Miracle a Day Project
The Descendants
by Susan Fay on 05/15/12
Just finished watching the 2011 movie The Descendants on DVD. It's a great film, one that speaks to the fragility and strength which define familial ties. The film won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was co-written by the movie's director Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash. The Descendants also earned and Golden Globe Awards, one for Best Picture - Drama and Best Actor - Drama for George Clooney as Matt King.
To watch the trailer for the film, please click on the following link:
Wise Words From a Sage Woman: You Are the Filter For All External Experience
by Susan Fay on 05/14/12
The White Feather Farm blog is one of my favorite stops and today's post is a worthwhile read:
http://whitefeatherfarm.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/new-sights-the-miracle-of-this-day/#comments.
It seems that while away on vacation in Mexico this past week, WFF blogger and spiritual advisor, Mary Muncil, learned that she is "the filter for all external experience." Wise words from a sage woman.
All too often, when faced with a new or particularly scary challenge, I forget to turn my filter on. Instead of being proactive, I'm reactive. This is never a good thing.
The recent case of bovine warts affecting our heifer, Libbey, is a good example. Since seventy-percent of all equine sarcoids contain bovine wart virus, I was terrified to learn that the other cattle and horses were at risk.
Two weeks into this latest challenge, I've finally gathered enough information to ask some thoughtful questions. This afternoon, I chose to enlist the help of Dr. Megan Jurasek, a veterinarian I trust. Here's what I learned:
- No studies have been conducted to assess the risk posed to horses when an active case of bovine warts is in close proximity. This is largely due to the range of livestock management practices, widely varying pest or vector populations, and individual control measures for flies and other biting insects. Horses living in proximity to cattle may or may not develop sarcoids, while those living without cattle can and do. Having an active case of bovine wart virus on site logically increases risk.
- Libbey should completely resolve in six weeks. As of this writing, we're two weeks into managing her warts and they do appear to be drying and dropping away. If Libbey does not resolve in six weeks, we'll need to cull her from the herd.
- Bovine wart virus does not survive well in the environment. It requires a host, meaning our outbreak likely came from a neighboring animal.
- Vaccinating our other cattle should help mount an immune system response that will protect them against bovine warts.
Mary was right. Each of us is the filter for all our external experiences. Bovine warts no longer scare me -- it's just a viral infection, one I'll need to outmaneuver.
Do you have your filter on?
Happy Birthday, Don!
by Susan Fay on 05/13/12
A trip to the zoo, dinner out at a good restaurant, two cakes, and some of the world's best chocolate covered salted caramels helped make my husband's birthday special this past weekend. Best of all, both of our kids were able to break away from work and school to help us celebrate.
Happy Birthday, Don! You're the best!
Bovine Warts, New Fears and Precautions
by Susan Fay on 05/13/12
Two or three weeks ago, Lorenzo pointed out some growths on one of our Black Angus heifers, Libbey. A quick phone conversation with Dr. Steve Vredenburg of Banks Veterinary Service confirmed that Libbey has bovine warts. It's not clear how she got them, but we suspect the virus arrived on the hoof trimmer's cattle chute.
The warts are cosmetic in most cattle, but Dr. Vredenburg cautioned that the virus has been implicated in equine sarcoids. The mention of the word, sarcoid, sent me into a panic. A sarcoid is a large localized cancerous growth that can be quite aggressive. Cutting or burning the sarcoid away is successful in some cases, but more often than not, the sarcoid recurs with a bang and requires multiple, subsequent treatments. Some horses eventually resolve; some never do.
Years ago, I had a gelding with a persistent sarcoid problem in one of his ears. It was a miserable condition and the treatments, localized chemotherapy injections and ointments to burn away the sarcoid, seemed equally horrific. So sarcoids are both familiar and terrifying.
To be certain we were dealing with bovine warts, I asked Dr. Megan Jurasek to check Libbey. Sure enough, Libbey's trouble spots were warts.
A Flat, Circular Bovine Wart Appears Above Libbey's Eye -- A Bigger, Cauliflower-Like One Is Masked By The Clay at the Top of Libbey's Head
Dr. Jurasek pinched the warts with some narrow forceps, explaining that if we released the virus to the heifer's system, her body would mount a defense resulting in immunity. At the same time, we vaccinated the other Black Angus heifer, Tove.
Our Charolais cattle, Tad, Daisy, and Daisy's calf, Tip, are at risk for the virus, too, but since they are in the upper pastures, we've used the past couple of weeks to devise a method for safely vaccinating all three. Our cattle chute is in the lower pastures with the Angus, and it isn't safe to mix the two groups right now.
Since Dr. Jurasek's visit, we've doctored Libbey's warts every day, twice daily, using a combination of clay and insect repellent. Most days, Libbey has brushed away my applications, inviting flies into her open wounds and knocking bits of the warts off of her top knot. Since flies are a huge vector for the bovine wart virus, keeping the pests out of Libbey's wounds has been a major concern.
In all of the literature that I've read, transmission of the virus requires a cut or scratch on the new host animal. So, we've been particularly vigilant when it comes to keeping an eye on our healthy animals. Any cuts, scrapes or sores will require prompt doctoring.
We've taken other measures to protect our animals, too. All of our horses and cattle are on a feed-through larvacide to kill flies and I've hung fly traps in strategic locations around the property. Tomorrow, I'll put out the first batch of fly parasites. The tiny insects consume fly larvae. Our horses have always sported fly masks, but they are now wearing masks that have ear coverings, too. Our daily insect spray routine has evolved to include applying an insecticidal lotion along each animal's pectorals, ventral line, bag or sheath, and dock. At night, when we remove the horses' fly masks, we also re-apply bug spray and an insecticidal ointment to each horse's ears, cheeks and muzzle.
Tonight, we tried adding garlic powder to the horse's grain. It's supposed to cause the horse to excrete a garlic scent that naturally repels insects. While a fine idea, it isn't practical as the horses simply turned up their noses at the garlic laced fare, refusing to eat. Well, it was worth a try.
There's always the option to remove the infected animal. While I expect Libbey's warts to successfully resolve, I'm also prepared to cull her from our herd.
This year, it's bovine warts. Last year, it was a rhino outbreak. Several years ago, it was Pigeon Fever. There's always something to fear, always something looming in the shadows. At times, the fear of what might happen can be overwhelming.
For now, we've put precautions in place and we'll continue to do our best. It's all anyone can do.
Tim Be Told - Analyze
by Susan Fay on 05/12/12
My sis, Kelly, is always turning me on to great artists. The music video for the song "Analyze," from the group Tim Be Told, is a definite winner. See it by clicking on the following link:
