High Moisture Hay/Haylage

As much as I hate plastic I am really pleased with our ability now to put up high quality hay that is preserved and weather proof in the short sunny spells that we get.  Seems the horse market is warming up to the idea here too because of the foot problems that have developed from the high sugar content in our dried hay.  The silage process with the chopped stems properly converts the sugars and eliminates the dust.  Some of the first bales went to the breed bulls before they were let out.  I've noticed all the cattle coming into the winter lot off of green grass  to clean up those first silage bales.  They still smell sweet.

Canadian Cow Comes in With a Heifer

For a week I've known the Canadian cow had her calf but couldn't find it.  Today when we delivered 10 tons of carrots in the newly groomed and seeded winter feed area, she walked in with a large black heifer who was very frisky but easily tired.  She will make a fine addition to the herd with ideal genetics for cross breeding our different lines of whites.  Her mother freshened last year on August 18 so fortunately she is cycling earlier in the summer so her calves have a better start on winter.

New Identification

After years of working with ear tags that fall out and are very difficult to read at a distance we put large numbers on collars on all the cows and calves.  It will take a while to see if this is better but it for sure makes it easier to see who is who at a distance.

Standing Heat

What happens when four cows are in standing heat at the same time?  I've never seen this before but yesterday I saw four of them lined up waiting to be jumped.  The only one not in heat was the pregnant Canadian at the end of the line.  The entire herd will be very happy to see the bull next week!

Surprise Baby

I had decided that the only calf left was from the Canadian cow.  She had her calf late last year.  But, two days ago this new little bull shows up with mommy.  The fearless little thing walked right up to me.

First Born Dies

Our very first calf of the season slipped over the cliff at the spring and fell 75 feet to the Matanuska River bed below.  He survived but broke his back leg very high in the thigh.  We donated him to the Buckinghams who put him out of his misery and butchered and hauled him back up the cliff.

We will be putting a fence across that spot.

Adelade the Condo Cow has a Bull

The milk cow had a nice little bull- product of AI and some of the best Guernsey genetics in the States.  He looks pretty spindly compared with the Galloway Beef stock.

Now begins the twice a day milking!