The bees were out in force yesterday. It was a wee bit warmer so out they came to look for food. But the freeze had knocked all the flowers over.
I am feeding them their sugar water right at the hive now, determined that they will live through this winter.
Sheila followed me about my chores.
She thought she would give Boo a run for his money. Actually Sheila was woofing with delight as she OUT-RAN the Uppity pup.
Boo peeled off when I called or he would have been back on his chain.
Good morning. As you know Queenie Wineti was one of a twin. So I am still thrilled that she did get pregnant. (So the tests say. But I won’t quite believe it until she starts to show real signs of pregnancy.) She was always a long shot. The chances of a Hereford cow having twins is lower than most other cattle breeds. Plus the chance of a twin heifer being fertile is 5%. Another way of looking at that – there was a 95% chance that she would NOT be fertile. When I found tiny Queenie the farmer told me that the other twin was a heifer too (though I never saw the other calf) so he thought there was a good chance that she would breed. And I decided that she would. If the man was telling me the truth, then she is not a Freemartin.
(A freemartin calf is usually born co-twin with a male calf and its imperfection is attributed to the male hormones produced by the male calf as they share the common circulation which inhibit the normal development of genitalia of the female.This occurs mostly in cattle. I asked ASK .)
I decided that Queenie would be the mother of my beef herd, she is short and stocky, wide and gentle. (And has all the necessary bits and pieces as far as we can tell). So let’s hope that my long shot has a shot. Hereford calves are one of the cutest calves – ever!
It is the time of year when the animals and birds pause and hover when they sense a pockets worth of sun.
I hope you all have a lovely day. Eat good food.
Your friend on the farm,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
62 responses to “Bees and Breeding cows”
I love that I can come here and always learn something new. Good morning, c, and happy wishes to the farmy.
Everything seems calm. Have a good day:)
I just love the expression of piggy bliss on Sheila’s face as she outstrips Boo in the Farmy races…
She does look perfectly happy doesn’t she. Such a good pig.. c
Have a great week I hope it took as well 🙂 Love cows 🙂
The one cow I had in my herd that gave me the best milk and the best calves was a Swiss Brown… she was so gentle the kids would climb all over her and she just stood dead still… I use to breed her to a Hereford Bull which we owned, a huge beast of an animal… but he gave me such beautiful calves without a single breach or difficult birth for the cows… and those calves were just too cute for words….
I have read about these Swiss Browns. Hard to find around here but they sound delightful.. c
My goodness, Sheila is looking very err robust. Wise of Boo to peel off. Imagine if she stopped suddenly and he went up the back of her. Really would be the worst kind of rear end collision.
That would be the BEST shot though. I must try and train Sheila to stop on command. At the moment I think she is the best behaved animal on the property.. I have tried to put her on a diet, the winter will slim her down! c
Always eat good food.
Always.. morning marme, c
“A pockets worth of sun.” Love that phrase. And believe me, I treasure every pocket these days here in Minnesota.
I hope you have a better winter this time Audrey, last year was terrible for you.. c
All of my experienced farmer friends told me the same when I acquired twin heifer calves last year. As I have conducted my dairy herdsman self studies all the textbooks echo the same.
Yes, I am pleased that Queenie is fertile, it was a long shot not having seen the other one.. I wonder though if a twin is more likely to have twin calves.. do you know?
I love the “a pockets worth of sun” phrase also. Our sun is still going strong in Iowa and today I think is the day to finally clear up the yard and bring in all of the “summer” decorations and planters. It makes me sad even with beautiful fall colors I know what is just around the corner. I will soak up the sunshine as long as I can.
Yard work/garden work fini for me! All my fairies, frogs, and what not are packed away in my garden shed. Petunias and marigolds are still hanging in there! Soon to be covered with snow. But good news! My squirrel is back! I have been feeding him for three years now! Yippee!
You are way ahead of me. I have to get motivated!!!
Oh Beth…it’s early for it to be so cold here. I had to get it done between the field work, canning etc…or it wouldn’t have gotten done. Brrrrr……last night when I was unloading a truck of beans I was chilled to the bone! The temp dropped so fast! Wind chill…not used to it yet…doesn’t bode well for the winter.
As my experience with other animals. There are instances where you have a sterile twin doe or ewe. But only when the placenta is shared with a male.
Whatever make Queenie is…she is a beautiful cow..with a name like that how else could she be
Queenie is always as cute as can be! I love her unruffled look! xo
That is one self satisfied piggie. 🙂 Last weekend, when I drove down from the cabin and stopped at North Arm Farm, I had a walk thru their little farmyard and they have a giant pink sow. She was so enormous I couldn’t believe how enormous she was. But they also had a few Oxford sandy and blacks. Have you ever seen those pigs? Cutest pigs in the world. In that next life on my organic farm, those are the pigs I’d love to have. 🙂 Hey, how did the soap making go round two? Did you have success? Bet you did.
Oh i must show you, so far the soap is fantastic, though a little drying to the skin in the shower, though it smells divine and lasts for ages) so the next one I make I am going to use olive oil instead of coconut oil. And I am going to find a lemon grass scent. So soon i will be making more.. c
Sheila looks like she is laughing. I love that.