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Darla and little Estella

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NellieBelle

11214 Posts

Posted - Jun 16 2019 : 10:16:57 AM

Another birthing at Prairie Nectar Farm. Darla had a little heifer yesterday afternoon in the heat of the day (naturally). Named her Estella. All seems to be going well. I never could get any calcium down her, so I tried a little trick. I put some of the calcium gel on the calf after she was born and while Darla was so busily cleaning up her calf she ingested the calcium too. She didn't care for it, but wanted to clean her calf. I tried more calcium gel at milking time but it wasn't going to happen. I'm not as stout as I used to be and don't relish a broken arm. So milking two cows, twice daily again.

Estella is nursing and had her colostrum. Both are resting in the milk parlor today and I will turn them out to pasture tomorrow if all goes well.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown

maryjane

7072 Posts

Posted - Jun 19 2019 : 04:25:29 AM

Little Estella. You pick the best names, Janet. Love Estella. And your trick for calcium is brilliant. I can't wait to try it. Happy to hear all is well with you and critters.

How is Millie doing in the parlor? I'm slowly getting Maggie back into the swing of things. Her calf, Linus, went to live with Connie a couple of weeks ago.

I'm milking three cows every day: Miss Daisy, Maggie, and Lizzy and selling lots of milk. In July, I'll start getting my girls pregnant again.

A couple of weeks ago, we plucked 240 bales of really nice alfalfa bales from the field right after cutting and tucked those away for winter. They weighed 68 lbs. each! Yesterday, I had 546 bales of grass hay delivered. Also, nice stuff. Good year for hay all around.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~

NellieBelle

11214 Posts

Posted - Jun 19 2019 : 09:42:31 AM

Millie is improving, but not trustworthy. I'm still using the flank rope and hobble, side rail of course. She will raise her back leg every milking. And I've learned to stay clear of her front hooves. I think she will settle in eventually, or hopeful anyway. Such a sweet cow. Good momma. Here she is with Otis on the left and Estella on the right.

. And Darla didn't forget how to pull the towel off the tote. We all look forward to that.