Awesome News...

...On the Jersey front. Most years I pick a young sire by a bull I want to use, but don't want to spend the money on, for both my Jerseys and my Holsteins. With the Holsteins I also use what we have in the tank, and generally a few other youngsters because, well, unlike the Jerseys, I have more than 7.

A few years ago my Jersey pick was a bull named WF Centurn Seize the Moment. Sired by Centurion and out of the amazing 96 point Counciller Sheba I fell in love with his pedigree and parent averages.

Well this month Moment came out with a proof. It isn't that fantastic. Everything is pretty middle of the road, moderate or a little below average. However, I have TWO daughters. Both of which so far look pretty fantastic. The older one is due late December early January to Mecca. And the other if she is bred which she hasn't cycled since I serviced her, and she kind of has the look, is due in late March early April to a young sire by Iatola out of a Jude called Brigade (link is a PDF so be prepared for very slow loading if you are curious about him).

I actually had a different bull than Brigade picked out. But my blasted sales rep, who resigned recently and left all his dairies in the lurch with no coverage, despite my calling and saying I want 5 units of Grady, sent it all back. "Oh I didn't know that was the one you wanted". So I had to pick a different bull, as I had 2 cows in heat that day, and couldn't wait for him to order it back for me.

On another note my Duce daughter is growing nicely! If she keeps going the way she is now I hope to show her next fall. This year though I didn't have the energy to deal with all the blood work and major headaches of showing a Jersey winter calf. Frankly every time I have I end up with stomped feet. Young Jerseys seem to always want to walk on your feet instead of their own. Which is problematic in the ring...

Anyways I am off to work. Late but oh well. Take care everyone! I've got to check the heifers on the hill today, so I will have photos of the two Moment daughters later!

It's That Time of Year Again...

Summer and show season that is. I'm both excited and dreading it this year. I'm not taking many to Fonda. Three at most. And yes family I am sticking with that number!

So far there is the oldest of my Jersey calves from this year, Snickers. She's growthy and sweet, but my cows growthy is other farms puny so who knows? I like her though, she is really correct.

Snickers at a couple days old

Then there is Mandolin Rain. Who will show as a dry cow this year as we had some difficulties getting her settled last summer, she went cystic darned cow. But it allowed me to get her bred to Roylane Jordan, unfortunately for a late October calf but ah well.

Mandy (photo by Mom many moons ago at Altamont)

Finally there is Mandy's Blitz daughter. Blitz still has to come through calving. She is due, also to Roy, the week the family is at camp. Yikes. I am on my own. Whimper. Help! Hopefully her calf will be easy for her to birth. However, at the moment, the baby is seeming to be quite large. Could just be that it is my backside that is getting bumped through Mommy's tummy as I milk both her and her mother. I have to dry Blitz off in a week and I am not sure HOW I am going to be successful. She's still making over 40 lbs. With barely more than a handful of grain. She is getting less than my other dry cows. Which really scares me!

Blitz as a Junior calf at Altamont (again by Mom) Blitz just turned three so that tells you how old this pic is!

Time Marches On

From August 2006, to August 2008. Maqua-Kil Blitz Mendocino. Daughter to Frieland Z Mandolin Rain. She is sired by Fustead Emory Blitz, out of an Ocean-View Zenith-TW ET daughter.

Wordless Wednesday

Firecracker and Dixie Rose

When you start, if you are extremely lucky, the calf, in this case Dixie Rose Delux, will be laying peacefully, munching on some straw. While at the same time, her stall neighbor, aka Firecracker, will be catching an early morning snooze.

Naturally. As soon as you get situated to snag the cutest of cute pictures, calf number 2, Firecracker, will hop up, deciding to fore go her siesta, in favor of chewing on the delectable denim of your work jeans.

Which will of course cause her neighbor, the original calf Rose, to leap to her feet, to try and get in on the action.

Cause after all, denim is the best tasting substance on the planet right?

With Rose munching on the available denim, what is a little Firecracker to do, but go after the next best thing?

Flannel of course!

Or perhaps the camera strap!

Leading me to the conclusion...if at first you don't succeed...

Fire your assistants!

And then hide all evidence that you tried in the first place!

Or post it on your blog for all to enjoy a nice laugh!

Calf Pics...

Music Monday, Black Hawk, That's Just About Right

Thats Just About Right - BlackHawk