Well, Brandy is doing well but I am worried about her being bloated. On her right side she is a little bloated. I cut back her food and it has gone down a little bit but not entirely, so I am wondering what is going on.
I lent my very detailed cow book to a neighbour- ug. And the same neighbour told me that one of his beef cattle was killed last night by four dingos. He said he has lost three cows to the dingos and he is going to put bait out for them.
Brandy is still wanting to play/ kill me with her horns, so I have taken to walking around the yard with a big stick so that when she charges me I can makes noises and wave the stick at her, which seems to work. Hairy says I need to clip the tips of her horns off with bolt cutters so she can't do too much damage- the thought of it makes me want to puke!
Hairy also says they settle down after they calf- I hope so.
Karina, my freind who milks, told me about getting charged at, while heavily pregnant, by one of her calves with sharp horns . She said, "you just can't trust them."
Friday, November 23, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
HOUSE COW breaks into veggie patch.
Brandy broke into the veggie patch today. She just walked right through the chicken wire fence and started eating. I had fed her some carrots from the garden that had gone to seed, which must have alerted her to the possibilities of the veggie patch.
It was really hard to chase her out, she kept trying to hide behind the corn.
Apart from that, she is doing really well and I feel like she is starting to understand that I am the boss. She hasn't tried to headbutt me for a few days.
We have started buying raw milk from our neighbours which has really got us looking forward to when Brandy starts producing milk.
She is a rather small jersey and we have been advised by our neighbour Hairy to get her artificially inseminated the first few times so that we can select a small breeding line. Otherwise he thinks she will have trouble birthing.
Hairy also said I shouldn't be giving her mollasses everyday because it is sugar and will make her hyperactive- I guess that makes sense.
I'm really loving having her here. She is always hanging around the veggie patch when i am in it.
It was really hard to chase her out, she kept trying to hide behind the corn.
Apart from that, she is doing really well and I feel like she is starting to understand that I am the boss. She hasn't tried to headbutt me for a few days.
We have started buying raw milk from our neighbours which has really got us looking forward to when Brandy starts producing milk.
She is a rather small jersey and we have been advised by our neighbour Hairy to get her artificially inseminated the first few times so that we can select a small breeding line. Otherwise he thinks she will have trouble birthing.
Hairy also said I shouldn't be giving her mollasses everyday because it is sugar and will make her hyperactive- I guess that makes sense.
I'm really loving having her here. She is always hanging around the veggie patch when i am in it.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
HOUSE COW is wormed with garlic
In the book The Healthy House Cow, cow-guru Marja says cows can be wormed for intestinal parasites using two full bulbs of garlic, once per month. She suggested crushing them with the skins on.
So, I just broke up two large bulbs of garlic into a couple of dozen small bulbs and smashed them up with the hammer. I mixed in some molasses and mulberry leave.
Brandy was very interested in the licking the molasses and eating the mulberry leaves and was trying to avoid actually eating any garlic.
I think I will have to mince it up smaller and try again.
Cow-guru also says the mulberry leaves are good for worms too. Brandy has striped the bottom branches of our mulberry bush. I have been going out into the yard and bending down the branches so she can reach the leaves. I think she loves me all the more for it.
I have also begun to feel a little less intimidated by her.
And I have been checking under her tail every morning for ticks. She doesnt really like me doing it, so I feel a little anxious about it. Im also trying to spend more time around her backside in general (sounds great doesn't it) and coming in to touch her udder from behind rather than just the side. I am trying to get he used to me touching her everywhere so that she is co-operative when it comes time for hand-milking.
Bill and I have been pulling ticks off her every morning.
I found this information about ticks on a government website:
usually affects cattle 18–36 months old;
very high risk with rain after drought — tick numbers are very low after long droughts and cattle growing up without being exposed are likely to be highly susceptible;
stress and pregnancy increase susceptibility; and
bulls are more susceptible than other cattle.
So, I just broke up two large bulbs of garlic into a couple of dozen small bulbs and smashed them up with the hammer. I mixed in some molasses and mulberry leave.
Brandy was very interested in the licking the molasses and eating the mulberry leaves and was trying to avoid actually eating any garlic.
I think I will have to mince it up smaller and try again.
