Since
I last wrote in this journal we have added some new "family members"
On the
first of April Chris, Val and I went out to a local farm to look at some
dairy cows for sale. I was so excited! I was getting my very own "house
cow"! By the end of our visit we were the proud owners of TWO cows. One
Friesian (Holstein) in calf, but dried off, and one Jersey in-milk. Being
able to buy an in-milk cow was a real bonus and I was thrilled. We arranged
to collect the cows later in the afternoon and then headed home to make
all the necessary arrangements for their arrival.
The day
seemed to alternately fly and drag by. I felt we had so much to organize
that we would never get it all done in time, yet it seemed so long to wait
to get my cows!
To cut
a long story short the time to collect them finally arrived and we were
as prepared as we thought we should be for this great event in our lives.
unfortunately
we hit a hitch with the horse float we were to use so we ended up collecting
the two new additions much later than we planned so it was dark by the
time we got them home.
Chris
wanted to let them out of the float directly into the paddock, I wanted
them penned behind electric fencing. He won! We opened the back of the
float and let out the Friesian, she backed out of the float without too
much of a fuss, then it was time to let out the little Jersey. The back
bar stuck and Chris had to use some brute strength and elbow grease to
get it open. It crashed and rattled as he got it free and she was not impressed!
She backed out in a hurry, falling and slipping in the river of cow dung
on the way down. Not a very auspicious beginning! Both cows took off into
the night and all Chris and I could do was close up the float, get back
in the car and drive off, leaving them to settle in without an audience.
I hardly
slept that night. I had cows in my paddock! Real ones, with milk!! Excitement
swirled around my stomach and played havoc with my nervous system. It was
a little scarey too. I have never been up close to very big cows, my little
weaners in the top paddock hardly count as the biggest is only about 250kgs
and these cows were on the far side of 400kgs!
Morning
came and I was up and about by 4:30am. By 5am the bread was rising and
the yoghurt was done, a load of washing was in the machine and I was waiting
for the sun to rise! At last it was light enough to venture out to the
far paddock to see my two newest animals.
Chris and I set off for the paddock, all the while wondering what we were
going to find on arrival...what if they had run away? What if we couldn't
catch them? What if......?
We also
had one other problem.....a fairly large one too, we had no milking bails.
The Jersey was used to being milked in a fancy hi-tech milking parlour
and we had nothing like that for her.
"Never
mind" consoled hubby, "you know that Jersey's are docile little things,
that's why we chose her. You'll see, everything will be fine"
With
a nervous grin I agreed, of course we would manage!
On arrival
I was relieved to see that we still had both cows. The Friesian was grazing
quietly and the Jersey was staring at us from the far corner. SO far so
good, now for the milking bails.
We rigged
up a very temporary bail for her and then set about trying to coax her
into the "bails". It was at this point that the cows previous owner arrived.
He took one look at our bails and cracked up laughing.
"You
don't expect to milk her in that, do you?" he asked incredulously.
Exchanging
uncomfortable looks Chris and I had to admit that we had expected
to milk her in the makeshift bails.
"Ohhhh
nooo, I don't think so!"
Without
any further ado he set about sorting out what needed to be done before
attempting to catch and milk her. We rigged up a slightly better "bail"
and then the fun began.
After
an hour or more of running around the paddock trying to catch her, using
electric tape and 5 adults and 2 children, we finally managed to catch
her and guide her into the bail where David (her previous owner) tried
to milk her while she snorted her disgust at the whole affair. After all
it was like going from the Ritz to Motel 6 and she wasn't impressed! David
told us that he had some old bails we could use but they would need to
be properly installed. He gave us the measurements etc. and left us to
it, but not before Chris told him the bails would be up by the following
morning (it was 3pm by this time!)
He laughted
in derision and disbelief and it was pretty obvious this guy didn't know
my man very well.
Chris
worked through the night and by the next morning I had a perfect set of
milking bails for my cows! It was amazing! Now all we needed to do
is get the cow in them to milk her!
The games
began once again with the Jersey hotfooting it all over the paddock while
we tried every stockmans trick we knew. Nothing worked. David arrived,
followed by Val and still we couldn't catch her. Everytime she looked at
us she would paw the ground with her fore hoof, snort like a bull and get
ready to charge! This was no docile little Jersey, this was a seriously
psychopathic bovine!! David was puzzled, I was terrified and Chris was
getting peeved! This behaviour went on for two more days till we finally
gave up and came to the realisation that she had to go. To get her back
to the farm meant having to catch her again! Once again we
used electric tape to round her up, we got her in the bails and puled up
the float, ready to load her. David told Chris to stand in front of the
bails to make her back out and into the float. Instead of backing up the
silly cow charged (well tried to!)
Without
further ado we loaded her up and shipped her out.
I must
admit I was relieved to see her go, but a little sad to. My confidence
was severely shaken by this little event.
While
all this was going on I still had "Tangee" to see to. Tangee is the Friesian
we bought.
Tangee
is a whole different cow, she is sweet and gentle, everything a Jersey
is supposed to be!
Since
then Tangee and I have developed a lovely relationship. I go up to see
her daily, she walks into her bails without me asking, comes over for a
pat and a tickle, eats out of my hand and she has generally wrapped herself
around my heart.
Tangee
is due to calve in June and I am eagerly looking forward to this
wonderful event. I wonder how I will cope, I will probably have the vet
on stand-by (and my doctor!)
I know
this is a perfectly natural event and she will probably cope very well
without interference but still I worry. I am so new to this whole farming
thing..will I know if she's in trouble? What if something happens? What
if....?
Well I
guess I have rambled on too long again so I will put aside my editing tools
and head off to the top paddock where Tangee is waiting patiently for me........
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