Maqua-Kil Farms

So Many Things...

2010-06-27T03:08:00.000-07:00

Are in the works I don't even know where to start. My boyfriend got a job driving truck. He was laid off because of a wreck with a company truck which lost its brakes when I met him. Now he is headed back out on the road. I'm happy for him but dreading having him gone, I've gotten so used to having him around that my life is going to feel lonely and empty when he is out driving.

The job at Stewarts is going well. However some things may be changing there big time, I will let everyone know details when I know for sure what is going on.

I am going to Ithaca NY for 3 days for a summer training seminar for this potential big change. The school is only offered once a year, if the big change comes about I would be in a pinch because I wouldn't have this seminar to allow me to move forward as quickly as I might be able to....Sooo I am sending the folks at Cornell $75.00 renting a hotel out there for a couple nights, and hopefully making a strong move forward for a good future...One that would allow me to really help out with things around here and keep my wonderful cattle....And hopefully would keep me busy enough to not miss my boyfriend as awfully as I am going to for a good long while...

We have also hit a summer flux of calves. Bailey had a premie bull calf. Lemonade had a lovely Roylane Jordan heifer. Detroit (my ancient Board Chairman) dropped a lovely Fred heifer calf. Like her two full older sisters she is big hipped long legged deep bodied and black as black. Course Virginia spoiled it by having a Southwind Bell of Bar Lee bull calf. Last unit we had on that bull, and she just had to have a bull.

Well I am off, gotta throw my hair up, put on my Stewarts cap (literally) and head out to my battered old truck which desperately needs about $700 bucks worth of repair, oh well. I will post again soon.

I Was Hopeful...And Now Am Tickled ROAN

2010-02-26T08:18:00.000-08:00

Ever since Broadway, Mom's shiny mahogany red and white Shorthorn-Holstein cross, was born, I've been hoping for a red roan to show. A little better than 9 months ago, Bdub was approaching time to be re-bred. Last year for her first baby she was bred to a Jersey bull. Which let me tell you the 3-way cross....looks like a leggy Jersey. Anyway when the stud rep for Select came in, we asked what he had on the truck for Shorthorn bulls. Mom's pick was a solid red bull, my preference was for a beautiful heavily roaned cow's son named Poker...He had Poker on the truck...So Poker we bought.

Fast forward nine months, and nearly two weeks as lovely Broadway went WAY overdue. Add to the nine months two weeks and however many days a lovely snow storm which dumped roughly a foot of snow, plus rain, and this morning balls of sleet, and what do you get?

That's right optimum calving time for a perverse cow. SO last night Mom Dad and I delivered (breech of course, I mean why would the calf come frontwards and make SOMETHING go right?) a big beautiful red and white and ROAN calf... And a heifer at that.

This morning despite her ordeal last night she was up and eager for her milk. She's a real long legged big deep calf. Hopefully all will go well and I can maybe show her this summer. I'm really hoping. After all...This is our first eligible Shortie....And she is CUTE! To see her pic go to Mom's blog Northview Diary.

I'm Sure

2010-02-16T07:20:00.001-08:00

That it is foolish. But I am starting to get excited for show season this year.

Blitz's Roy daughter, Gypsy Rain, is, I think, one of the best young calves I've ever had. She eats constantly like a starving wolf, and seems to be really growing well. I've measured her a few times and sent her sizes and weights on to a friend who shows really superb Holsteins, and he and his father think she is growing at an appropriate speed. Also, she is a gentle little kitten of a calf. If you sit with her on the divider of her stall, she will plop her big black head in your lap and go to sleep. She'd rather be hugged and cuddled than just about anything else.

Her half brother/uncle (Mandy, Blitz's dam, is his momma and he is also sired by Roy) is also a fairly well tempered animal, at least as far as a 4 month old and rather long legged big bodied bull calf can be. He does kick and toss his head a bit, but mostly he is content to just watch the goings on in the stables. Unfortunately there are no bull classes at any of the shows in the region. I still think I am going to break him to lead, or have my bf do it. Since I plan/hope to keep him until breeding age, then send him out to Dependabull for collection I figure being able to handle him easily is a real swift plan.

And I am hoping to do something totally out of the ordinary for me this year...and that is show one of my cross beef steers. He's out of one of Alan's heifers actually. But mom and dad after I spent three hours in the barn delivering him last November kind of turned him over to me. I tried selling him on Craigslist but got no takers. Now I am rather glad I didn't. Hes turned into a sweet square and very stocky built young steer. I've already talked to a couple friends who show beef to get all the info I will need for showing him. I'm kind of excited, I think he'll show light or middle weight class, but I will have to deal with that this fall.

I'm debating on what I will do as far as taking a milk cow or two. Blitz will be extremely stale, as she freshened in with Gypsy in July and I don't yet have her bred back (she is due in heat around the 26th, please cross fingers she cycles well and catches as I am using my last unit of Roy on her). I dont really want to try and bag a cow that is at 365+ DMI. Then there is Mandy, she's a very nice old girl, and would show as an aged cow. And bagging her doesnt do a whole lot of good one way or the other. Then again, at Altamont for the most part that doesnt matter. I guess it will all depend on how things look come August!

Awesome News...

2009-08-20T03:59:00.000-07:00

...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...

2009-05-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-09T08:13:00.001-07:00

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

2009-02-18T07:30:00.001-08:00

Firecracker and Dixie Rose

2009-02-15T14:42:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-02-03T13:21:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-19T09:50:00.000-08:00

Thats Just About Right - BlackHawk

Dixon's Daughter....

2009-01-16T07:55:00.000-08:00

...has a name now.

This morning I, for a second cd, put on Trent Willmon's first album. It usually takes us 2 cds to get through a milking.

I have been needing a name for Dixon's little girl. So far I had come up with NOTHING! And I was starting to get a bit frustrated. I wanted to have something to call her. And I was completely stumped...

The second song on Trent's album is "Dixie Rose Deluxes". Dixon's grand dam was Dixie...

Can you guess where I am going with this?

Well anyways. The little heifer is going to be Maqua-Kil Dixie Rose Delux. Yes I know silly but it fits her. I think I will call her Rose for short. But at least she has a name! So now I can do my registrations for them!

Stay warm out in this brutal cold. I wonder where global warming went....

And for anyone who isnt familiar with the song....

Calving So Far

2009-01-14T07:15:00.000-08:00

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.

Music Monday, International Harvester, Craig Morgan

2009-01-12T11:58:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-01-07T09:24:00.000-08:00

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2008-12-24T17:29:00.000-08:00

Well we did herd health a little while ago. For the most part it went pretty well. Had a few big disappointments though.

