As in several other recent posts, there is something especially satisfying about feeding the cows and calves in the winter.  Temps are forecast for single digits (F) to zero tonight so I put out a little extra hay this afternoon.  Good grass in a cradle feeder for the older cow group with the warm cab/heated seat track loader. Straight Hereford steer 114 came right up to say thank you I guess. 114 is the youngest/lightest steer from last spring but thinks he's a family pet.

My heifer and first calf group still had some good baleage left so I unrolled a bale of low quality grass hay. Never being able to get a bale to unroll from my Roundabout, I used Matt's suggestion and just rolled it downhill.  This was a big 5x6 bale so tried to aim it away from the cows who naturally had to come up the hill to see what I was doing.  I had visions of calling my vet and trying to explain a broken cow leg from rolling a bale into her...

The bale unrolled about halfway on its own, then a couple cows had great fun pushing it the rest of the way.  Plenty of good feed and places to lie down. All in all both groups look good and ready for the cold weather.  Still need to pull bulls from each group and lute the heifers 10 days after at weaning end of Dec.

(IMG006 Putting out hay for older cow group 120618 (full).jpg)

(IMG013 Hereford steer 114 comes up to say thanks for the hay 120618 (full).jpg)

(IMG015 Rolled out a lower quality bale for heifer group 120618 (full).jpg)

IMG006 Putting out hay for older cow group 120618 (full).jpg (100KB - 255 downloads)

IMG013 Hereford steer 114 comes up to say thanks for the hay 120618 (full).jpg (183KB - 245 downloads)

IMG015 Rolled out a lower quality bale for heifer group 120618 (full).jpg (114KB - 246 downloads)