It wasn't CALPC, exactly... bad pics
Feb 29, 2016 3:13:28 GMT -5
Shawn, throwback, and 12 more like this
Post by twistedwillow on Feb 29, 2016 3:13:28 GMT -5
...It was necessity. Jemimah was in milk when she died. She was a pretty heavy producer, so when she died we suddenly lost more than half of the milk produced on the farm. Leah is still milking, but is slowing down a little. Since we sell milk, which pays almost all of our farm expenses, losing Jem was a huge financial loss, as well as the emotional loss. I really didn't want another cow- we were just going to make due with the ones we have ; Leah is in milk now, and Poppy will be in August. But, I seriously didn't know how we were going to make ends meet after the $$ I had saved runs out.
I really needed a cow that was milking now, and that wouldn't be due to calve again until at least November. As much as I love Jerseys and Guernseys, I really kind of wanted another Dutch Belt or Milking Shorthorn; the dual purpose aspect is really appealing. I really wanted something show quality since she will be Sabrina's show cow- replacing Jemimah (who was Best in Show last year) She had to be sweet, used to horses, cats, dogs, and goats. Good feet and legs is a must, and easy calving. You know- basically a unicorn.
So my week started like this: (Fervent prayers that I would find the 'perfect' cow, if it was even right for me to buy one) Then: "OOH!- when is Tammy's Jersey due? I love her!.... Poop- May. She'll be dry when I need her to be in milk." "Hey, what about Yvonne's gorgeous Guernsey?....Sale pending. And dry." Then, somehow I ended up on a Craigslist page that is "too far" from me. There was a beautiful registered Milking Shorthorn, 4 years old with her 7 month calf still on her. Confirmed A2/A2, had been shown. And probably rebred. YAY! She sounded perfect. So I emailed about her- and didn't hear back.
More prayers for an available cow.... I found a couple other cows for sale, but none of them were exactly perfect. But I was willing to settle on one. But still- more prayers that I would find the right one.
Then I happened across a couple FB pages for livestock for sale- and there was the same ad for the same MS cow! I commented that I wanted to see her- and no reply. So I made plans to see another cow. (still praying for the right one) But then I heard back from the MS owner! Sale pending. But, she would prefer for her to go to me, for a variety of reasons, but she was kind of promised to someone else. So, just in case it didn't work out with the other people she sent me some more pictures and more info. She was used to horses, and shared a pasture with goats, dogs, and cats. I asked when she would be due if she was bred. November 15th! She just seemed SO perfect. The only problem was that they didn't milk her, she had just been raising calves, so they didn't know how much she produced, and she would be new to the whole milking thing. Not so perfect. But I had pictures of the calves- they had to have been getting plenty of milk- they weren't getting grain.
Well, she emailed me back yesterday and said that she told the other people that we wanted to look at her this weekend, and if we didn't take her they could in two weeks- when they were planning to go see her. The account that we had some money in to buy a cow (which I do have to pay back) had exactly enough for this girl.
We went up to see her. I knew that she was going to be thinner than in the pictures from summer. She is. She also looks like she really needs some vitamins and minerals. But she is healthy and not emaciated by any means. Her feet and legs are great, she is sweet. Tall, but not huge. But she had no udder to speak of. Her teats were wet- baby got to her. :/ She pretty much loaded right into the trailer. It was a very long drive home-but she did great. The sound of the milking machine didn't bother her at all- but tonight I milked her by hand.
She looks like a MS, but is lighter colored- kind of like a Guernsey. But she IS registered MS. My Guernsery was purebred, but darker- kind of like a MS. "Violet" has a very sweet, quiet moo... exactly like Jemimah's was. She also barely fits in the trailer, like Jemimah. She has big ears, and a very sweet, calm disposition... yep- same personality as Jemimah. Now here is the weird thing. Jem had an extra teat removed from the back of her back left quarter- the only difference with Violet is that Violet's extra teat wasn't removed! It's in exactly the same place!
Now the bad: (Okay, so this first one is not really bad) She stood still and let me milk her! She did brush my hand away once. Then, when she was nearly stripped out, she "brushed" me away again- a little harder. Her being a bigger girl- it was hard enough that since she got me in the chest (actually, square on my right boob LOL) it sent me sprawling on my back. I'm sore. But it wasn't mean, it wasn't a real kick. I am a little concerned about production and teat size. She was nursed out by her calf before we got there. (slimy teats) Then she spent the rest of the day in the trailer, so no water. She had a tiny udder with rather small milk veins when we got home. I got a quart of milk. I know there was more in there, but it wasn't gonna come. I left her in a stall with a 40 gal muck tub of clear water, and a 40 gal of molasses water. I am adding grain and minerals to her diet, and will get some higher protein stuff to help increase milk production. She isn't thin enough that I am worried about increasing her protein. She's just thinner than I would like her to be. I am just worried that she is going to dry herself up with all the changes, and having come basically empty. That would totally defeat the purpose of buying another cow. Her teats are tiny as well. It wasn't fun to hand milk. I am really hoping that the milking machine actually works for her. It seems to me that we have had another one with tiny teats like that, and the machine worked fine for her.
