Swing Dance - a polled daughter of Brezes and 'Dance.  You can see her mom on the right side of the picture.  She is "For Sale" and is just beginning her halter work this weekend.  This is one of her baby pictures.

Swing Dance is parentage verified - a daughter of two tested parents - so she is PHA and chondrodysplasia free.  We can't say enough good things about her confirmation and gorgeous little face!  I want to keep her too!  Give us a call - 307-532-3450 or email us at moostersmeadows@aol.com if you are interested or need more information!

Since we are now ten days from the Wyoming State Fair, final grooming and practice begins in earnest.  Since it's much too hot in the afternoon, we work with the show crew in the early mornings (in fact, I should be outside right now).  We are grateful that our breed show rules prohibit any artificial grooming aids.  No adhesives or extra hair.  Just nice, clean and clipped Dexters.  What you see is what you get!

For Sale

These are two of the hardest words to speak at Moosters Meadows.  I know that we can't keep them all, although I wish it were possible.  So, we've been debating and making lists, then adding and subtracting from the lists...........  We think we are done, so I've started adding the "For Sales" to the web site. 

Since we have such a fine heifer crop this season, it's made the "For Sale" decisions even more difficult.  This is 'Dance's last season (his final Mooster babies will be in 2014), so we have been leaning heavily toward keeping more 'Dance babies -- and again, since we can't keep them all, it means that a few of our carefully chosen cows, along with a few very nice weanling heifers, are making the sale list.

So here goes.  I'll be posting on here and on the web site.  It's easier here and the photos are easier to add and for folks to see. 

This polled beauty is Legend Red Halo, who came to us a few years back from Oklahoma, although she was born in Texas.  A well traveled girl! 

 

All of her calves have had that same black nose and beautiful red coat.  She is not the top dog in the herd, but she's not the lowest on the totem pole either.  PHA and chondro free, she's been genotyped and is sire qualified.  Halo is not halter trained, but she is highly motivated by treats and will follow you pretty much anywhere for a handful of grain or a horse treat.  Very nice udder.

 

Give us a call or email if you'd like more pictures or more information. 

 

 

Up tomorrow:  Moosters Swing Dance





 

 



 

 

 

 

Absent

The month of July has totally disappeared.  Sorry for the lack of updates from the Moosters crew.  Things are still happening, but I've had the plague (okay, it was "just" shingles, but it was my version of the plague!).  Just a bit of a slowdown for a while......  So, back to our regularly scheduled programming:

Today was one of the best days of the summer.  Cool, a bit of a breeze, overcast.  Definitely the kind of day you want to have when you are preg testing!  The girls even cooperated and moved into the corral with little fuss.  That saves us so much time when they just walk right in!  Five hours later, 15 girls are preg checked, tail hairs were pulled where appropriate for testing purposes and four more calves weaned.  It's so nice to have our working facilities set up so that the process of working and sorting goes easily. 

Weaned four more heifers (two were done earlier in the week - they are already wearing halters and dragging lead ropes).  It's a very sad - and loud - time.

We fence wean.  In another few days, the mommas will just stop coming up to the corral and the bawling will stop.  Then the new weanlings will get their halters!

In another day or two, we'll be officially announcing the "who is for sale" this fall list.  All of the heifers are so outstanding this year that choosing our keepers has been difficult.  We're keeping a few and selling a few, plus we'll be selling a few adult cows as well.  Still a little uncertain on the hay situation this year even with all of the rain.  Prices haven't come down much from last year - unfortunately.

Calli will be showing next week at the Goshen County Fair.  Wyoming State Fair is not far behind.  We'll be taking entries for nine classes - 10 total animals, I think.  We hope for a great reception for our Dexters and look forward to next year when we move out of the "all other breeds" class and into our very own Dexter Class.  Then it's off to Nebraska, followed by Utah.  A few weeks break, then on to the N.I.L.E. in Billings, MT.  Still trying to decide if we are making the long journey immediately after Montana to the Missouri Dexter Breeders Show and Sale..............  The show kids all look great!