I have decided not to try and milk Elsie again. She got progressively worse each time I tried and both of us ended up scraped and sore. (Me flinging myself totally across the room to miss a right cut to my jaw). I could not even get the cups near her yesterday. She kicked out every time I approached. Injuries can happen both for the cow (who was throwing herself about) and I – plus it is dangerous for the calf as well. On a normal day her ears are back all the time and you can see the whites of her eyes every time she whips her head around. Trying to milk her sent her over the edge. And when I tried to undo her tether in the milking shed she reared her head back and literally head-butted my hand. Deliberately. This was not a knee jerk kick. That behaviour is no good.
I am sure a more experienced dairy woman could handle her but I can’t.
Best for me to quit while I am ahead. I have a wee heifer and a Mama to feed her. That works. 
She is such a good mother though. Standing watch as baby sleeps and gently backing over to the calf when she stands up. Standing dead still when baby is drinking. She is deeply nervous and protective of her calf. But that is not her only problem – she does not like people – that is the main problem.
Sometimes the plan changes – it is important to recognise the change and turn with it. Tacking in a different direction to catch the wind. I am not getting into a battle of wills with this cow.
So yesterday she and her calf spent the day in the dim back room of the barn. The Cadet and I peeked at her every now and then. She had food and water and peace. Baby was drinking on and off and doing a lot of Day Two sleeping.
I am sure that Lady A will be much easier to milk. She is a totally different kind of cow. She loves to be patted and scratched, very calm, I can even hand feed her. So I have a feeling that she may be a better bet. Though I should not speak too soon. (Touching wood, dancing on one leg in a circle to the West). And she is not ready to calve yet, her udder is still quite small. Let’s hope at the very least she gives birth as easily as Elsie the Wild.
The chicks are all doing well. Such a good hatch rate. Only one egg not hatching. They sleep in under and around their Mama Table heater. They are so much quieter than chicks under lights.
The Cadet and The Chick.
Well I had better get going. Yesterday quite wore me out. I could go back to bed you know! But off to work we go. Me and my dogs.
The La Manchas – kidding around!
Good morning. We have some pretty wild squally storms galloping through. I will get out my big oil-skin raincoat and go out early and check the pigs in their huts – the kunes might want to come into the barn in all this lightning – I hope you all have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farmy,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
88 responses to “Elsie The Wild”
It is amazing how a cow can kick …..considering how far away from their brain their arse
end is. They can explode rather quickly ….. Her ears and eyes say it all.
I know you will rest…….the body will turn up the volume if you don’t !!
Ah well. You really have done all you can do now. In a month your will be able to breed Elise again. Although, you may want to wait awhile so you have another spring birth. I always preferred spring births, but when we had the dairy farm we HAD to have cows drying and birthing year round. Anyway, I digress…if you keep Elise you just might want to think of breeding to a gentle Milk Breed like a Jersey. Jersey’s are gentle and docile with sweet faces like deer. They are small and much easier for women to handle also the size insures they do not need as much feed as a larger dairy cow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_cattle
The calves Elsie will throw from the mix of the breed will have her Belted mix and the sires….the color of cattle usually result from the bull…also this mix will mess up your purebred, but will produce a lovely milking cow. Jersey cows can produce huge amounts of milk.
Just a thought…
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer
I look forward to seeing how she does when The Lady Vet AI’s her. She is a pure bred 100% Dutch Belted. There are not that many of them so I think I will still go for the DB. And I agree about spring births. c
Like others, I am concerned for you and your body calling for rest. A bit of wisdom shared with me which really did prove out was, ” If your body is exhausted and saying it needs rest and you don’t give it what it is asking for……and continue making withdrawals on the energy account….you will finally rest one way or another.” By choice or sickness. In my case it was sickness because I didn’t think I could slow down. And then I Had to slow down for a much longer time. Also, I was working with horses and the fatigue kept my mind from being sharp and alert…..not a good condition when working with large animals or equipment. All this to say, please, C, take care of your dear self so you take care of those dear animals for the long haul.
As for your cow not liking people, in my experience, some critters just are missing the ‘computer chip’ for being sociable and agreeable. And would rather just be left alone. Some can be worked with and others are a liability. You have good instincts and will know exacting how to deal with this situation.
