A Surprise Baby

A real surprise. 

Elsie has given birth to a wee heifer. She was already here when I went out to do the chores yesterday morning so the girls got to see her before departing. They had the best visit.

The calf  is a beautiful wee bouncy heifer she has the same markings as her mother on one side but otherwise she is all black. We will keep her and train her to be a milk cow in a few years. Unlike her mother who is not a natural house cow at all.  

I milked Elsie yesterday evening she was dripping milk rapidly but she did not like those cups and kicked like a crazy thing. I did get her milked but it was most unpleasant not to mention dangerous. As she has raised her own calves in the past my plan was to share milk with her. After things settle down – Putting the baby in the barn at night, milking in the morning, then letting them be together in the day,  then separate for the night again. This routine works for a lot of people.  But it depends on a cow who will cooperate.  After a few months I would wean the baby off and take over all the milking myself getting lots of cream and butter. Well, that was the plan.

I shall try again today and if she has not settled by the end of the day I will let the calf take over full time and hope that Lady Astor is more willing. There is no point pushing this into the realms of illness. Hers or mine. Plus I work alone, the risk of injury to me is very real and then I have a very real terror of mastitis and will not take any risks. Elsie has always been flighty and prone to wacking me. Lady is a lot calmer.  Hopefully I can milk one of them.

But I am feeling demoralised after the attempts at milking her yesterday.  After all her training I was hoping she would do a little better than this. 

I don’t know what else to say. I am going out to have another go.  But I am not going to force her – though all my plans revolve around having a milk cow.  We will see.

The good news is that every egg, except one, hatched out. Now we have a whole hoard of fluffy chicks in the brooder. 

A very good result indeed. At the beginning of next month the turkey eggs arrive.  I hope those do as well!

Good morning.  I am girding my loins. Ready to give this cow my best shot. Elsie was going to need time to settle to milking so I must keep positive.

This calf has quite the look. I am not sure of her name yet. I hope you have a lovely day,

celi