I’ve been watching them for three weeks now for AI.

I have just passed 87% served which I am reasonably happy with. Tail paint is my observation aid of choice and it has been a big help. It is just a standard water based emulsion applied with a mini roller and easy enough to top it up in the parlour. Provided the conception rates work out then the activity will be dropping and it will be harder to spot those bulling. I won’t be sparing the paint. I’m not sure what the tourists walking past the herd make of their pink fashion statement.

With the current good weather the cows have been very clean coming in for milking. One lady stood out from the rest last weekend with her udder, just the udder mind, plastered in mud. I started cleaning only to find a nasty cut in one teat. She is a second calver with a nice shaped udder, it couldn’t be one of the culls. The teat was too swollen for stitching so anti-inflammatories and a full week of antibiotics was prescribed. I have been cleaning and disinfecting the cut every day too, and it seems to be healing.

The last cow to damage a teat was a lovely shapely high EBI first calver, another good one of course. I’d love to know what they get up to when my back is turned. Her damage was worse as the teat canal was cut, so it had to be amputated. A week later she got a severe infection and had to be put down. A mixture of blood and milk is a perfect breeding ground for bugs.

Mystery solved

Meanwhile I have solved the mystery of how 284, one of my autumn calved heifers, had nearly dried up in the last week. I spotted her comrade 286 had developed a taste for fresh milk for breakfast. Either that or she had heard that milk was cheaper than water in the shops and was trying to save me money.

Whatever her reasoning I fitted 286 with a nice shiny spiked nose ring. The last time I had to fit one here on a heifer I met a group of tourists afraid to continue on the walkway because of the bull. It had to be a bull when “he” had a nose ring!

Whatever about the appearance of this latest fashion accessory, 284 is back up in milk and 286 gave me a very dirty look coming into the parlour next day.

Love cows. Never a dull moment.