First though the good. Out of all the cows we preg checked. All but three were safe in calf. Both my Blitz daughters out of Mandy are pregnant. Blitz Mendocino is due in late June early July to Roylane Jordan. I'm as excited as heck about that calf. Her sister Blitz Neon Moon is due a little earlier in June to Citation R Maple.

Both of my Jersey cows that we checked are in calf too. Both Heather and her daughter Hattie are due to Sunset Canyon Mecca. He's the sire of Hazel, who is Heather's daughter, who won her class at the fair this year. So I am hopeful for at least one heifer calf.

The very good news was that Takala, my big black Kenyon daughter, and Encore, Mom's big Chilton daughter, were both bred. They are both two year olds on their last chance breeding. Thankfully they are safe in calf so they will be sticking around to have their first babies.

And now for the bad. Medina Dreaming, my pretty black-red 2 year old is open. I wasn't surprised. But I was really hoping she was carrying a calf. We're short cycling her in hopes she will catch. Keep your fingers crossed.

The ugly...was very ugly... Mandy, my big beautiful sweet but dumb show cow was cystic. Not pregnant. And well she now will probably not be showing next summer. The vet gave her a shot of GnRH to try and get her to drop the cyst. I'm hopeful she will start cycling again. We had already bred her twice to Cousteau. I think this time around I will service her to Roy. If she caught to him and dropped a heifer it should open the front end up some, and give the calf a little more strenght and power, two things Mandy drastically lacks. Time will tell.

On a nicer note, calving has begun. I'm waiting on 4 right now to drop their babies. Cider, Hollywood Kiss, Bonneville, and Spruce are all due or over due. Salt Lake isn't due until January but she is really bagged up so I dont think we are going to be holding off there. Ah well the late night checks have begun.

TO ALL: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!! Stay safe stay warm and enjoy your time with your families!

Not Much...

2008-12-06T07:07:00.001-08:00

To report.

Things here have been totally average. Aside from Dad blowing up the engine on our big tractor, there really hasn't been a whole lot going on. I did go to the college and give my final report on my internship. Got my grade, all that was available was a "S" for satisfactory, or a "U" for unsatisfactory. Suffice to say I got my "S"...and hopefully since I am not a total graduate at some point the darn college will send me my diploma...yeah it took them almost a year last time!

We are starting to get to where we will be having calves coming again. Next animal up is 203, Cider, due the 19th. She's a heifer of dad's. She's bred to Citation R Maple. We have a couple bred to him, a couple to Straight-Pine Elevation Pete, and a few others bred to the shorthorn we sold back in January, Promise.

The next heifers after her are Hollywood Kiss (one of my girls) and Bonneville (Alans). They're also due to R Maple. Both on the 22nd of December. I'm really hoping Hollywood has a girl. She is one of the sweetest critters in the batch right now. I doubt she will be a quiet milker though. Her mother is always crazy. And her aunt is just plain NUTS! She jumped all over Alan last night, and that is just the latest of her human punching bag incidences.

There are a few cows thrown into the mix, such as my semi-retired show cow Spruce. She is bred to a red Holstein bull named Kingdom. I'm hoping for a heifer, red or not doesn't matter so much as I don't think there is any red in Spruce. She is due on Christmas so I am hoping for a healthy bouncy present.

After her is my 3 year old Jersey Hooter. She is bred to a Jersey bull named Duce. I know nothing about him. I just know that she had been EEDing on my every time I bred her to CGar. And since he was rather costly, and I was sick of her dumping the calf, we bred her to Duce which we had in the tank for the real small Holsteins that we weren't running with Promise.

And then there is Salt Lake...She is bred to just bred to O-C-E-C Lindy Fred...She was very nearly sold because she kept attacking me...Instead we just dried her off a little early. I have to admit I am kind of glad we kept her, because we are going to REALLY need the milk.

There are a couple of other heifers due next month. Dixie, my very best show cow, has a grand daughter Dixon, a red carrier, due on the fourth to Pete. I should have bred her to R Maple. Then I would have had a chance for a red calf. Oh well. If she comes through well and there are no problems there is next year.

That is all for now. I am going to take my camera to the barn tonight if I can remember it. And snap some Come Monday and Trent pictures. Those babies are so darned cute! And growing pretty well I think.

Til Then...

Happy Holidays!

Eighth of November...It may actually be the eleventh but you get the idea...

2008-11-11T15:42:00.000-08:00

Music Monday...started by sis....

2008-11-10T12:12:00.001-08:00

Garth Brooks' Fever...particularly fitting as the World Finals PBR finished up last night!

Cowgirls Don't Cry

2008-10-31T11:41:00.001-07:00

Becky says this is so me.

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?

2008-10-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie!

Opening Credits:
Cowboys and Angles Garth Brooks

Waking up
French Kissing Life Kenny Chesney

First day of school:
Nothin' Goin' Wrong Around Here Craig Morgan

Falling in Love:
Who Needs The Sun, Carolina Rain

Fight Song:
The Bottle Trent Tomlinson

Breaking up:
Surprise, Trent Willmon

Prom:
So This is Love Todd Fritsch

Life:
Good One Comin' On Trent Willmon

Driving:
C'Mon Keith Anderson

Flashback:
Here Trent Willmon

Getting back together:
Faith Aint Faith Todd Fritsch

Wedding:
My Kind of Woman Craig Morgan

Party:
White Noise Josh Turner with John Anderson

Birth of a Child:
Tackle Box Luke Bryan

Final Battle:
Pray About Everything Luke Bryan

Funeral Song:
That Ol Wind Garth Brooks

Ending Credits:
Cowboy 'Til I Die

All Photos Taken by Becky

2008-10-16T17:51:00.001-07:00

Fair Scenes

2008-10-16T17:28:00.001-07:00

Alan and Frieland Kingdom Asaki-Red

Me and Asaki Intermediate Heifer Calf, Holstein

Me and Maqua-Kil Blitz Neon Moon Summer Yearling, Holstein

Class Discussion between family

Me and Maqua-Kil Blitz Mendocino Junior Two Year Old Holstein

More Fair Scenes

2008-10-16T17:20:00.000-07:00

Me and Becky's Senior Three Year Old, Holstein, Frieland Ex Spec Lemonade

All three above photos, me with Frieland Z Mandolin Rain, Five Year Old Holstein

Me and Maqua-Kil Mecca Hazel, Junior Two Year Old, Jersey, 1st Place and Best Udder for class this photo from the Senior Champion line up

Still More Pictures

2008-10-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

Me and Hazel

One of my favorite people's niece on my graduation calf Frieland E November. Intermediate calf Holstein

Me and Moon

Fonda Fair

2008-08-17T06:33:00.001-07:00

We are very shortly going to be off to the Fonda fair. This is my only show this year. Sadly. We chose not to go to Altamont. I have had enough of their mistreatment of exhibitors. Their unwillingness to bring in decent grand stand shows. And their exorbitant fees. I'm sorry but $12.00 to get into that fair is awful. There is nothing there anymore! It is just terrible. I mean it would have cost me nearly $200.00 just to enter my stock. And I would have gotten one exhibitors pass (for 7 head of cows) and three helpers passes at best. Fonda I spent $48.00 entering those same 7 cows, with a couple of group classes. Got my exhibitors pass, plus Dad has a life or he would have gotten one too, and 21 helpers passes. And I will have parking passes and such.