Cow-guru also says the mulberry leaves are good for worms too. Brandy has striped the bottom branches of our mulberry bush. I have been going out into the yard and bending down the branches so she can reach the leaves. I think she loves me all the more for it.
I have also begun to feel a little less intimidated by her.
And I have been checking under her tail every morning for ticks. She doesnt really like me doing it, so I feel a little anxious about it. Im also trying to spend more time around her backside in general (sounds great doesn't it) and coming in to touch her udder from behind rather than just the side. I am trying to get he used to me touching her everywhere so that she is co-operative when it comes time for hand-milking.
Bill and I have been pulling ticks off her every morning.
I found this information about ticks on a government website:
usually affects cattle 18–36 months old;
very high risk with rain after drought — tick numbers are very low after long droughts and cattle growing up without being exposed are likely to be highly susceptible;
stress and pregnancy increase susceptibility; and
bulls are more susceptible than other cattle.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
HOUSE COW covered in ticks
This afternoon Xavier discovered a tick on Brandy's eye. I had no idea how I was going to get it off.
Bill suggested we drown the tick in butter....??? So he put a glob of butter half on the eye and over the tick. It didn't work.
Then I tried to get the halter on her so that I could try and keep her head still while I tried to get at the tick, and I couldn't figure out how the thing went on.
I called out to our neighbour Paul who grew up on a cattle property. He came over and got her straight in the headlock and pulled the tick right out. The he gave her a good going over and pulled off all these ticks I had missed, including ones from inside her ear.
But the worse part was herbum-hole and labia were covered in ticks, so I helped him pull them off too.
He has offered to come over and help me tick her ever few days. But I really have to get over my fear that she is going to kick me or stab me with her horn.
He was able to lift up each of her hooves and showed me a few handling techniques, and he figured out how to get the halter on too.
I am beginning to understand what people mean when they say that a house-cow is a lot of work.
I rang Brandy's former mum today to ask if she thought Brandy was just playing when she tries to horn me or if she is actually challenging me. She said:both. She said you have to train her like a dog. If she tries to horn you put the lead on and tie her up. If you have the lead on and she tries it again pull her head down so she can't do it.
Animal pyscology has never been my strong point. And I am beginning to wonder if I am mad for trying to do this organically in the world's tick capital!
Bill suggested we drown the tick in butter....??? So he put a glob of butter half on the eye and over the tick. It didn't work.
Then I tried to get the halter on her so that I could try and keep her head still while I tried to get at the tick, and I couldn't figure out how the thing went on.
I called out to our neighbour Paul who grew up on a cattle property. He came over and got her straight in the headlock and pulled the tick right out. The he gave her a good going over and pulled off all these ticks I had missed, including ones from inside her ear.
But the worse part was herbum-hole and labia were covered in ticks, so I helped him pull them off too.
He has offered to come over and help me tick her ever few days. But I really have to get over my fear that she is going to kick me or stab me with her horn.
He was able to lift up each of her hooves and showed me a few handling techniques, and he figured out how to get the halter on too.
I am beginning to understand what people mean when they say that a house-cow is a lot of work.
I rang Brandy's former mum today to ask if she thought Brandy was just playing when she tries to horn me or if she is actually challenging me. She said:both. She said you have to train her like a dog. If she tries to horn you put the lead on and tie her up. If you have the lead on and she tries it again pull her head down so she can't do it.
Animal pyscology has never been my strong point. And I am beginning to wonder if I am mad for trying to do this organically in the world's tick capital!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
House Cow Turns Mean
Brandy tried to give me the horn this morning while I was giving her, her morning bucket. She seemed a bit jittery and wasn't happy with me ticking her. All this made me feel nervous that I was going to really cop a horn in the back or groin. So I didn't tick her and backed off. Which I think has made matters worse. I put the halter on her and lead her around to the front gate and tied her up to the fence. She wouldn't walk on the lead with me beside her, so I had to let her follow me- which she does anyway without a lead
I will leave her tied up for an hour or so to continue getting her used to it. I called my neighbour Hairy to come over and give me some pointers on handling her. He has a few milking cows and has knows how to show then who is boss.
I sense I am at an important junction in my relationship with Brandy. I think she is testing me to see who is boss, and this morning it was definately her. She is only 12 months, but already her size is so intimidating.
