Canesister's 2025 journal - Bushel & Peck Farm

[canesisters]

Good for you for sticking up for the new guy. Even better that management listened to you and agreed.

There's entirely too much apathy there. Everyone grabbing what they can even if it means snatching from someone else.
There's just GOT to be a happy medium.

I'm sure it was the reminder of lost time & lost product that changed their mind. I remember when I ran a whole roll (1800 meters) & didn't notice that one edge was just a bit wrong enough to put it out if spec.. trashed the whole thing!

 

[canesisters]

Pre-dawn ramblings
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A few hours till daylight (Mon morning). Monday is the last day that I have marked as possible for Eva to come into heat this time around.
In the past - for YEARS - she has been obnoxiously vocal for 24hrs when in heat. The last 2 times it was 2 days of bellowing that started in the evening.
This past Friday evening there was just the littlest bit of half-hearted mooing & the tiniest trace of dried mucus on her rump. I was convinced that she was not in heat yet because she was so quiet, so we waited.
There has been nothing since then. She has been quiet, content & has had a clean rump.
It's very possible that I somehow missed it this time. @farmerjan and any others with longtime cow experience, how old is too old? It occurs to me that at 10yrs, she may have had her last calf already.?

That wouldn't be a terrible tragedy. The impetus to get her bred again was dealing with the heat cycles, not a need for milk & beef. She's a beloved pet & will spend all her days being pampered here...... but I was really starting to look forward to the milk & eventual beef again.
Of course, there's always next month.... I hope.

 

[Mini Horses]

At 10 she should still be breedable.

 

[Baymule]

Can you take her to someone with a bull?

 

[farmerjan]

If you are still wanting to try, then 10 is definitely NOT too old...We have cows born in "12 and '13, that are going to calve again in March. And these are cows that have calved year after year so a little more "wear and tear" on them. Her past heats are good indications... but not set in stone. Next time she shows any sign, call the breeder, and then breed her 12 hours after you see any signs.. Not to be a wise guy, but females do not have the same symptoms with every period...and the "start date" isn't always EXACTLY a certain number of days from the last time..... cows the same... Didn't you say that her last time was a day or 2 off from when you expected her to come back in heat ? Heat cycles are normally 21 days average... 20-24 is the accepted range.

Watch the calendar also... how late in the "fall", do you want a calf???? Although you do not get as much cold over your way, I want them on the ground before it is getting into real cold weather...if possible.... So, here the calf needs to be born by Dec 1st.... at least when we are planning for a calf.... So not breeding after the 1st of March. We will pull the bulls here right around Mar. 1.... weather permitting... And yes, one place it is nearly impossible to pull the bull until those cows are rotated around through a couple pastures... so a late bred cow here can (and does) calve into Jan, even Feb.... like we had about 3-4 this winter..

 

[farmerjan]

If you breed her and she comes into a "full raging heat" you can always get him to come back and breed her a second time... done that many times over the years...

 

[Baymule]

Even if a late winter calf, you have a nice barn and shelter for her.