Well, I changed my plan....
Jul 20, 2019 16:55:56 GMT -5
simplynaturalfarm, hazelsmilker, and 14 more like this
Post by trina b on Jul 20, 2019 16:55:56 GMT -5
Or, more accurately Elsie changed my plan, lol. I had been planning on waiting til November to breed Elsie, so we're back to a fall calving schedule. However, I've been a bit uneasy about that being successful, as I haven't seen any signs of heats since she calved mid-March. I read on here that after they turn 6 or 7 they sometimes get less regular heat cycles (maybe like our peri-menopause? idk...).
Well, yesterday she was in heat when I went out to milk them. She wasn't as boisterously jumping the others as usual, just half-hearted attempts on Cora, but Diamond was all over jumping Elsie. As I brought her in to be milked, she tried one more jump on Cora, and ended up with a long string of clear goo flying out of her & swishing up onto her back, so at that point I was certain it was definitely HER in heat, not Cora.
No ill behavior during milking, though I'd put the hobbles on her just in case. That was appreciated, but not typical. She's usually agitated & dances around during milking while in heat.
She seemed like she was towards the end of the cycle, as she was standing for Diamond to mount her, and he was jumping less & less...
Anyway, after several failed attempts at contacting the AI tech, I discovered he'd changed his number or something. So I called the retired guy, who never wanted to come AI my cow due to having had 2 knee replacements & me not having a chute. I was hoping to get the number for another tech... but he decided to come himself. Yay! I spoke with him at 1:30, and had the impression he'd be at my house in an hour or two. Awesome! DH & I had plans for an early, nice dinner & a movie.
Nope. He didn't arrive until after 5:00.
BUT, he got the job done! I had him use 2 straws: one polled Hereford (an old straw) - bull named Renegade; and one Shorthorn - bull named Goldenrod. Fingers crossed that we have a healthy (BULL) calf come end of April! Which is after our anniversary, so we can theoretically go away for a weekend if we want to, AND possibly go camping or something over a late summer weekend when the calf is big enough to take all the milk. Win-win!!
Except for our dinner...
BUT, while I was outside with the AI guy, DH made dinner & had it waiting covered on the stove for me when I came in - what a guy!!!
And, we still made it to a movie! I felt bad though, that once again "my cows" go in the way of something we'd planned, so I told DH I'd use some "cow money" to spring for us to get ice cream after the movie... He said, "It's ok. Why don't you save your money, and we can just have some of the ice cream that's in the freezer?" I am so blessed!!!!