I will leave her tied up for an hour or so to continue getting her used to it. I called my neighbour Hairy to come over and give me some pointers on handling her. He has a few milking cows and has knows how to show then who is boss.
I sense I am at an important junction in my relationship with Brandy. I think she is testing me to see who is boss, and this morning it was definately her. She is only 12 months, but already her size is so intimidating.
Monday, November 5, 2007
HOUSE COW's Morning Routine
This morning I went and bought a grooming brush for Brandy while Bill fixed the fence. My friend Karina who lives up the road has a house cow and she suggested I have a morning routine with Brandy. Feeding and grooming her at the same time every day- at the time that in future I will be milking her.
So this morning I chopped up some lucerine, calf muesli and this other pellet type thing, that Bill got at the rural supplies store, put it in a bucket and went out to the paddock and while she ate I groomed her. When she was finished she followed me back to the house and licked my hand. This is the first time Brandy has initiated physical contact with me, agh, it was a truly beautiful moment.
And the other amazing thing that happened today was I discovered potatoes in our veggie patch. Bill had chucked a few old rotten potatoes onto a garden bed. I saw something growing there and thought the leaves looked like potato. I noticed today that the leaves were dying back to I decided to have a dig around and pulled out six new potatoes- we will be having baked potatoes for with dinner tonight.
So this morning I chopped up some lucerine, calf muesli and this other pellet type thing, that Bill got at the rural supplies store, put it in a bucket and went out to the paddock and while she ate I groomed her. When she was finished she followed me back to the house and licked my hand. This is the first time Brandy has initiated physical contact with me, agh, it was a truly beautiful moment.
And the other amazing thing that happened today was I discovered potatoes in our veggie patch. Bill had chucked a few old rotten potatoes onto a garden bed. I saw something growing there and thought the leaves looked like potato. I noticed today that the leaves were dying back to I decided to have a dig around and pulled out six new potatoes- we will be having baked potatoes for with dinner tonight.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
HOUSE COW Does A Runner
One of the things Bill said in our 'discussion' about getting a house cow was: You will spend half your life trying to find her when she gets out.
Today Brandy did a runner~ Our neighbour's cows came down to the bottom paddock and Brandy started mooing at them and they started mooing back at her. And I did wonder if she might try and get out, but then forgot about it.
It was when I was about to go out that I discovered her gone. She got through our fence and the neighbours and was hanging out with a heard of beef cattle.
I mistakenly thought one was a bull so I was too scared to go in and try and get her. And I had no idea how to separate her from her new found friends.
Thankfully my neighbour Paul offered to help. We drove round the back and up to the top of the paddock and some home he managed to corner her and get her away from the rest of the heard. We then got her through the gate and back into our place.
I didn't realise cows were so social. Another neighbour who came around today said, "she is going to give you so much trouble unless you get her a companion." I don't think I can convince Bill that two cows will be easier than one.
When we got her back she was covered in ticks- which is disappointing because I back lined her with essential oils yesterday for ticks.
The vegie patch is doing well.
Today Brandy did a runner~ Our neighbour's cows came down to the bottom paddock and Brandy started mooing at them and they started mooing back at her. And I did wonder if she might try and get out, but then forgot about it.
It was when I was about to go out that I discovered her gone. She got through our fence and the neighbours and was hanging out with a heard of beef cattle.
I mistakenly thought one was a bull so I was too scared to go in and try and get her. And I had no idea how to separate her from her new found friends.
Thankfully my neighbour Paul offered to help. We drove round the back and up to the top of the paddock and some home he managed to corner her and get her away from the rest of the heard. We then got her through the gate and back into our place.
I didn't realise cows were so social. Another neighbour who came around today said, "she is going to give you so much trouble unless you get her a companion." I don't think I can convince Bill that two cows will be easier than one.
When we got her back she was covered in ticks- which is disappointing because I back lined her with essential oils yesterday for ticks.
The vegie patch is doing well.
Friday, November 2, 2007
House Cow
We bought our "renovators dream" about two years ago when I was about 8 months pregnant with our third child. We had BIG plans. Two years later we have done nothing and I'm a bit fed up with it.
