Theileria, As If Lyme Disease Wasn't Enough

I went for what started as a nice foggy morning ride on Otoelene yesterday.  

She was calm, the temperature was nice, the sun wasn't blazing. 

I hadn't ridden across the creek in a long time and the cattle were over there so I thought I would go check on them.  

Instead of being out grazing, they were all in and around a stagnate pond.

In case you can't tell, they are covered in tick.  We now have the Asian longhorned tick.  A couple of months ago, we had 3 sick cows, 2 died and 1 is still trying to recover.  When the first one got sick I thought it was rabies because of the unusual behavior.  She died in 4 days.  When the second one got sick and died a large animal vet I work with suggested testing for Theileria.  J roped the 3rd one (currently recovering) and I got a blood sample to send off.  It came back positive. 

It is a blood parasite that causes anemia and death in some cattle during times of stress (such as calving).  There really isn't much of a treatment or prevention other than trying to control the ticks which is pretty much impossible.  

Fortunately, humans are not at risk of the disease.  On my way back to the creek from checking the cattle, Otoelene became so agitated that I had to get off before she exploded.  I tied to get a picture of all of the ticks swarming her but hanging on to her was like hanging onto a kite.  But this is what my legs looked like after just a few steps. 

When I got back to the barn, I sprayed myself with fly spray, washed and sprayed Otoelene, then came to the house to take a shower and wash my clothes.  You can see the whelps that broke out on Otoelene's chest. I don't think I will be riding over there again for awhile.  I really hate ticks. 
 

Yard Waste Not Wasted

We have a couple of River Birch trees in the yard that need limbing up every year so I can mow under them.  

This created a good pile of brush. 

As I was dragging it to the truck to haul off,  I noticed the goats nearby and thought I would give them a treat. 

They all came running.

And wadding in the leaves as fast as they could.  I like when things don't go to waste.     But on a sad note...

I saw this on Facebook a couple of days ago.   A farm in Idaho lost 39 goats to Japanese Yew poisoning.   It was miss identified as juniper and thrown over the fence to the goats.  Japanese Yew is very poisonous and it only takes a few bites to kill an animal.   That is why I have made a point to not plant any in the yard, ever.  I didn't even want to risk something getting in the yard and eating it by accident.    What a tragedy.  
 

Just Kit Sunday #169

Kit Kat's children's book, chapter two.

Kit Kat in the box. 

Kit Kat on the box. 

Kit Kat behind the box. 

Kit Kat beside the box. 
 

Coupon Saturday #57

I am actually getting a coupon Saturday posted on Saturday!

This week I am getting to try some new things.  Both Palmolive products are new and the Chex Mix cheese is new to me.  Plus, I have never tried the Naked Juice.  

But who can pass up $31 of stuff for $1.90.  
 

Woodland Scene

I had an idea of using some hollow logs as pots for a little yard scene. 

I ended up digging up some ferns out of the woods to plant in them.  Perfect little spot for a gnome. 
 

Just Kit Sunday #168

I think Kit has really been enjoying the new stairs.  And I have been enjoying the daylilies. 

Kit Kat on the steps. 

Kit Kat going up the steps. 

Kit Kat coming down the steps. 

There could be a children's book in there somewhere. 
 

Bringing In The Strays

I went riding on Otoelene yesterday morning around the farm.  We ran into a stray baby goat way away from the other goats.  Apparently, it had gotten separated the day before.  The herd moved on and it was lost.  So I started herding it around to where it could get with the others.  

Then I ran into this, Maggie with another stray.  

My stray is already on the other side of the gate.  This one was sticking close to Maggie.  She headed for the shade under the barn and the goat followed.  I tried a little to get it to go with the other one but decided it was safe enough where it was.  He had his own guardian angel.  
 

From A Distance

The garden looks great!  From a distance anyway.  J has really been doing a wonderful job keeping it hoed out. 

Some things are good, some not so much. 

So far we have been keeping up with weaving the tomatoes through the wire and keeping the suckers cut off. 

But the plants I bought as tommy toes have some pretty big toes happening. 

The peas looks great until they started blooming.  Now they are turning yellow and the pods are deformed with brown spots.  

We planted this row of beans twice, pretty pitiful.  

But the lettuce and onions are still producing. 

And the experiment with lima beans is looking successful so far. 

But my squash and cucumbers have something attaching them.  I used some 7 dust and the new leaves look ok for the time being. 

No idea when the sprouts will start sprouting.  

And just in case anyone was wondering, the blue saliva that I planted last year ended up being a perennial, YAY.   Plus, they are at the same stage as August last year.  HERE They bloomed until frost then.  Wonder how long they will bloom this year. 

 

Four Open Gates

We had over an inch of much needed rain over the last few days then an additional inch during a thunderstorm last night.  So the ground is a little soft.  I decided to just head up the gravel road with Otoelene instead of riding around the farm.  

A little western pleasure jog up the road. 

And looky there, an open gate.   Who can resist that.  (this is our other farm a couple of miles up the gravel road)

And then 2 more open gates.  

And a 4th!  My lucky day!

J had gone out with the 4 wheeler to rotate the cattle to a new field.

He was already done by the time I arrived so Otoelene and I didn't have to do any work. 

It was nice to get out on some different territory that I don't ride on that often.  Sort of a mini trail ride today.

Guest Photographer Update

E left Texas and ended up in Idaho.  Her first week was doing a woodpecker survey in Western Idaho.  She said her survey area was rated moderate (in level of terrain difficulty)  She said she would not have survived difficult.  

She has sent pictures but no descriptions.  She messaged me this, 

"This woodpecker job had very little communication about what it would actually entail and I'm very excited for when it will end."

"Today I walked up a road 3 miles in the dark and almost got to my point when it started raining.  It was very cold and I had been sweaty so when I put my coat on I was wet and then it got colder and continued to rain so I used an emergency blanket and sat there for 2 hours until it started snowing and I walked back to my car."

"I have showered twice in 2 weeks."

She did call last night and was splurging on a hotel and a shower.  Her next job starts next week in eastern Idaho.  Hopefully, it will be less strenuous than the woodpecker survey.