Anyway we are scrambling getting the stock ready. Mom has been helping me wash heifers like Asaki and I am clipping as much as I am able. We finally got the swelling down on Blitz's leg. Though we still don't know what on earth she did. Whether it was an injury or a sting or a reaction to something or what else we don't know but she is healing so that is the important part. Mandy and Lemonade look good. Moon is shaping up nice. November is well November. Asaki is small for her age but a good filler. And I still haven't decided if I want to take Hazel, my two year old Jersey, but I may as there aren't many Jerseys there.

I'll post some pictures and such later in the week!

Music I like

2008-08-06T17:37:00.000-07:00

Maqua-Kil C Come Monday

2008-07-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

More of Come Monday

2008-07-25T10:33:00.001-07:00

The Baby has Arrived!!!

2008-07-23T02:11:00.000-07:00

This is Mandy's new baby girl! Isn't she precious? I'm going to take more pictures and videos after milking this morning. When the sun will be up. I will actually be able to really see them. And I wont need the flashlight to try and make the baby girl visible!

I think today might be the day...

2008-07-22T06:06:00.001-07:00

That Mandolin Rain will have her calf. She is certainly looking it. I cleaned out her pen to the floor and filled it knee deep with chaff and some straw that I found in the mow. She was eating the bedding as fast as I put it in.

But she looks really close. Her belly has shrunk up in. And her ligaments in her hips and pins are very lose and she is tightly bagged up. Mando is also mooing quite plaintively at her rear end. Which is usually a good sign a youngster is not too far from being on this world. Now to just hope it all goes well!

Mandolin Herself Through the Years

2008-07-22T06:05:00.001-07:00

Mandolin Rain Family Photos:Maqua Kil Blitz Mendocino and Son

2008-07-22T06:05:00.000-07:00

Blitz's June 2008 Citation R Maple son

Blitz in 2006 as a Junior Heifer Calf

Blitz eating out of my hand this spring. She was probably 6 or 7 months pregnant at the time.

Blitz 2006

Blitz last summer Altamont Fair

Mandolin Rain Family Photos:Maqua Kil Blitz Neon Moon

2008-07-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

By The Way....

2008-06-29T13:50:00.001-07:00

For any who have wondered the Name the Calf heifer has a name. Maqua-Kil LF Dalkeith. A friend submitted it over at Buckin' Junction. I have to give her a bath, then I'll take some "Baby Update" pictures!

We've been busy...

2008-06-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

Calving in cows. Building new pens. Just generally catching up from all the work we got behind on from my being on my internship. I'm finally getting started with my show calves. Moon is way behind on her training. I've barely started November and Asaki. But no matter. I will catch up by August. I will post more in a few days but I need to relax a bit.

Name the Calf....

2008-05-05T07:32:00.001-07:00

Well I am doing it again! Holding another name the calf contest. This one for a calf needing a name starting with a "D". She is a really beautiful black inky colored calf. And looks SO much like her Momma Detroit. Little "Decaf" as we are calling her is in desperate need of a real name. Though if nobody has a suggestion, well, we might be stuck with Decaf. I wanted to name her after another "D" city, but I haven't been able to come up with one...more to follow!

And I am Off

2008-02-28T18:09:00.000-08:00

On my internship that is. Gone are the days I work solely on the home farm. For the next four months I will also be working full time on a neighboring herd. They are about 15 miles or so from here and are nice enough to be really giving me help here, as the college wanted to send me out into the upper mid west. I will thankfully still be able to feed the home cows, and mostly be able to calve out the majority of the herd. I won't be able to do all the night checks, but I can do at least some of them. I am dreading calving in my Jerseys. Two are due in March, and one is due in May. Then there are the majority of my top show cows. They are due March, April, May, and June. I may not be able to do this very well!

I will give everybody updates as I go. And I promise to do as much as I can for pictures of all the new babies!! Wish me luck, I think I will end up needing it.

Update on Neon Moon

2008-02-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

Some days I am in the mood to fool with the calves in the winter. They are few and far between. It is cold gray and dull most days, making me just want to curl up and nap. Today however it is bright and sunny, fairly warm given that it is February, and I had the urge.

So I went out and fed corn meal and soy to the top producers that get it top dressed on their feeds. And haltered ole Neon Moon. Who is actually going to be 8 months old the first. Whoo hoo for her.

I led her a couple weeks ago, but dang it she is getting big! And by big I mean her head is already above my shoulder when I get her walking! Fortunately, except for today (she is in heat and wanting a boyfriend) she is a gentle giant. She loves to go out and walk around the barn. Granted there are times when she would obviously rather go at a dead run. It was a bit interesting leading her today I have to admit. Though after a few minutes she settled down and walked nice and slow and easy. Thank God for quiet cows.

I am debating going back out after a fresh cup of coffee and a piece of my Momma's apple crisp to lead Asaki and November for a while. They are both little babies and shouldn't give me too much trouble (yeah right their cows).

A new One

2008-02-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

We have another new one. Old 116 dropped a mammoth bull calf this morning. They both seem to be doing okay though it took her quite a while to have him. She was low on calcium, and he was a bit twisted. His one leg was pulled further back than it should have been and his head was twisted. Dad gave her a bottle of cal-nate and I turned the baby so he was straight. Then she had him no problem. Granted she dropped him standing up so I had to catch him while Dad held him to the side slightly so he wouldn't hit his head on anything. Ahh and now the craziness of calving starts. Fun fun fun.

Maqua-Kil Blitz Neon Moon

2008-01-06T11:59:00.000-08:00

This is Neon Moon, the day she was born. I found this one while I was moving stuff from Mom's computer to my laptop. She was so cute then, and she is so cute now!

It is Cold Here in the Northeast!

2008-01-03T07:51:00.000-08:00

Darned cold as a matter of fact. Even when inside it is hard to sit still because every body part is chilled. But anyways, that is winter for you.

We have a couple of cows due soon. Licorice is due any day, she just doesn't seem to actually want to have the calf. And Bariolee, one of my three year olds, is due the fourth, aka tomorrow. She is looking like she might be a few days late. After that we have a couple weeks of not much going on. Then we'll be calving in like crazy.

Hope everybody had a great holiday. Ours was pretty nice, now if only the cold weather would go away.

