The cold weather arrived well before the snow. With the lack of rain fall all the sloughs and the majority of wetlands went dry this year. The very few water bodies that still held water are now frozen over with a thick layer of ice. Getting water to livestock has become a main priority the last several days. We are now bringing the flock home every evening to overnight near the yard where the water bowls are, and letting them out to graze for the day (so the Kelpies are one again gainfully employed). This skiff of snow is not much but it is good to see it and the ewes will be taking it in as they graze which will help alleviate the dry dusty grass conditions they are faced with.
The new water bowls Allen blessedly installed during the last week of warm weather are seeing good use. There is a line up at the water bowls every evening but no matter how many ewes are there if the old fellow wants to drink he does. We take for granted the availability of our own water and how easy it is for us to access it so we often forget that water is a resource of major importance to animals. There is a pecking order at the water bowl.
Moving sheep in and out every day quickly became familiar routine for us and the ewes and it makes me feel so thankful for stock dogs. It’s not only that they do the job so readily but it’s also because of the regular use of stock dogs that the flock is so accustomed to moving.