You can’t make butter with goat’s milk?? I never knew that but since I have never seen goat’s butter, I guess you can’t! I learn something everyday here C. Amazing! 🙂 You go flop yourself down somewhere this afternoon and take a nice, long siesta! xo Chris
I think you can? I have read one process, but it seems very involved. maybe someone else in the fellowship knows an easy way, but cows give lots of cream and I can make LOTS of butter.
my Mother made the most delicious pies and German “kuchas” from that thick cream! and whipped cream on Strawberry shortcake in the spring! ymmmm!
with cream from goats milk? this is exciting…
the good ole cows cream! we would have a few 1 gallon jars in the fridge and 3-4 inches of cream on the top! and some of that would always get taken off the top and saved for apricot cream pie! peach cream pie! apple pie! and the big kuchas Mother made! oh those were the days!!
I LONG for it now, chilled and so thick! Come on Lady A! Please be the milk cow.. c
Goat’s milk is naturally homogenised, with much smaller fat particles than cow’s milk, so separating the cream for butter making is much more complicated. And if you make cheese from goat’s milk, you might find that the curd is a bit soft and weak compared with cow’s milk, especially if you use a vegetable rennet. You can get round this by adding calcium chloride. On the other hand, goat’s milk freezes well, where cow’s milk doesn’t because the larger fat particles tend to split out.
Celi, well ~ this is life on the farm isn’t it! Every once in awhile a real challenge and sometimes it is better to let nature take over. But it makes me wonder what her background history is ~ what made her this way? wonder if she was “bullied” when she was young? and the seller said she is a nice quiet cow? maybe quiet by herself but not too lovey!! I grew up on a dairy farm ~ I think Elsie has a mind of her own and wants to be independent. ~ so yes be careful ~ those hind legs and hooves can do some real serious injuries. So we learn to be respectful and let them be. Elsie’s little calf is cute!!! “Sunshine” or “Surprise” looks kinda like you could pet her!! The baby chicks are looking cute! They are growing!
Have a good one ~
I had a cat like that from a kitten – he was wild, wild wild and nothing would change him no matter how much love and tenderness I gave him. He ended up blinding my dog with a claw 😦 Wise decision you have made….
Glad your cat was not as big as my cow! At least I can keep the cow in a field. Poor dog.
When you are so tired the soles of your feet ache, that is tired! Time to give them a rest. It’s almost like the little heifer was sent to give you a bit of a break.
HI–you said that you love butter–but have you ever had goats butter–???
When I was growing up a neighbor lady had goats and she made goats butter and always brought us some–
I loved it–and have looked and looked for it now-but it seems no one makes it–
still get goats cheese though and love that!!!
so try to make some goats butter–you might like it better than cows butter!!
I look forward to that!!
I made goat butter once…it was interesting…a cream seperator would definitely be beneficial.
Wow I’m learning so much about cows, milk ect! x
some cows are like that, high strung and impossible to handle. Just last month I had to send a heifer cow back to the home farm because I could not handle her. If she has been used as a nurse cow perhaps you could put Lady A’s calf on her. The wee goats are lovely… they make me miss mine.
Sorry it isn’t going to work out with Elsie, but it is best to keep you and her safe. At least she produced a future milk cow for the farmy.
You’ve reminded me that Pick Your Battles should be the motto of the current days… and yesterday I read somewhere when times are tough look for the good. Something to work with. I love tools 🙂
Loved reading your post, as always – plus all the lovely advice and love in the comments !! And I learned things I never knew as well !!
Well eha-mama joins Granny Nuri and Grannymar in their advice! Going by some matters remembered from the past methinks once Baby is weaned perhaps you better put an ad in the paper and hand Elsie over to someone not desiring a milking cow!! Hope the bub has not inherited mom’s temperament.
My Stars.. you are! I am better this afternoon. This morning I was just being a big baby. But why do the soles of my feet hurt Eha Mama? Is there some kind of clinical reason? Or is it my Soul in my Feet – hurting.
Guesswork across the ocean . . . you call it ‘soul’, I would say ‘frustrated tension’ literally ‘gripping’ at your soles!! See what happens in a few days AFTER some R&R!!
true that!
It makes me happy that you know the personalities of your farm animals and birds. I have the same thoughts about the wildlife we nurture here. They’re all distinctly different, and we must roll with that. After all, would we appreciate someone trying to make us do what is not in us to do? I think not! You have made a good and wise decision that should benefit all.