Some New Calves

2007-12-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

We've had a couple new calves in the last few months. Old Boston, one of my former class winners from her younger years, dropped a lovely little Rain heifer calf awhile back. And Crescendo, a little first calf girl, had a crossbred heifer that we are considering keeping. And then finally, last night, Brink, a big old cow, who is also Blink's dame (Blink is the french fry eating heifer from my show string), dropped a MONSTER of a heifer calf. The baby is huge. And I think she is going to be a nice looker too. She's a Four of a Kind Eland daughter. The Elands usually aren't too awful big when they mature, but maybe I can push her enough to keep some size on her. Her front legs have some issues with contracted tendons right now, but I can fix them easily enough. I've definitely seen worse. This new one is going to be Frieland E November, for the Emerson Drive song. Boston's is I guess either still waiting of a name, or nobody has told me it. Not sure. I know Bachlava (definitely spelled wrong) was an option, not sure if that was what was decided on or what.

Anywho, life is crazy right now. Only one week of class left, then finals, then a break, then Christmas and New Years, followed by the PBR event in January at the Times Union Center, then off to do my internship. Busy busy busy!

A New Name

2007-10-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

First off a big thank you to everyone who put in names for the "Name the Calf" contest. I cannot express how much I appreciate them all. And they are great names. Believe me we are keeping a running list here of all the names that don't come out of the hat for future use.

Secondly, we picked a name from the hat this morning. And a big congrats to Andy Drish on his suggestion of "Sage" which was the first drawn. Now Andy can officially say he has named a calf...but I'm not sure how many people actually want to be able to do that. We're gonna be getting both of the calves registered soon, and I am looking forward to hopefully be able to show at least one of them next summer.

2007-10-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

Top Two Photos: Maqua-Kil Sin Syracuse

Bottom Three Photos: The 'Name the Calf' baby

Crazy Couple of Days: And a "Name That Darn Calf"

2007-10-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy week here. Becky and I had Monday and Tuesday off extra from school for fall break. Alan got last Friday and this Monday off. Loads of work was done by all. And Wednesday afternoon, my crazy, mean, snake of a cow Soir dropped her calf...in the very bottom of the ravine in the cow pasture. No one could get her or the calf out. She started attacking the banks the second Dad started down (which his going down was a bad plan anyways what with his broken shoulder and all). So we left her and baby out there figuring she is a smart enough cow, she'd get the two of them up and out. Which she did.

However, that didn't mean the two of them got into the barn. She wouldn't come down, and Dad couldn't get her Thursday morning, what with it is blacker than black out when we start up. And Thursday night was the Montgomery County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. I was taking Brandon to that with us so I had to go back to school during milking to get him, so I didn't go out at all. Total side note, but I was elected to the board of directors for our county. I am so excited.

But anyhow. This morning she didn't come down either. And as Brandon spent the night, I had to get him back over to school. So I left her on pasture. Then tonight who should walk into the barn but good ole Soir (I'm being sarcastic about the 'good')...yet no baby. So as Becky Dad and I were the only ones in the barn, Beck and I headed up to see if we could find it. After about 20 minutes with no luck, we went back down cause we did have to milk. Only to discover that Soir baby cousin and my darling two year old show heifer, Spruce, was also missing. Spruce was due the 20th of this month. Panic mode time, as neither of us had seen her up there and she was WAY ready to calve. So Becky and Alan went back up to find both the cow, her possible calf, and hopefully Soir's little bipper.

Which they did. Both calves are girls. I am so thrilled. Counting the calf I bought this spring that makes six heifers for me in over a year. The one calf (Spruce's) is by a calving ease sire, as with first timers it is best to err on the side of caution. I'm gonna call her 'Syracuse'. We love their basket ball team, and I think it really fits her.

The other one I haven't decided on a name. Which is were all you come in. Anyone who wants to put a "S" name in for consideration can do so. If she's dried up enough in the morning I'll snag some pictures of both of them. That way everybody can see what they look like and pick from there. So put in the names. I need the help. I've got three different 'S' families, and they are all real prolific breeders, so there are a WHOLE LOT of them!!

She's Driving Me Crazy...

2007-10-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

My big black cow Soir Noir that is. She was due the fourth. So far she hasn't bagged up at all, and is showing no signs of wanting to have her calf. She's also totally insane, has been since she was a calf herself. So, as I haven't got a death wish, I am somewhat hesitant to force her into the barn and try and do an exam on her. On top of that, with Dad hurt and out of commision for a while, I don't think it would be such a plan to get myself mangled and banged up too. (Plus I am going out with the family, and Brandon, for dinner Thursday, I'd rather not be in traction). I figure she's a big old girl. She'll calve when she calves, probably with a monster bull, and knowing her she'll be fine.

Her baby cousin Spruce on the other hand is being a sweet girl. She's due the 19th and is all bagged up and looking great. Unlike Soir, she is a darling. All I have to do to check on her is walk out into the barnyard while they heifers are down while we milk morning and night. She comes right up looking for pets, hugs and ear scratches. The biggest problem is getting her to NOT follow me into the barn, as we don't yet have a stall completely ready for her (gotta get on that quick). I gotta say I am looking forward to her baby. She is bred to Ocean-View Marsh Swain. He's a young sire we have quite a few calves out of already. They aren't show stock, but most of them are good sturdy looking commercial style calves, and we should have some luck getting milkers out of them. Only time will tell.

On another note, with Dad out of the line-up, I've been doing all our AI'ing on the cows. What a joy that has been. The day before he got hurt, I started an Ov-Sync protocol on my two Zenith daughters, Mandy and Chicago. Thankfully Chic is nice and small. Mandy on the other hand is my monster, as my sister says "freak", cow. That one that is as tall as me that I show every year. I was darned if I was going to stop the regimine. So I bred them myself. Oh the fun that was. But they are both on service now. Mandy to Cousteau, and Chic to Kenyon. Will be interesting to see if the animals I am breeding are settling at all.

Oh, and anybody up for a pig roast? Cause I may kill Daddy dearests pigs, as they are driving me to drink, and I don't drink...

Mandy's daughter from this year:Neon Moon

2007-09-24T10:48:00.001-07:00

Mandy is ALWAYS looking for more to eat

2007-09-24T10:47:00.001-07:00

Blink Likes Her Fried Foods

2007-09-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Show Season is Over

2007-09-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

For me at any rate. We had a great year, with a first and some seconds, as well as many low end placings. A big thanks to everyone who came out to the fairs and supported us this year. Next year we're looking at hitting both Altamont and Fonda with some big strings of cows. Hope to see you all next year!!

Maqua-Kil Hillbilly Deluxe

2007-08-26T05:11:00.000-07:00

And We Are Off!

