Calving So Far

Has been pretty decent.

Salt Lake had twins, heifer and a DOA bull. Cider had a bull (he is a jerk, we still have him because calf prices are in the toilet) and so did Spruce. Spruce's unfortunately had something wrong with him. We don't think his guts were connected inside, had a heifer like that a few years back, he had the same symptoms. We ended up losing him which I was sad about, but I would rather lose a bull calf than a really valuable heifer.

And then there are all the heifers, five in total.

Bonneville had a really sweet, inky black R Maple heifer. She is cute as a button, smart and just plain good tempered. Mom named her House. Bonneville is Alan's heifer, but he knew how bad Mom wanted an R Maple calf, so he was a sweet kid and gave the calf to her.

Hollywood Kiss had a second R Maple heifer. Her name is Firecracker. And well, she is definitely living up to that name. She will jump and twist and buck so enthusiastically and wildly she cant keep up with herself, and falls over. I think it is going to be very interesting to watch her grow up.

Heifer 192, whose name is I think Veneer, had a Straight Pine Elevation Pete daughter that is HUGE!!! It is a good thing that 192 has a wide butt. Alan named her Value...anyone who was at the fair knows that joke...if you want to know and weren't there....just ask...

Dixon, daughter to Dallas, daughter to my greatest show cow Dixie, dropped a Straight Pine Elevation Pete daughter as well. Not as big as Value, but slick and SO SMART! She wasn't even 48 hours old, and she stole a bucket from another calf, and bucket broker herself. I don't usually put calves on a bucket until they are 4-5 days old in the winter. But she just latched right onto the concept. I dont have a name for her yet. She needs something special, coming out of my Dixie family. I'm open for suggestions.

Last heifer is little Snickers, the Jersey calf. She is cute as heck, and insane. She BITES!! And I do mean bite. But she is so darned cute I don't mind. Everyone else does, but I don't. She is big for a Jersey calf, about 1.5x the height of either of the R Maples. Who are a week or so older, and Holsteins. I am hoping I can maybe show her this summer, but time will tell.

I have a little bit of time until the next heifer, Broadway (1/2 Milking Shorthorn, 1/2 Holstein) calves. She is bred to a Jersey...we are curious about that calf. Then we have a bit of a bigger break, and then a huge flush of mature cows that are drying off now. I am SO hoping for more heifers. I will post some pictures later.