Update and a couple more questions
Apr 20, 2024 18:07:00 GMT -5
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grammagrace, neilcreekfarmer, and 2 more like this
Post by twistedtimbershomest on Apr 20, 2024 18:07:00 GMT -5
Now that I signed back onto the forum (just for a bit, because I have self control issues being on here 🤫😬) I realized I have a couple more questions.
Little Moo-Unit/Moon is not so little anymore. She's changed in looks so much recently, getting really dark! And, although we used dehorning paste on her when she was almost a week old, it didn't work! The horn buds must have already been fused to her head? Or we didn't leave the paste on long enough? Not sure why it didn't work, but she's most definitely growing little horns. Just wondering, what's the best course of action with those? I don't really like the idea of having a milk cow with horns... Does she need to have them removed by a vet? Let them get bigger and cut off? No idea!
She has been growing well, eating well (3 gallons of milk a day, sometimes all whole milk, sometimes about a gallon of that is partially skimmed and given at lunch) We stopped the lunch milk a couple weeks ago and started giving her a scoop of grain at lunch instead (which is a pound). Were then giving 1.5 gallons of milk AM and PM. She also gets free access to hay and water. We have been running out of milk for all our uses and wondering if it's fine for her to just get a gallon AM and a gallon PM and then the scoop of grain and hay will be enough the rest of the day? She would happily drink all the milk now, but being almost 4 months old I'm thinking it's ok to give her a little less so we can have more?
And with the milk thing, is it normal for Jane's production to be lower at this point in her lactation? She was giving 5-5.5 gallons a day, most days for awhile. A couple weeks ago it started dropping and is now about 4-4.5 gallons a day. (When the calf is taking 3 and we like a lot of yogurt, cheese, etc that 1 gallon we get a day goes way too fast!) I don't think our hay is great right now, but she's eating it. We've had to scrap the last couple bales as they were mouldy and dusty, one was literally just sticks and leaves. So at just keep opening bales to find good ones or good parts. I can't wait for green pastures! Anyway, just wondering if the production drop at almost 4 months into lactation is normal or is it a feed thing?
And just because, here's a couple pictures of Moon, one from when she was a week or two old and a couple from today. I'm curious what she'll look like in the summer when she sheds her winter coat!
Oh and COMPLETELY unrelated. But for a laugh, here's our cat. I had to shave him because he, unbeknownst to me, got completely matted living in the barn this winter and growing an extra long and thick winter coat. I never felt him without gloves all winter and he was a mess by time it was warm enough that I pet him with bare hands. He looks so hilarious now. 😂😂
Little Moo-Unit/Moon is not so little anymore. She's changed in looks so much recently, getting really dark! And, although we used dehorning paste on her when she was almost a week old, it didn't work! The horn buds must have already been fused to her head? Or we didn't leave the paste on long enough? Not sure why it didn't work, but she's most definitely growing little horns. Just wondering, what's the best course of action with those? I don't really like the idea of having a milk cow with horns... Does she need to have them removed by a vet? Let them get bigger and cut off? No idea!
She has been growing well, eating well (3 gallons of milk a day, sometimes all whole milk, sometimes about a gallon of that is partially skimmed and given at lunch) We stopped the lunch milk a couple weeks ago and started giving her a scoop of grain at lunch instead (which is a pound). Were then giving 1.5 gallons of milk AM and PM. She also gets free access to hay and water. We have been running out of milk for all our uses and wondering if it's fine for her to just get a gallon AM and a gallon PM and then the scoop of grain and hay will be enough the rest of the day? She would happily drink all the milk now, but being almost 4 months old I'm thinking it's ok to give her a little less so we can have more?
And with the milk thing, is it normal for Jane's production to be lower at this point in her lactation? She was giving 5-5.5 gallons a day, most days for awhile. A couple weeks ago it started dropping and is now about 4-4.5 gallons a day. (When the calf is taking 3 and we like a lot of yogurt, cheese, etc that 1 gallon we get a day goes way too fast!) I don't think our hay is great right now, but she's eating it. We've had to scrap the last couple bales as they were mouldy and dusty, one was literally just sticks and leaves. So at just keep opening bales to find good ones or good parts. I can't wait for green pastures! Anyway, just wondering if the production drop at almost 4 months into lactation is normal or is it a feed thing?
And just because, here's a couple pictures of Moon, one from when she was a week or two old and a couple from today. I'm curious what she'll look like in the summer when she sheds her winter coat!
Oh and COMPLETELY unrelated. But for a laugh, here's our cat. I had to shave him because he, unbeknownst to me, got completely matted living in the barn this winter and growing an extra long and thick winter coat. I never felt him without gloves all winter and he was a mess by time it was warm enough that I pet him with bare hands. He looks so hilarious now. 😂😂