2007-08-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

To the fair...not the races. The cows and heifers are going to be trucked over Monday, with the fair kicking off Tuesday. I'll try to put up an update Thursday night after the show, but I may be simply too tired to do anything. Catch yall later!

Less Than a Month to Go

2007-07-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

There is very little real time left until it is truck in day for the Altamont fair, August 13th to be exact. As of today I will be washing, clipping, leading, and pampering all my, as my family calls them, show brats. Even though I am only taking four, I have a few others to get ready, as it is always a good plan to have one or two more available in case of emergency. So I will also prep up Foolish and Junie at the least. Today Mandy and Lemonade, my two milkers for this years fair, are getting their baths and first body clips if time and weather allow (we are supposed to get really stormed on later, and I don't know about you, but I don't like washing cows in lightning storms). Mandy, Lemonade, and Blitz are also all getting stuffed with beet pulp and all the hay they can eat when they are in the barn (I need to pull Blink, the baby of this years string, out of the pen so she can be too). The feed should act to drop their bellies, called "bellying down", so they show a good deep springy rib.

Mandy at the 2006 show.

I am most looking forward to seeing what Blink looks like without the hair. Being a September heifer she is carrying a lot of her baby fuzz still. It will be interesting to see how much different a clip job makes her look. With Foolish and Junie I don't have too much to do, being as they are a Jr. 2 yr old and a 3 yr old dry cow respectively. I really don't want to take Junie, as she is due the 9th of September, which is just a bit too close to the show for my comfort, though I did take her last year.

Lemmie this spring.

For the most part it is just busy work with the majority of the animals. Blink is the only one to really need a lot of work, but it is nothing too bad, as she is a sweet heart. I also have to finish doing up the registration papers for all the calves from this year. I have a lot of the applications filled out, I just have to draw all the Holsteins. Jerseys are just so much easier, as all you have to do is tattoo them and fill in an on line form. If only all of life could be so simple. Then again, we'd all probably get really really bored.

Lemmie at the 2006 show.

I am also debating taking Blitz and Blink to Fonda for that show. But school starts the 27th of August. And truck in for the show is, you guessed it, the 27th, with the fair running to the following Monday. I have 21 credit hours worth of classes. I don't know if I can handle a week away to show a pair of heifers. And I am not sure the stress is really worth it this year, as I will be completely done with school in May (for which I am just so glad, I am totally sick of school, have been since I started in fall of 2004), which will mean that next fall I won't have classes and exams and grade point averages to worry over. Ah well, I'll let you know what I decide.

Blitz last summer.

On a side note, everybody should take a look at the calender of events for Altamont. It is totally pathetic what they are bringing in. You would think someday they would listen to us and bring the truck pull and rodeo, both of which packed the grounds, back to the fair as entertainment. But no, instead they bring in more music, and demo derbies, Yee haw, at least the derbies are really fun.

Update On Mandy and Her Baby

2007-07-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I never put on this blog that Mandy had indeed calved. About two am on July first actually. She dropped a big beautiful heifer calf whom I named Neon Moon. Head over to Buckin Junction because I did put some pictures of her up over there. Mandy and Moon are both doing well, with Mandy making loads of milk, and Moon growing bigger every day...which somewhat concerns me, Moon's growing that is. I don't want her growing so fast she hurts herself.

Show Time

2007-06-30T04:49:00.000-07:00

With summer time truly here, it is time to start getting the show string ready for Altamont. The entry book is already available, but I am waiting to do mine until I know how Mandy will fare calving. She still hasn't dropped her baby, and is now overdue. Other than that Lemonade is looking pretty great, Blitz is growing nicely, and Blink, my senior heifer, is stretching up and out. With only four or five going, my summer is going to be pretty relaxing. I'll see about getting some up to date photos of the girls. It looks like this year we are only going to be taking Holsteins, as the Jersey calves are both too young, and the three cows aren't worth the entries this year.

And So It Begins...

2007-06-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

...The terrifying waiting game until Mandy calves that is. She is due the 29th, and as one of my old teacher's from my middle school career would say, I'm as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. This is, after all, my darling, much beloved cow. And she is out in the milking herd, with a cow that is a calf stealer, and would love the opportunity to kill anything that goes near a baby...which would include me if I had to take care of the new mom and baby.

So I have been trying to figure out a way to deal with this little issue that won't involve keeping my poor, mammoth, too big for her stall cow in the barn locked up. At this point it is looking like we will run Sequioa (who if I haven't mentioned before is being held at the moment on a bedded pack type of pen as a result of her injuring her leg, and us being unable to heal her up), up into the old pasture with another old cow who busted her ankle a while back, and clean the pen out, and stick Mandy in there when she starts getting real close. Alan has even agreed to clean out the pen with the skid steer, put down a nice big layer of sand, and then I'll cover it with sawdust and some of the straw we have left over from this winter.

At present it seems like a plan to the majority of the family. Becky is in the, 'so long as she has another speckly heifer' catagory, Dad and Mom say 'whatever', Alan thinks i am over reacting, as she is a big cow, and I am in the stressed out, don't care what the calf is so long as the cow comes through okay group. Rationally I know she should be okay, but she had trouble last year and the year before. First calving was a monster bull calf who came breach, and then last year Blitzie was stuck and both momma and baby got real stressed out. I think I have the right to worry. I'll let everyone know how everything goes, and whether or not I have a nervous breakdown before she actually has the calf.

Another New Baby...

2007-06-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

We had another new baby last night. She showed up ten minutes to ten pm. I managed to get about five hours of sleep when all was said and done. She is doing well, and her momma, Hooter, seems to be feeling pretty good. That puts me to two Jersey pure bred calves and one Jersey cross calf, who we ended up selling, and all heifers.

Frieland Zander Foolish

2007-05-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

Hmmm. Should I be concerned that you are watching me?

Nahh. Guess I'll go back to eating.

Frieland Z Mandolin Rain

2007-05-24T17:11:00.001-07:00

Anyone who has known me for a while, knows that I am cow breeding crazy. I get extremely excited every time a new stud proof or AI stud book comes out. Quite a few years back, a bull named Regancrest Elton Durham came out. An Emprise Bell Elton son, out of Snow N Denises Dellia, he made long lean ink black dairy heifers, with mile long legs. I wanted to use him...very very badly. However, he only had a milk proof of about 200 lbs at his best. He was strictly a type bull. And Dad said 'no'. I begged. I pleaded. "Just one cow. Please. I really want to breed him to Dixie and put some leg under the calf." Finally Dad relented. Then, about two weeks after that, geneticists discovered or proved, which ever you want to consider it, Complex Vertebral Malfomation (CVM) in the Holstein breed. And naturally, Durham was a positive carrier. Which was not a good thing. Put him in the one strike to many catagory. And so I was no longer going to be able to use him. I was not pleased. Then Mom pointed out that at SOME point a CVM negative Durham son had to be proved out.

