Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

                                           Resting is part of the job for these dairy cows that 

                                      are patiently waiting to give birth in just a few short days.

                                     Each of these cows were moved from the milking herd to 

                                               the "dry" herd for a two month rest before calving.

                                            They are fed a special diet, provided plenty of water 

                                       and checked frequently  for any changes in behavior that

                                                             might indicate time for calving.

                                      

Even though we started the day with no sunshine after yesterday's rain,

I'm thankful for the picture of rest that brings a calmness

to the chaos around us and that what we do every day matters

to you and your family as we work to produce 

high-quality,nutritious milk down on the dairy farm.

Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

It was a snow day down on the dairy farm!

Well, you might call it more of a snow event since

most melted by noon.

The  older calves weren't a bit impressed by the little 

bit of snow that covered the ground. Nothing could stop 

them from drinking warm  milk and eating grain.

It's always fun to watch the youngest calves experience 

their first snow. Most were hesitant to come out of their 

warm hutches but once I coaxed them out with 

a warm bottle of milk, the snow was not an issue.

                                           Regardless of the weather, the calves are fed milk
                                        and grain twice daily  and monitored closely for any
                                                              signs of stress and illness.

                                             I'm thankful for the beauty of the snow day and for
                                            the joy we find in caring for our calves and cows
                                                       every day  down on the dairy farm.
                                         
                                       

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

We didn't have any snow for Christmas but we had plenty of rain.

It was a record measurement for rain across Benton County that  

 flooded  property and damaged roads.

The final rainfall  count down on the dairy  farm was 11 inches within three days.

I'm thankful that we did not lose any of our cows and calves

during this stressful weather event

and 

                                                 that Santa had perfect timing for delivering
                                                   my new rain suit and waterproof boots!

Drought Coping Skills

Just hearing thunder, seeing a flash of lightning and then watching the rain fall was a great stress reliever. Although any rain is a welcome site and considered a blessing, dealing with the stress and damage of this drought on our crops and pastures will continue for the rest of this year as we adapt and make necessary changes for our farm's survivability. Undetected stress can create a drought in personal well being and I will confess, I have felt pretty discouraged and distressed in this dry,hot spell.

During stressful times when it feels like we might be "going crazy", it's important to recognize these common signs of distress as normal responses to unusual situations:

• irritability and anger
• feelings of anxiety and worry
• headaches or gastrointestinal complaints
• increasing risk-taking behavior
• changes in eating and sleep habits
• increased alcohol or drug use
• forgetfulness
• fatigue
• sense of helplessness
• lack of concentration
• avoidance or denial
• sadness

For mental and physical health, it's important to recognize stress and take steps to cope with the challenge we face by focusing on our own strengths and our community of support. According to information from the University of Missouri Cooperative Extension  and Missouri Department of Health, we can take these steps to help ourselves and our families by:

• Acknowledging feelings and talking them out.
• Paying attention to health, nutritious diet and adequate sleep is important.
• Nurturing personal relationships should be a priority.

As my family and I worked together this week to help our neighbors who are also struggling , it was definitely a stress relief for personal drought!

Antibiotic Care Plan

The day before Thanksgiving was short sleeve seventy degree weather. At the afternoon feeding,our baby calves were kicking up their heels and acting like it was spring. Fifteen hours later when I returned for the morning feeding,the temperature had dropped to twenty-six degrees and windy with a light mist. Extreme temperature changes are very stressful to baby calves and dairy moms. Extreme weather changes create added stress that increases the susceptibility to respiratory illness. When a baby calf is sick, we follow a care plan provided by our veterinarian. Antibiotic medication is given under prescription just like I would give my child. I document treatment for any calf that receives medication. As I think about all the statements being made about the use of antibiotics in animals causing resistance to antibiotics in humans, I am very concerned that our ability to treat and care for our animals will be taken away which will eventually eliminate our ability to maintain herd health. Making sure our animals are healthy and producing a healthy product for consumers is part of sustainability of our farm. As a mother,nurse, farmer and fellow human, I want the most accurate information based on sound scientific evidence when making such serious changes to our food production system. I would also add a dose of common sense !