So, I will try to get pictures soon.
Because, I know that if there isn't film evidence- then it really didn't happen.
I really needed a cow that was milking now, and that wouldn't be due to calve again until at least November. As much as I love Jerseys and Guernseys, I really kind of wanted another Dutch Belt or Milking Shorthorn; the dual purpose aspect is really appealing. I really wanted something show quality since she will be Sabrina's show cow- replacing Jemimah (who was Best in Show last year) She had to be sweet, used to horses, cats, dogs, and goats. Good feet and legs is a must, and easy calving. You know- basically a unicorn.
So my week started like this: (Fervent prayers that I would find the 'perfect' cow, if it was even right for me to buy one) Then: "OOH!- when is Tammy's Jersey due? I love her!.... Poop- May. She'll be dry when I need her to be in milk." "Hey, what about Yvonne's gorgeous Guernsey?....Sale pending. And dry." Then, somehow I ended up on a Craigslist page that is "too far" from me. There was a beautiful registered Milking Shorthorn, 4 years old with her 7 month calf still on her. Confirmed A2/A2, had been shown. And probably rebred. YAY! She sounded perfect. So I emailed about her- and didn't hear back.
More prayers for an available cow.... I found a couple other cows for sale, but none of them were exactly perfect. But I was willing to settle on one. But still- more prayers that I would find the right one.
Then I happened across a couple FB pages for livestock for sale- and there was the same ad for the same MS cow! I commented that I wanted to see her- and no reply. So I made plans to see another cow. (still praying for the right one) But then I heard back from the MS owner! Sale pending. But, she would prefer for her to go to me, for a variety of reasons, but she was kind of promised to someone else. So, just in case it didn't work out with the other people she sent me some more pictures and more info. She was used to horses, and shared a pasture with goats, dogs, and cats. I asked when she would be due if she was bred. November 15th! She just seemed SO perfect. The only problem was that they didn't milk her, she had just been raising calves, so they didn't know how much she produced, and she would be new to the whole milking thing. Not so perfect. But I had pictures of the calves- they had to have been getting plenty of milk- they weren't getting grain.
Well, she emailed me back yesterday and said that she told the other people that we wanted to look at her this weekend, and if we didn't take her they could in two weeks- when they were planning to go see her. The account that we had some money in to buy a cow (which I do have to pay back) had exactly enough for this girl.
We went up to see her. I knew that she was going to be thinner than in the pictures from summer. She is. She also looks like she really needs some vitamins and minerals. But she is healthy and not emaciated by any means. Her feet and legs are great, she is sweet. Tall, but not huge. But she had no udder to speak of. Her teats were wet- baby got to her. :/ She pretty much loaded right into the trailer. It was a very long drive home-but she did great. The sound of the milking machine didn't bother her at all- but tonight I milked her by hand.
She looks like a MS, but is lighter colored- kind of like a Guernsey. But she IS registered MS. My Guernsery was purebred, but darker- kind of like a MS. "Violet" has a very sweet, quiet moo... exactly like Jemimah's was. She also barely fits in the trailer, like Jemimah. She has big ears, and a very sweet, calm disposition... yep- same personality as Jemimah. Now here is the weird thing. Jem had an extra teat removed from the back of her back left quarter- the only difference with Violet is that Violet's extra teat wasn't removed! It's in exactly the same place!
Now the bad: (Okay, so this first one is not really bad) She stood still and let me milk her! She did brush my hand away once. Then, when she was nearly stripped out, she "brushed" me away again- a little harder. Her being a bigger girl- it was hard enough that since she got me in the chest (actually, square on my right boob LOL) it sent me sprawling on my back. I'm sore. But it wasn't mean, it wasn't a real kick. I am a little concerned about production and teat size. She was nursed out by her calf before we got there. (slimy teats) Then she spent the rest of the day in the trailer, so no water. She had a tiny udder with rather small milk veins when we got home. I got a quart of milk. I know there was more in there, but it wasn't gonna come. I left her in a stall with a 40 gal muck tub of clear water, and a 40 gal of molasses water. I am adding grain and minerals to her diet, and will get some higher protein stuff to help increase milk production. She isn't thin enough that I am worried about increasing her protein. She's just thinner than I would like her to be. I am just worried that she is going to dry herself up with all the changes, and having come basically empty. That would totally defeat the purpose of buying another cow. Her teats are tiny as well. It wasn't fun to hand milk. I am really hoping that the milking machine actually works for her. It seems to me that we have had another one with tiny teats like that, and the machine worked fine for her.
So, I will try to get pictures soon.
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