Post by thea on Jul 2, 2008 8:33:39 GMT -5
Hi, Well, Olga our first freshener Dexter/Holstein had her calf yesterday around 1 pm. They're both doing fine, she seems totally recovered and he's bouncing about but I can't get near her to milk!
We managed to get a collar on her finally yesterday by taking advantage of her state during labour as she'd never let us near her head normally. I've been working on her for weeks, trying to get her tamer but although she did improve it seems she'd reached a plateau and was still no where near as friendly as our Jersey Bella. Now, we have her in the shed with her calf on hay. She was hungry this am so I put the hay in the corner where the chain is and tried to get her chained up but she was way to strong and quick for me and I merely succeeded in wrenching my shoulder horribly.
We have builta a stanchion but we can't let her out to get into it (it's in a separate shed attached) because the other heifer, a small Dexter, got o0ut of her new pasture last night and is always trying to suckle her and is now by the shed. Anyway, we have to figure something out with the stanchion and get her in there but I'm afraid after the rodeo this morning she'll be way leery of it and we'll never get her in!! AAArgh! I was so mad this morning I felt like shipping the whole lot of them!
On top of it all I'm afraid she's going to be a real kicker. Finally in desperation (her udder is huge and hard with edema, no heat though) I tried milking her as she stood and got a few squirts and a HARD kick! knocked me right over the little bugger.
Anyway, I'm sure we'll eventually sort something out but I'm worried about how long she can go before being milked? And of course we're supposed to host family here today (party planned ages ago) and I'm coming down with a chest cold !!!! So my reserves of patience are worn pretty thin right now, feel like crying actually.
Wish me luck!
Thea
We managed to get a collar on her finally yesterday by taking advantage of her state during labour as she'd never let us near her head normally. I've been working on her for weeks, trying to get her tamer but although she did improve it seems she'd reached a plateau and was still no where near as friendly as our Jersey Bella. Now, we have her in the shed with her calf on hay. She was hungry this am so I put the hay in the corner where the chain is and tried to get her chained up but she was way to strong and quick for me and I merely succeeded in wrenching my shoulder horribly.
We have builta a stanchion but we can't let her out to get into it (it's in a separate shed attached) because the other heifer, a small Dexter, got o0ut of her new pasture last night and is always trying to suckle her and is now by the shed. Anyway, we have to figure something out with the stanchion and get her in there but I'm afraid after the rodeo this morning she'll be way leery of it and we'll never get her in!! AAArgh! I was so mad this morning I felt like shipping the whole lot of them!
On top of it all I'm afraid she's going to be a real kicker. Finally in desperation (her udder is huge and hard with edema, no heat though) I tried milking her as she stood and got a few squirts and a HARD kick! knocked me right over the little bugger.
Anyway, I'm sure we'll eventually sort something out but I'm worried about how long she can go before being milked? And of course we're supposed to host family here today (party planned ages ago) and I'm coming down with a chest cold !!!! So my reserves of patience are worn pretty thin right now, feel like crying actually.
Wish me luck!
Thea