Post by lilbloom on Dec 11, 2009 19:12:05 GMT -5
This has been a most frustrating year trying to get our girls bred. First I tried AI with our milker, just once, but it failed. A few different friends told us there was no reason to AI or purchase a bull when we could use theirs. One frustrating month passed after another and here we are. My milk cow is 17 months into lactation and open!!! She's giving 1/2 gallon OAD and drying off quickly. Her heifer is still open too (17 mo).
Finally, a bull!
He arrived yesterday afternoon. My Sally immediately tried mounting him, good sign. I figured she was just showing dominance. This morning I reunited Sally with her heifer and the bull all in the same pasture. It's a sideshow out there! Sally is mounting the heifer and the bull is trying to mount Sally, but the bull has no interest in the heifer. It has to be heat, right?
I didn't expect her heat for another week. She's not standing and no clear discharge or puffy signs of heat. Can the bull trigger her to go into heat early?
My big problem is milking! Tonight when I brought her into the milking shed, He tried pushing through the fence. I freaked and started screaming for my husband. The little fool would not stop, I thought he was going to climb the fence. If I had not stopped I do believe he would have ended up in the milking shed with me (not safe at all) It was beyond stressful and I turned Sally loose. What now???
Should I not milk for few days? It's not going to hurt her only producing 1/2 gallon, right? Would doing this risk her drying up too soon (before she's bred)?
Help, what do you do with your bull while milking??? Im scared of this guy!
Finally, a bull!
He arrived yesterday afternoon. My Sally immediately tried mounting him, good sign. I figured she was just showing dominance. This morning I reunited Sally with her heifer and the bull all in the same pasture. It's a sideshow out there! Sally is mounting the heifer and the bull is trying to mount Sally, but the bull has no interest in the heifer. It has to be heat, right?
I didn't expect her heat for another week. She's not standing and no clear discharge or puffy signs of heat. Can the bull trigger her to go into heat early?
My big problem is milking! Tonight when I brought her into the milking shed, He tried pushing through the fence. I freaked and started screaming for my husband. The little fool would not stop, I thought he was going to climb the fence. If I had not stopped I do believe he would have ended up in the milking shed with me (not safe at all) It was beyond stressful and I turned Sally loose. What now???
Should I not milk for few days? It's not going to hurt her only producing 1/2 gallon, right? Would doing this risk her drying up too soon (before she's bred)?
Help, what do you do with your bull while milking??? Im scared of this guy!