So I put Ivor, our semen rep at the time, on the look out. I wanted a really well bred bull, out of a cow family with some milk, and a bunch of type. He came back a while later with a bull he thought was gonna be just what I was looking for. His name, Ocean-View Zenith. Obviously a Durham son, and out of the Excellent scored Ocean-View Mandel Zandra, with the next dam back an Ocean-View Sexation daughter, that the Nunes family had bought. I liked him. Pedigree was outstanding, his dam was simply gorgeous, and I am a HUGE fan of both Mandel and Sexation. So, as I was only about 15 at the time, Dad bought me the whole rack of semen on him that Ivor had.

As luck would have it, Bingo, one of my mediocre cows came into heat the next day. Being me, I had Dad put a unit of the Zenith semen right into her. Lucky for me, she settled right down, and carried the calf. Nine months later on November 2 of 2002, while Bingo was out on the hill with the other dry cows and a couple of heifers and a big steer, Mom noticed a mammoth black thing running along with them. For a few minutes she was tricked into thinking it was one of the steers...until she noticed it was a new born calf. Just based on size we figured it was probably a bull. We brought Momma and baby down, and checked to see if it really was a male...Surprise of surprises it was a heifer.

Since she was bit muddy we moved her into the barn, and as she was MY baby, I cleaned her up, bedded her down in a huge pile of straw, and fed her.

Then came the hard part.

Picking a name.

I felt this was obviously going to be an amazing animal. Call it gut instinct or whatever you like. She just looked, at at most a day old, like a winner. And none of us could come up with a good enough name.

Then, about a week later, after much debate, Mom and I happened to be in Price Chopper getting groceries, when over the speakers came the old Bruce Hornsby song, Mandolin Rain. Mom jumped and said that's it, Mandolin Rain, name her Mandolin Rain. I loved it. Frieland Z Mandolin Rain. Mandy for short. It was so catchy, and would definitely be unique.

And so Mandolin Rain she became. And just like Durham's own daughters, she grew like an absolute weed. There was not enough food in the world to fill that heifer (there still is not enough food to fill the cow for that matter). Granted Mom didn't really think she was that big. But when a November calf is bigger than a March yearling...well...its hard to call that animal 'small'.

As a result, I worked my butt of getting her ready for the show. She was going. She was led, brushed, clipped, and just basically pampered as if she were a fancy French Poodle.

Finally August rolled around. And to the Altamont Fair we went. With the smallest show string I have taken since I started showing at 6. But Mandy was there. The judge absolutely loved her. He thought she was a September calf. When I corrected him his jaw about hit the ground. Though she was the only heifer in her class, and she won, I would have been happy with that. I had a friend of mine take her back in for Junior Champion, as two of my other heifers had to go back as well, and one was in heat and being a total idiot. The judge lined us all up and went down through slapping rumps to signal which ones he wanted pulled back out...and my own jaw almost hit the ground when he moved Mandy out...And I proceeded to nearly fall on my head when he pulled her out again as one of his top two... Then when he named her Junior Champion I was shocked beyond belief.

She went back the next year as well. And was easily the biggest heifer at the show under two. Again another judge thought she was a September born heifer. And again was shocked to learn she was two months younger. He asked me if I had any intention of taking her out to state, and was a bit disappointed to learn that after that show she was done until the next August. I wasn't quite as surprised that year when she was named Junior Champ again, as the judge had given a pretty good indication with his body language that he planned to put her there.

Unfortunately she has not shown nearly as well as a mature cow. She's got way too much leg for her body, and while her udder is decent, it's not spectacular. Provided I can get her through calving safely next month, she should show as a Four Year Old this year. As of right now she has had two calves. The first one a cross bred bull. And the second my lovely Blitzie, who will also be going to the fair this summer if all goes according to plan.

Look for Mandy and the rest of the 'Show Girls' at the Altamont, and possibly the Fonda Fairs!

Frieland Z Mandolin Rain- Picture

2007-05-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Mandy at this past summer's fair.

For More on CVM

2007-05-24T15:05:00.000-07:00

For more on CVM, you can visit this link here. It does have what some might consider a rather graphic photo, so any one who doesn't like seeing dead animals might not want to visit it.

Frieland Z Chicago

2007-05-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Aren't I just so precious? If you just come a little closer I would be happy to let you rub my ears and throat, while I lick your jeans.

Hi. My name is Maqua-Kil Moments Hicktown

2007-05-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

The new baby, Maqua-Kil Moments Hicktown, and her lovely dam, Maqua-Kil TNT Hattie. The newbie is quite lively, but couldn't seem to figure out why, when it is called a feed cart, she wasn't getting any feed. Though apparently the one fitting on the lever tasted very good, as she just kept going back. Not to worry though. She was given a nice hot bottle of her Mommy's good thick colostrum both last night and this morning before I left for school

Oh What a Day

2007-05-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

It has been a very fun (not) and exciting day here at the farm. As usual, I was up and out of bed getting my coffee as dawn hit the horizon. Let me just say, that standing in the big bay windows of our house, watching the sun peak out over the hills, lighting the fog and mist and sky a warm golden red and orange is an experience you just cant get in the same way in the city. Anyway. Anyone who knows cattle, knows that the cows you worry over the most at calving, tend to wait the longest and go the farthest over due every single year. I've been getting up early and staying up late checking these two cows, Rumpleteaser (my old Jersey Holstein cross), and Hattie(my first home bred registered Jersey), since about the last week in April. I stayed up until after 10 last night, which is really late for me, to check on them. They were not doing diddly. Notta. No mucous, no straining, no evidence that either was planning to have a calf within the next 6-18 hours. So I went to bed. And got up, usual time of 5 am. And got over to the barn, coffee and a slice of toast in hand, to feed the calves and my bull, and check on the two darlings. And there toddling around the barn was Rumpie's new baby. Almost 10 days late. And yet still a heifer. So awesome.

Anyway I dealt with the new baby, got all my other chores done, and managed to make it back to the house and shower in time to hop in my truck and still make it to class on time.

Then my lab this afternoon got out late because we were on yet another field trip. So I got home a bit later than usual. And decided to grab some more toast before I headed out to work. Becky came over and goes "your new baby is so little and cute." My automatic come back was 'little, try lifting the darn thing, shes freakin heavy'. And she goes, 'no, your other new baby'. My brain blanked. Then, suddenly, it hit me, Hattie calved. But nah, its gotta be a bull. I mean, whats the odds of two late calves being born on the same day being females. Nope, I was wrong, and I am very pleased to say that. She is a little cutie. Becky asked if we could name her 'Hicktown' after the Jason Aldean song. Sounds good to me. So Maqua-Kil Moments Hicktown she is, provided it fits on the registration forms.

