If I were a Holstein, where would I hide?!

dosthouhavemilk · #1 07/19/05, 03:31 PM

It is amazing where they will find to hide when the weather is as ugly as it is now.
Bicentia was due to calve yesterday. She left the herd last Friday and we didn't find her until Sunday evening. I went out in search of her and her new calf, but could not find them anywhere. Finally I heard the calf crying at me when I called. The calf...not the mother, not the one that should have been responding. So I figured Bicentia had died and that calf needed to be found then.
So dad and I went out in the dark of night with our dork lamps (I love those things) and we heade down into the area we heard the calf in. This is in an area called the moutainside. Very steep and extremely overgrown! The weeds (Goldeglo, Ironweed, and some thistles) are taller than my father and he is well over 6 feet. The calf was a moving through these tall, closely clumped weeds and we finally located Bicentia, who is alive. We have yet to find the Jersey calf. Hopefully in two days she will bring it out.
There are few places they can get to to hide but we lost Penelope last August and Anya last March and have yet to find their bodies.

They are getting sloe to calving! How exciting for you! Can't wait to see what they come out as.

willow_girl · #2 07/19/05, 03:44 PM

Teeny is absolutely bursting at the seams, but Twister doesn't seem as big as she should be. ????

In fact, when I came back after being gone for my second week of training, I swore her belly looked SMALLER than when I'd left. I panicked, thinking she'd aborted the calf somewhere, but Gary swears the cows didn't get out while I was gone, and he didn't see any vultures over the pasture, or notice anything out of the ordinary. There also was no blood or anything on her hind end, or any other signs she had calved ...

Anyway, her bag has gotten steadily bigger, and this morning when I found her she had some mucus showing. I have been so worried about her this whole time ... not only because her calf will be more valuable, but also knowing she had 1 calf who was stillborn!

It doesn't help that she's still such an ornery cuss! I put a halter on Teeny last night, getting ready, but Twist wasn't standing for any of that! Sigh ...

I think I'm going to have to put a chain around her neck, and tie-stall her after she calves, at least part of the time so Gary can milk her if I'm not around.

It doesn't help that I have 6 herds to test next week ... including 2 that have to be tested at both milkings! Oy!

moopups · #3 07/19/05, 04:32 PM

It is a proven fact that Holsteins hide in the dumpster containment area at Chick Fillet restaurants.

Haggis · #4 07/19/05, 08:01 PM

Oh good, you've found them already. I was going to suggest looking among some Gateway computer boxes.

willow_girl · #5 07/19/05, 11:00 PM

ROTFL!!!

I must find one of these boxes and take Teeny's picture next to it. She is such a character, I'm sure she would ham it up for the photo ...

JeffNY · #6 07/19/05, 11:26 PM

Think the daytime is hard, how about going for a walk at night, and try finding them. I did one night, well I have gone out before and find them in short order. However one night I could not find them, and boy did I kick myself. See I started up to one side, stopped and looked for some white, nothing. So I started up the hill to the other part of the pasture. I got to the top, walked around, couldn't find them. So I am thinking, where the heck are they? I check another spot, nope. I am thinking as you did willow, they are in with the neighbors. Usually at night I can find them fairly easy. So I decided to head back down, and checked some more spots. So I got thinking, once they went to the top of the hill. So I climbed that, and to not avail, nothing. I stopped and was thinking, where are they?!? So I decided, ill check the darn pasture top to bottom. I went to the very top, over this little outcropping that makes up a small hill, and BINGO! I walked by them twice. This pasture is 40+ acres, and walked it 2-3 times. I kicked myself, here I could have looked, but nope. See I stop and listen for chewing too, usually can hear them. I was 30' away and could not hear them, maybe they were going SHHHH

. Another challenge is fog, thick thick fog, 20' visibility at night with a light fog. Funny thing, I found them in the fog faster than that clear night.

Come to think of it, im not sure if I had a flashlight.

Jeff

Christina R. · #7 07/20/05, 08:59 AM

I have always had pasture envy when I read about how much land everyone has; for once I'm happy that I can always see Corabelle at a moments notice

twstanley · #8 07/20/05, 09:44 AM

At night I use a good flashlight and just swing it in arcs, I can usually spot them pretty quick as the cattle will be looking at you and you can see the little green spots of their eyes long before you can see the cattle.