We have too many cows to house them all at our farm, so we take our newly expectant heifer mamas (first time pregnant) to another farm, Maple Hill, not one of ours. They are fed and taken care of until they are about a month from freshening (having their calf) and then they are brought back home.
Every Friday we take the new mamas over and bring back the girls who are ready to deliver.
The truck and cattle gets weighed at the feed mill on the way over and then also on the way back. We take the average weight of the two groups and subtract to make sure the girls are gaining enough weight. When we first started weighing we felt the girls needed a change in their diet because they weren't gaining what we thought they should. We had the feeders adjust the rations and things are better now.
It was pretty dark in the barn and I didn't have time to figure out lighting and I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to lighting anyway, but I'll blame it on the time factor.
These are the mamas coming back to our farm.
Notice this cow's tongue hanging out? She had infection in her ear as a calf and our herdsman thinks she has a little brain damage from it and doesn't bring her tongue back in. She eats and drinks good and is healthy.
The girls are in and ready to head home.
Back home, she's anxious to get out.
And they all come strolling out.
We do this every Friday. Girls out and girls back in.