And the last 'good' news of the day, Little Sugar has her 'official' name, and I hate it. Her name is Suzzette. While I have nothing against the name, it seems a bit ridiculous for a cow. So she will continue to be called Sugar.

I have a ton of photos of the new mommy cows and the new babies, which I will post tomorrow at school, where the computers run much faster than here at home!

Still No Name...Yet!

2007-05-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

WELL, it's been over a month since the calf I bought at the Fashion sale got here (granted I was the one to bring her home). And I still don't know what her name is going to be. Granted the Holstein Association is notorious for being slower than molasses. A 'rush' on a paper will hopefully get it to you within a month or so...And I do mean hopefully. For those of you anticipating her 'official' name as much as I am, just hang in there. I am thinking we should, theoretically at any rate, know by the end of the month, and I'm hoping it will be sooner than that.

A New Baby

2007-04-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

I have a new baby.

She's cute as a button.

Almost all black.

And I have no clue what her name will be.

See, yesterday (March 31) was the Cobleskill Dairy Fashion Sale over at school. I went with every intention of bringing an animal home. Didn't know exactly which one, but I had a few picked out. One was lot 44. A nice, slick and correct two year old, sired by AltaMerchant out of a Durham, with an absolutely gorgeous, gorgeous udder. She was also just fresh. Had a feeling she would go pretty high. Everything was pretty hectic Friday when I went over to look at the cows with Brandon, so I didn't even look for her baby. But I marked down a couple of hip numbers on some other heifers and a few cows, and headed home.

There were a few other little babies there that I liked, so I had Dad put the calf box on my truck, and went back on Saturday. First I ran into Staebner, aka the Boss. He recognized me before I had even noticed him. He graduated last spring, and it was great to see him again, even if only for a short while. I've taken a lot of classes with that crazy man. He went on the trip to California back in Spring '05, and we convinced him to eat some pretty odd foods. He must have a black hole for a stomach, cause he is always, and I do mean always, hungry.

After saying hi and chatting with him for a minute, I wandered down to the sale table and picked up a bidder's number and a fly-sheet. And no, fly sheets are not used to swat flies. They contain the updates on the animals or other items in the sale, so that everybody can know pretty much all there is to know on the animals they want to buy. After getting all that squared away, I headed down to look at the critters that had shown up over night. And there she was. This little itty bitty black calf, hip number 44 1/2, surrounded by hay bales. Which made her hip number 44's baby. Which was really really good. Because the little sign above her read, lot 44 1/2, heifer calf, registration pending. I wanted her...Heck, I was gonna have her. A long time buddy of mine, Eric, was cuddling and petting her, and I told him he better not have any plans to take her home, cause she was leaving with me. He just laughed.

By then a couple of my other close buddies had shown up, and we wandered through the barn, checking out the changes in the cattle since the crew had finished clipping, bathing and bagging up all the cows. The changes in some were drastic. Still, I kept wandering back to the little babies. There were two that I really wanted. Little 44 1/2 and a bigger, early March calf by Rubens. She wasn't bad looking, but Rubens is not really known for milk production (or in his case a general lack there of), and her dam hadn't been classified, and didn't have any production records. I did bid on her, but didn't buy her. I thought she went for about $200.00 more than she was really worth. I bid on a couple of cows and some embryos too. Didn't get any of them. The embryos I would have most liked to have were five #1's from Mud Pie, a daughter of Muddy Water, who was one heck of an awesome cow.

Right at the start of the sale they had some donated pies and semen from various bulls. Steve (a guy I've known since 7th grade) and I are gonna split the one rack we bought. 10 units of a young sire from Taurus, for 2 bucks, one money. In other words, we got the semen for about 20 cents a unit. Not bad. And although we had no clue what the bull actually was, we figured at the worst he'd make a clean up bull. The funniest thing was when they were selling the pies. The auctioneer put aside two of the carmel pecans. No body could figure out why. At least not until he read off the ingredients. 'Now folks, this here, is a special pie. Carmel pecan, with white chocolate, and perhaps the most important ingredient, Bourbon. You gotta be 60 to compete'. Basically, he put in a bid of 50 bucks on this pie, he ended up taking it home for 70. I cannot imagine wanting a pie THAT badly. The other one was the same thing, only with dark chocolate. It went for 75. Nuts, absolutely nuts, and I mean that literally as well as figuratively.

And then we sat, through about half of the sale, waiting for the calf I wanted to go. Steve and I got sick of standing around half frozen, so we headed in to see when she would sell, and who we had to see to get the semen we bought. Well, as we headed back, they brought her and her momma out, up in five animals. So we quick ran in and talked to Julia about who the guy was that had the semen. Ended up doing us not a bit of good as he had already left. Then we ran back out to get a good bidding spot. We watched one nice big black heifer sell, and then they brought 44 in. She went reasonable, about 2200, which for a nice fresh heifer wasn't bad yesterday.

Then Robbie and a girl I don't know pushed that little black baby in. She bucked up and down, tried to push past them and get back by her mom, and just generally made their lives difficult. Bidding started at 200, and I went to 550, cause I recognize one of the other guys bidding, and had a feeling he was just running us. Sure enough, soon as it was just him and the other guy, he backed right out. Bidding stalled out at 575, so I waited about 20 seconds, motioned to my advisor who was taking bids that I wanted back in, and walked away with a sweet little calf, for $600. Granted I got busted on pretty bad for buying such a newbie for 'so much money'. But the one guy doing the worst busting got shut up pretty quick by his dad, when he pointed out that they spent 750 a piece for a bunch of week old grade calves.

Now the waiting game begins. What will little black baby's name be? I've been calling her 'Sugar', but I doubt that is what her name will be. Though I would imagine it will start with an 'S' as her dam's name was Suzelle. Ah well. When we get her papers, which will have her name, I'll let you know.

Herd Health

2007-03-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

Well, we did herd health today. Got some good news and some bad news. Good news was that 114, Spruce, and KPAT Drive are all pregnant. Bad news was that 72, 481 (Star), and 146 are all open. And the worst news was that Soir, little miss crazy cow, is pregnant. She is probably the ONLY cow in the barn we would have liked to find open. Nobody really wants to keep her around another lactation. She is just plain mean. Oh well. Got a couple of other cows that aren't cycling at all. We figure they'll come around once spring comes and we can get them out on pasture.