At the beginning of spring we dug up some garden beds and created a veggie patch . I've enjoyed growing vegetables so much that I have decided I am really going to get into this rural thing.
Actually, we live in a rural area but we only have a couple of acres with a decrepit old farmhouse on it. Still it is enough to try and be semi-self sufficient.
My partner doesn't share my enthusiasm for a house cow and chooks. But after much pestering he has commenced work on resurrecting the old chook house. And after days of , let's say lively discussion, he agreed on a house cow.
Our house cow, Brandy, arrived today. She is a 12 month old jersey cow. I had a look around at a few cows before I decided on her. A neighbour had some friesians that were in calf, but I wanted the jersey because they eat less and we only have about 3 acres of grass for her to graze on, and because the cream content in the jersey cow is higher. This is better for making cheese- which I also want to learn how to do.
I went and saw a farmer who had some jersey cows for sale. He got one into the yard for me to look at but as I tried to approach it, it ran away. I hadn't realised that cows need to be broken in.
Last week I saw and add in the paper for a 12 month old jersey who "will lead." This means she is used to having a halter on. So we went to look at her and were able to approach her with the owner and pat her. It was basically love at first sight.
She was delivered today. She cost $400 and it was $150 to have her delivered. Brandy is more used to people than she is other animals, so obviously we don't have to break her in.
Her previous owner bottle fed her from three days old and has been pulling her teats regularly to get her used to being handled, so that milking will be easier.
We have got her in the house-block at the moment and she is letting my partner, Bill, and I hand feed her, but when the kids approach she backs off.
We have bought a bag of calf muesli, $20, and a bale of hay,$15. The guy at the rural supplies store told Bill that is all we need to give her, if we have plenty of grass, and it will last about three weeks. So that's about $11.66 per week.
Our neighbour Sophie has given me a recipe for a natural tick repellent which is:
1 tbsp tea tree oil
1 tbsp eucalyptus oil
1 tbsp citronella
250 ml water
50 ml of cooking oil
Put it all in a spray pack and spray it down down the back and around the udder. She suggested I tie her to the fence while I am doing it because she probably wont like it.
At the beginning of spring we dug up some garden beds and created a veggie patch . I've enjoyed growing vegetables so much that I have decided I am really going to get into this rural thing.
Actually, we live in a rural area but we only have a couple of acres with a decrepit old farmhouse on it. Still it is enough to try and be semi-self sufficient.
My partner doesn't share my enthusiasm for a house cow and chooks. But after much pestering he has commenced work on resurrecting the old chook house. And after days of , let's say lively discussion, he agreed on a house cow.
Our house cow, Brandy, arrived today. She is a 12 month old jersey cow. I had a look around at a few cows before I decided on her. A neighbour had some friesians that were in calf, but I wanted the jersey because they eat less and we only have about 3 acres of grass for her to graze on, and because the cream content in the jersey cow is higher. This is better for making cheese- which I also want to learn how to do.
I went and saw a farmer who had some jersey cows for sale. He got one into the yard for me to look at but as I tried to approach it, it ran away. I hadn't realised that cows need to be broken in.
Last week I saw and add in the paper for a 12 month old jersey who "will lead." This means she is used to having a halter on. So we went to look at her and were able to approach her with the owner and pat her. It was basically love at first sight.
She was delivered today. She cost $400 and it was $150 to have her delivered. Brandy is more used to people than she is other animals, so obviously we don't have to break her in.
Her previous owner bottle fed her from three days old and has been pulling her teats regularly to get her used to being handled, so that milking will be easier.
We have got her in the house-block at the moment and she is letting my partner, Bill, and I hand feed her, but when the kids approach she backs off.
We have bought a bag of calf muesli, $20, and a bale of hay,$15. The guy at the rural supplies store told Bill that is all we need to give her, if we have plenty of grass, and it will last about three weeks. So that's about $11.66 per week.
Our neighbour Sophie has given me a recipe for a natural tick repellent which is:
1 tbsp tea tree oil
1 tbsp eucalyptus oil
1 tbsp citronella
250 ml water
50 ml of cooking oil
Put it all in a spray pack and spray it down down the back and around the udder. She suggested I tie her to the fence while I am doing it because she probably wont like it.
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