Surviving Minnesota!

[holm25]

Just got down from doing chores.
The farm that I got Dakota from was breeding there cows to a bulls that often had shorter legged calves.
This year they found a new semen and started breeding from a bull that throws calves with longer legs.
Dakota has short legs and her calf has long legs, so yesterday my dad milked her 3 times while I was at school, and we both milked her 2 times after school. Then fed it back to the calf through a bottle.
Today when we started milking the calf came over and tried to drink, so we had to help get the tit in its mouth since its so tall. But now, thankfully, it's drinking on its own!
And I will always appreciate powered milk after hearing my dad had to milk her 5 times yesterday

So are u going to milk it twice a day? If so wean the calf off the cow and bottle feed it. If the calf is going to stay with the cow only milk once a day so she get used to a schedule. We milk at 5-5:30 everyday.


Be aware that what u r getting now is not milk. Its colostrum and u can seal it in an air sealed bag and freeze it for calves that are having a bit of trouble. Fresh frozen colostrum is a life saver and does wonders compared to the stuff u get from the stores. It has alot more antibodies and will give a calf energy almost right away.


You can also drink colostrum but I wouldnt recommend it. It tastes fine but looks disgusting. Its a caramel color.

 

[holm25]

And I must add that tall cows are my favorites! Congrats again!

 

[jerryse]

Good morning all. So Jerry you mean real bullheads with whiskers -- not the ones with funny eyes.... Crappie queen. That's cute. That's right up there with bog queen if I do say so myself.

Yes whisker fish . I see Longville is going to hit 82 today . Low 60's here today for the high .

 

[duluthralphie]

So are u going to milk it twice a day? If so wean the calf off the cow and bottle feed it. If the calf is going to stay with the cow only milk once a day so she get used to a schedule. We milk at 5-5:30 everyday.


Be aware that what u r getting now is not milk. Its colostrum and u can seal it in an air sealed bag and freeze it for calves that are having a bit of trouble. Fresh frozen colostrum is a life saver and does wonders compared to the stuff u get from the stores. It has alot more antibodies and will give a calf energy almost right away.


You can also drink colostrum but I wouldnt recommend it. It tastes fine but looks disgusting. Its a caramel color.

You have now made me queasy and sick! Are you proud of yourself? I might not get the junk in the bathroom hung up today and it is your fault for making me ill! The DDW will be after you now.

 

[I Love Layers]

So are u going to milk it twice a day? If so wean the calf off the cow and bottle feed it. If the calf is going to stay with the cow only milk once a day so she get used to a schedule. We milk at 5-5:30 everyday.


Be aware that what u r getting now is not milk. Its colostrum and u can seal it in an air sealed bag and freeze it for calves that are having a bit of trouble. Fresh frozen colostrum is a life saver and does wonders compared to the stuff u get from the stores. It has alot more antibodies and will give a calf energy almost right away.


You can also drink colostrum but I wouldnt recommend it. It tastes fine but looks disgusting. Its a caramel color.

We are keeping the calf on for a few weeks since that's what my dads always done, and also what the dairy farm said to do. I think later this week we might freeze some, we just wanted to make sure the calf could drink by itself before we worry about anything else.

Yeah colostrum isn't the best tasting thing

 

[bantiesrule]

Hey Everyone,
Besides being new to raising my chickens, I'm also new to gardening. LOL. Anyway, I visited a friend last week that lives on 8 acres in Mayer, MN and I noticed that her dirt was pure black and beautiful. I came home and realized my dirt here is brown, sandy, and ugly. I want to till about 0.25 of my land for a very large garden that my mother and I can work on together. I figured I would add black dirt to my land once it's cleared and tilled, but will I have to continue that every year? Also, I am composting, but since I'm new at it, to me it seems like it is taking forever. I've researched burying fish and I might do that too, since the hubs loves fishing and I don't like to eat fish, however for a garden that large, I guess I need more advice on how to make my ugly soil work for me. Thanks in advance!

Another good thing to do along with composting is to till leaves into the soil, as many as you can at first, it really helps when you have sandy soil, it breaks down over winter and really helps hold the moisture in the next summer.

 

[holm25]

You have now made me queasy and sick!  Are you proud of yourself?  I might not get the junk in the bathroom hung up today and it is your fault for making me ill!  The DDW will be after you now.

LOL! Colostrum has alot of good bacteria in it so maybe if u find some u can drink some. That should help get rid of your sickness!

 

[holm25]

We are keeping the calf on for a few weeks since that's what my dads always done, and also what the dairy farm said to do. I think later this week we might freeze some, we just wanted to make sure the calf could drink by itself before we worry about anything else.

Yeah colostrum isn't the best tasting thing

So are u planning on milking twice a day?

 

[holm25]

What I would do is milk the front quarter twice a day and let the calf nurse the back quarter. Since its a little lopsided it will be easier than milking them yourself! Our Jersey's bag is lopsided too and thats the easiest way to do it for us.

 

[Siggie]

Well no long lost relative then .

Well you never know! my 3 main lines are German, Norwegian and Polish My Grt Grt grandfather (on my fathers side) was born in Breslau Germany which is now Wroclaw Poland!