Thursday, November 17, 2005

Farm Update

Stornaway Jersey October milk came in at $20.60! We've hit the seasonal period of decline in milk prices, but our milk becomes richer in fat and protein in the fall, and the net effect is an increase in our pay price. Eeyacho! (Which, if you don't recognize it, is usually followed by, "Who-a wona secona wull wa you so smaht!)

We've hit a lull in the calving season. Buffy is due in a week, and Mocha is due in December. Pretty quiet. But then we have 5 due in January, 4 in February, 6 in March, 5 in April, and a whole bunch in May. Breeding has been in full swing, however. Having kept over a number of cows and heifers a couple of months left me with thirty to breed since the first of the month, and I've bred all but a few.

I've got two new heifers that I'm very excited about, Blossom and Bazooms. They are sired by a young sire named Dane who is, in fact, Danish, being an own son of Lemvig. They are milking well, are very solid, though not stylish, and best of all, are very calm and serene, possibly due to the outcross genetics. I even had to get stern with Bazooms about getting into her stall when she comes in the barn, and she is still just as calm as can be. She also learned where her stall is and that it is to her benefit to get in the right one when she comes in.

It's snowing, the cows are in the barn eating good hay and resting comfortably, and the milk check was substantial. It's a good time to be a farmer.

Til next time.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really do love the farm updates, though.

I wish they happened more often.

Dad said...

Thanks, Lucy. I'll see what I can do. Lydia, BTW, is due in February, adn she's the next best hope for a Lucy. Hope for a heifer.