Ooh la la!
These shapely legs belong to the beleaguered wearer of “The Shirt”. Apparently, it was too hot to wear long pants or anything waterproof today doing a Big Job.
Anyhow, the Big Job was a special occasion: we got to find out how pregnant we are (or more correctly, how pregnant the cows are). Preg testing qualifies for the title of Big Job because it entails lining up 125 cows a day for an internal examination by the vet. Not painful for the cows but a big change in routine like this always means added excitement.
The good news is that almost all of our 250 milkers have indeed conceived to our irresistible team of bulls. All expectant cows will take a two-month holiday before calving and we will greet the next generation from late April onwards.
A sizeable group of cows will not calve at all in 2013 – I pulled the plug on mating early – and will instead enjoy our company twice a day, seven days a week for the next 18 months.
Gotta love Preg Testing time. I remember it was one of my first ever jobs with the vet on work experience. I still do it regularly niw and have gotten pretty good at it. Best ever cure for a cold winters day. Though a good pair of overalls and gumboots does nothing to stop the effect if a cow releasing its bladder on you when you are checking. Hazards of the job I suppose.
Though I think cows are pretty smart and seem to realise when you are pulling the long gloves on and just what their purpose is, they seem to get less envious to walk up the race from that point forward.
We once had an old horse who could “smell” a vet from a hundred yards!
Haha it’s always funny just how preemptive farm animals can be.
Please stop making cows pregnant and then stealing their babies. It is the most terrible thing that can happen to a female creature and it is so very sad that it happens so much to these poor cows,
Hi Hali, Have you read my post on why we rear calves away from the herd? We do it for the sake of the calves and as we share a passion for animal welfare, I’m sure you’d find it interesting: https://milkmaidmarian.com/2012/02/10/why-we-raise-calves-away-from-the-herd/
PS: I didn’t make the cows pregnant, the bulls did! 😉