Thursday, September 10, 2009

random update


hickory tree buds

It's been raining here the past several days. Monday night (the 8th) I bred one of my Nubian does, Rosie, to Parker. She's due February 5th. I think those will be some nice 1st generation babies.

I guess I haven't posted as much lately, because there's not too much going on. Really, of course there is normal farm life busy/crazy days, but nothing out of the ordinary has been going on!

We are now milking 18 does in the morning, and 16 does at night. It normally takes about 1 hour total in the morning and 45 minutes to an hour at night (including feeding). We have 6 does bred now. I really need some more to start coming into heat, but I guess it's only September, so not too big of a deal.

I treated the cow for mastitis again in the second-back quarter that we treated. I don't know what her issue is. The milk machine totally broke, so my brother and sister (or brother and mom) are hand milking her, twice a day. It normally takes about 30 minutes with 2 people milking her, and she is averaging about 6 gallons a day.
I think she is not giving more milk due to the fact that she does not eat!! If we let her out to pasture, she only grazes for a few hours; if we lock her up in a pen and feed her alfalfa, she will only take a few bites; and she barely eats her grain (but at least she eats it some!). So, I think she would give more milk if she ate more! When we bought her we were told she was only 5 years old, b
ut her udder is soo saggy and just "old' looking, I think she is more like 8 years old. She is not registered or anything, so there's no way to really tell. I think we need to check her teeth though, make sure they are fine (I think they are). Anyway, the cow saga :)!

Have a good day!
Suriyah
some of the does

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