Okay, life as a milkmaid is MUCH better. Cody is learning how to graze and I started separating them for a few hours about three weeks ago. It went to 8 hours separated last week and Bonnie is settling nicely into the routine. I get half a gallon a day now, YIPEE!!!!! She lets down her milk without having Cody in there nursing sometimes, but usually I have to use him. Mom has decided she likes milking so I'm the calf wrangler. I measured Cody, to figure his weight and he's around 135 lbs now. He's getting pretty shaggy, instead of fuzzy but he's still the cutest thing! His horns have erupted through the skin and are about half an inch long now. Lead training is going really great, most of the time!!
On memorial day the family, India and Phaedra went to Homer to meet the family who owns Bonnie's next baby-daddy. He's so beautiful!! I just LOVE Highlands! The family isn't "into" Highlands like Obsidian's owner and I though. They run a head of 30 Angus up on Kachemak Bay, above Homer. They have a few cows that spend all year by the house, the Highland, their Yak cow, a couple Galloway and some milk cow/Angus crosses that they use for milk. They really like the novelty of the Galloway, Highland and Yak. I had my camera with me but it never occurred to me to take a picture of any of their critters! I will take some while he's here, at the end of July.
Hm, so far this year we have pitiful grass, not enough rain and it's been too hot. I really need it to cool off and rain for about a week so the grass will get a move on and Bonnie can start putting on weight. Her milk is nice and yellow but she is too skinny.
The turkeys are breeding... sorta. One of the hens is nice and broody but the other one is injured somehow and she's not really in the mood to sit a nest. The tom is strutting around, flexing his wings and turning colors but his job is done for the year. I really need to get their pasture fenced off so he and the injured hen can run around outside and leave the nesting hen alone. Her nest was scattered today, probably by the tom but I gathered her eggs up and gave them back to her in the other nest box. Hopefully they didn't get too cold and will be fine. I'll candle them pretty soon also. I'm really hoping for a few poults this year.
That's all the new news I can think of for the moment so, until next time.
Later,
~Pam
AIN'T HE JUST THE CUTEST THING?!
This is three days worth of milk. The creamline is much better when she lets down without Cody.
3 comments:
Cody looks like a Highland, shag and all. :D What color is next year's baby daddy? We're in the process of finding our 2011 sire, too. By the way...I'd love to send you our rain in exchange for your heat and sun! Our grass is barely growing for all the moisture and cool temperatures, and we haven't been able to plant our veggie garden yet!
Hi Amy!
The bull I found is orangey/yellow. He's kind of small, but it's not genetic, it was poor husbandry as a calf. He is a proven sire as well. He's like a darker version of Bonnie. If I had a mahogany bull anywhere near me I'd be all over him... or a brindle... or a silver. I plan on having a fold that gives me the potential for all the colors that Highlands come in. Think I can do it with three cows and a bull?
Send the rain this way and I'll shoo the sun your way.
Yes, he is the cutest thing!
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