Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

We experience new life on the dairy  farm year round, 

but there's nothing like seeing new calves born in the spring

on a carpet of new green grass and the beauty around us. 

Our expectant mothers have been watched closely 

   to insure a healthy delivery.

 It's always exciting to meet our new baby!

Our days are filled with routine chores and common every

day challenges but I'm thankful for the blessings of new life,

for the smiles and laughter of children

and

                                                           the Hope of the Easter season.

                                                             From down on the dairy farm,
                                                               Happy Easter!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

It's standard treatment for pregnant cows to have a two month rest period

 before giving birth.Two weeks before the expected calving date, 

we move the cows or heifers to the field close to our 

house so we can monitor them closely.

                         
                                                       I'm thankful for all safe arrivals
                                                                                and
                                        for this week's new addition to the dairy farm family!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Most of our cows and heifers deliver without assistance but during the birth process we're keeping a close eye on the situation. This baby had a foot bent backwards that was making delivery difficult and  did require dairy farmer intervention.  

Celebrating birthdays on the dairy  farm is always exciting and  never gets old!

                                                                   
                                                         I'm thankful for every healthy delivery!
                                                             
                                                             

January Delivers Spring Down on the Dairy

How often do we get a 60 degree January day on the dairy farm? Not very often this year!

Although Mother Nature was just teasing us today with a spring-like day, it   was  a perfect day

    for welcoming a new calf into the world. 

 

 

We're always keeping a close eye on our cows to ensure a healthy delivery, but it was nice to know that this baby would be born on a much warmer January  day.

 

 Our calves are usually born in the pasture but with the extremely cold January days that we have experienced,  we have been moving  the mamas to the maternity barn close to calving time  so the baby would be born  in a more protective environment.

 

With tomorrow's forecast for twenty degrees, it looks like we'll be back to the maternity barn for delivery!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dairy Delivers Commitment 24/7

Although the calendar says it is still summer, it's got the feel of fall with the cool eighty degree days and fifty degree nights in Northwest Arkansas.  On the farm, fall means time for harvesting. Fall harvesting for us includes chopping corn for silage to feed the cows, baling and wrapping hay and closely watching our dairy cows and heifers give birth to a new crop of baby calves.  We have brought both cows and heifers that are due to calve in the next two weeks to the pasture next to our house for closer monitoring during the day and night.  It is our hope that each cow or heifer will calve in the field without assistance but if assistance is needed, we can quickly move the animal to our maternity ward  which is a small open barn with three clean stalls filled with sawdust bedding for the cows to lie on and access to water.

Fall calving has begun! Yesterday we had four new calves born. Two calves were born in the field during the day and two at midnight. When the two cows at midnight were not progressing in their labor it was decided that assistance was needed. Both cows were walked to the maternity barn, put in seperate stalls and examined for progress. Delivery assistance was needed for both cows because the calves were coming backwards (feet first). Close observation and delivery assistance saved both calves.  From our dairy farming experience  it's obvious  that dairy cows and heifers do not check the clock for convenient delivery times!

You can find more information about dairy farming at http://www.dairyfarmingtoday.org/.  Our commitment to providing high quality milk begins with taking good care of our dairy heifers,cows and calves.  It's a 24/7, 365 day commitment!