Post by Lannie on Sept 27, 2008 13:31:27 GMT -5
Most of you will laugh, but remember I live a hundred miles from anything, and it's a real pain to get any kind of services out here. I've been stressed for MONTHS trying to figure out what to do about re-breeding Bandit. I figured I had three options:
1. Turn her in with the neighbor's beef herd next summer and let the Hereford bull breed her. That would give me a 3/4 Hereford beef calf. The downside is I'd have to wait until next summer, which would mean I'd be milking her a lot longer than I probably should, and then there would be the issue of trying to get her BACK. Those cows (and bulls) are her buddies, the ones she spends all day at the fence talking to, and once she was in with them, it might be near impossible getting her back. There are at least several hundred (maybe more) acres over there that his cows graze in the summer.
2. Take her back down to her previous owner to have her bred. This I could do anytime, and there's no charge ;D but if I had her bred soon, who would milk her? I'd have to leave her there long enough that she'd probably dry up if someone didn't milk her every day and again, that place is 110 miles from here, so I can't just run over there and milk.
3. Have her AI'd. What a joke! I called one guy that does AI who lives not too terribly far from us (about 30 miles) a couple of months ago, and when I told him it was just one cow, he 'bout split a gut laughing at me. No WAY would he come to AI a single cow. Calling a couple of other people got me the same results (insane laughter and lots of snorting and giggling). Well, hey, it's beef country and here I am with one stinkin' dairy cow.
But yesterday, we had to go into town, so we swung by the "local" vet's office and asked them if they could do the AI or know someone who did that. Believe it or not, they won't AI a cow. The reason? Because everyone either uses a bull or does their own, so they've had no reason to ever set up for that. But the receptionist told us about a guy who lives only 8 miles south of us with a big Angus operation and said he was really nice and he MIGHT come up and do an AI for us.
So I called him this morning and I explained my problems and he suggested getting her a Lutelyse shot and hauling her to his place, where he could put her in a smaller corral with one of his bulls (and I could bring Cricket, too, to keep her milked out) for a few days and once he saw the bull riding her he'd call me to come and pick her up. He said he could also do the whole AI bit, but he said the results would be much better (and I agree) if she was in with a live bull. Fortunately, I can get a Lutelyse shot from the vet for only $2.50, then haul her 8 miles, leave her for 3 or 4 days, then bring her home.
Whew! I feel so relieved! I originally wanted to wait to breed her until next September because I'd like her to calve the first part of June (to take advantage of all the green pasture), but since I'm only getting a gallon per milking, I don't know what will happen later if it starts tapering off. In a year, will I only be getting 2 cups a day? LOL! So I figured THIS time, I'll breed her in December for another September calf, then on her second lactation, I'll see about milking her through and shooting for a June calf after that.
In any case, it looks like the next baby will be 1/2 Angus, 1/4 Hereford and 1/4 Jersey. Should be good beef for the freezer! ;D
~Lannie
1. Turn her in with the neighbor's beef herd next summer and let the Hereford bull breed her. That would give me a 3/4 Hereford beef calf. The downside is I'd have to wait until next summer, which would mean I'd be milking her a lot longer than I probably should, and then there would be the issue of trying to get her BACK. Those cows (and bulls) are her buddies, the ones she spends all day at the fence talking to, and once she was in with them, it might be near impossible getting her back. There are at least several hundred (maybe more) acres over there that his cows graze in the summer.
2. Take her back down to her previous owner to have her bred. This I could do anytime, and there's no charge ;D but if I had her bred soon, who would milk her? I'd have to leave her there long enough that she'd probably dry up if someone didn't milk her every day and again, that place is 110 miles from here, so I can't just run over there and milk.
3. Have her AI'd. What a joke! I called one guy that does AI who lives not too terribly far from us (about 30 miles) a couple of months ago, and when I told him it was just one cow, he 'bout split a gut laughing at me. No WAY would he come to AI a single cow. Calling a couple of other people got me the same results (insane laughter and lots of snorting and giggling). Well, hey, it's beef country and here I am with one stinkin' dairy cow.
But yesterday, we had to go into town, so we swung by the "local" vet's office and asked them if they could do the AI or know someone who did that. Believe it or not, they won't AI a cow. The reason? Because everyone either uses a bull or does their own, so they've had no reason to ever set up for that. But the receptionist told us about a guy who lives only 8 miles south of us with a big Angus operation and said he was really nice and he MIGHT come up and do an AI for us.
So I called him this morning and I explained my problems and he suggested getting her a Lutelyse shot and hauling her to his place, where he could put her in a smaller corral with one of his bulls (and I could bring Cricket, too, to keep her milked out) for a few days and once he saw the bull riding her he'd call me to come and pick her up. He said he could also do the whole AI bit, but he said the results would be much better (and I agree) if she was in with a live bull. Fortunately, I can get a Lutelyse shot from the vet for only $2.50, then haul her 8 miles, leave her for 3 or 4 days, then bring her home.
Whew! I feel so relieved! I originally wanted to wait to breed her until next September because I'd like her to calve the first part of June (to take advantage of all the green pasture), but since I'm only getting a gallon per milking, I don't know what will happen later if it starts tapering off. In a year, will I only be getting 2 cups a day? LOL! So I figured THIS time, I'll breed her in December for another September calf, then on her second lactation, I'll see about milking her through and shooting for a June calf after that.
In any case, it looks like the next baby will be 1/2 Angus, 1/4 Hereford and 1/4 Jersey. Should be good beef for the freezer! ;D
~Lannie