First Ever Show Cow

2007-03-09T16:09:00.000-08:00

Just about every kid who has ever shown cows will be able to tell you all about their first show calf. Mine was a little white intermediate Holstein heifer who was as sweet as they come. My dad gave her to me to show when I was six. Frieland Sonora was a wonderful start for me. She wasn't a fancy calf by any means, but she was a whole lot of fun. We spent the whole summer getting ready for the fair, and were rewarded by getting our pictures in the paper as I unloaded her off the trailer, and standing in the middle of the lineup for her class. She went on to have three daughters. Frieland Rex Star is still alive and milking at over 12 years of age, which for those who aren't familiar with cow ages, is about 9 years over the average age expectancy for todays dairy cows. Sadly, Frieland Astro Savannah, Sonora's Paclamar Astronaut daugher, and Frieland RORAE Sierra, her Round Oak Rag Apple Elevation daughter are both gone. Savannah was the dam of Frieland MGLEN Sequioa, who is the dam of Maqua-Kil Zander Spruce. Sierra's only daughter is Maqua-Kil Lewis Sedona. Star has one daughter still in the herd, Frieland Soir Noir. She has one daughter, Maqua-Kil Lewis Soiree. They're an interesting group of cows. Star and her daughter and her offspring tend to be totally INSANE. Star has calmed down, but she's old so she may just not have the energy any more. Soir is just plain nuts. Third lactation and you still can't safely milk her. Soiree isn't too bad so far, but she also is just a heifer and not yet in the milking herd. Savannah and Sierra were both fairly gentle. Savannah didn't have the best udder and had some health issues, but for the most part she was only a little kicky, specially when you take into account that Astronaut daughters were a bit, as one old timer at a Select Sires meeting said, 'touchy'. In other words, they liked to try and kick the stars out of the sky when you worked with them. Savannah wasn't even remotely that bad. Sierra was a whole nother story. She was born WAY out on the hill, and it took us about a week or so to catch her and get her in. So as a calf, she was insane. Dad had to tranquilize her just to get her in the barn when she freshened as a two year old. Then, it was like someone turned as switch on in her brain and let her know that people were pretty okay. She went from being so flighty that you couldn't get near her in the field, to being one of my pets that I could walk right up to and scratch under the chin.

The family is still going strong. Spruce will be two in the fall, and should (we'll know for certain on Monday), be bred to calve in September with an Ocean-View Marsh Swain baby. We've got a lot of daughters out of Swain, and so far I really like them. I'll let yah know if she's gonna be giving us a bundle of joy when we are hoping she will.

Frieland MGLEN Sequioa

2007-03-09T12:59:00.000-08:00

Stealing some more photos from Mom. Sorry Mommy!

January, 2006.

February, 2007

As of right now we believe Sequioa is giving around 90-100 pounds of milk a day, but we will know for sure when we test, which should be sometime this week.

Maqua-Kil Zander Spruce

2007-03-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

More photos by Mom. I am beginning to think she spends a little too much time with a camera.

Spruce and me, January 2006.

Senior Heifer Class. Only entry, but the judge liked her.

Resting up at the fair.

First Jersey

2007-03-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

I've always liked Jerseys. Dad SWORE he would never have one on the farm while he was alive. Fortunately, I did eventually convince him to let me get one. We bought the first one from a local farm, who has very nice and really well known cattle. And so Dreamroad Extreme Heather came to live with us. She's a real nice looking six year old aged cow now. Course, she won't come into heat, and so we can't get her bred. Hopefully, when everything starts greening up again, she will come around. We had troubles with her as a heifer too. Heather didn't have her first calf until she was over three. That first one was our first 'house' cow. It was so cold, and we had already lost a nice Holstein baby, that Mom decided to be a softie and let me bring her inside (Thanks Mom). Hattie (the first calf Heather had) is due back for her second calf sometime in early May. Last May she had a son, and I am hoping this year to get a female. Heather's second daughter was born while I was off having fun in California in March of 2005. Hooter is due to have her first calf on (we think) the 18th of this month. It's hard to tell. Jerseys spring up early, so she might be due to another service, but if that is the case, the baby is going to be absolutely HUGE. That little bugger inside of her makes her belly jump like crazy. I personally think we might have a future acrobat or something similar coming as opposed to a cow. The baby girl in the family is Heather's April daughter Hazel (a former 'name the calf' contest individual). Hazel will be a year in just less than a month, same day as another show calf, Mendocino AKA Blitz (who is Mandolin Rain's oldest daughter). We've already put together the matings (what sire are we gonna use on these girls) for their first babies next year. I think we have made some good choices, but only time will tell.

I would like to add in that for the most part, any and all photos were taken by my mom. I did take the one of Hazel though!

Dreamroad Extreme Heather

2007-03-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

Maqua-Kil TNT Hattie

2007-03-07T11:14:00.000-08:00

This is Maqua-Kil TNT Hattie last May. She was probably about 10 days fresh.

Maqua-Kil Topflight Hooter

2007-03-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

Such a sweet face.

Maqua-Kil Mecca Hazel

2007-03-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

This is Hazel the day she was born. She was a very tired little thing. Mom has a better picture of her from when we ran the Name the Calf Contest. Click here to check it out!

Maqua-Kil Andre Dixon-RC

2007-03-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

This is one of Dixies' granddaughters, Maqua-Kil Andre Dixon-RC. I kinda snagged it off of mom's blog (sorry Mom). She's so far the only calf by a red bull I have bred out of Dixie's family, but I think adding in some red to the genetics wont be a bad thing.

A Photo Of Dixie

2007-03-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

Here's Dixie and me, Cooperstown JR. Livestock Show.

Frieland LV Dixie

2007-03-05T18:25:00.000-08:00

My mom recently took a picture of my baby brother (who is over a half a foot taller than me now, blasted kid) sitting on his show cow, Bayberry, in the barn. To say the least it brought back memories of another little black and white cow that I used to do the same thing to.

Frieland LV Dixie was probably one of the best cows I ever had, though my mom actually bred her. Sweet and gentle to a fault, you could do just about anything with that ole girl. She went to probably two dozen or more fairs from the time she was a strapping summer yearling to a seven year old aged cow. She was trucked from Cooperstown to OHM Club show to Fonda, and then all the way out to Altamont. She and I stood anywhere from dead last to Reserve Supreme Champion. I learned a lot with that old beast, from how to lose well and be happy for those that won, to how to graciously accept the long blue ribbons and congratulations from all of our friends.

Mom has pictures of me from that first year when we went to Cooperstown Junior Livestock show. I was so tiny even with her only being a yearling that you can just see me peeking over her top line in the one photo. That was probably the first really good show year I ever had, and I think I was maybe 9 or 10. I started showing when I was six, and spent a lot of time holding up the lower end of the placings. My siblings and I learned to laugh it off and would often joke when we got back to the show barns. Alan said it best once, when he came back to the tent with his calf Balsam (who is actually Bay’s Momma). When asked how he had done he calmly replied ‘I came in first’, and after the shocked and happy appearances on everyone’s faces (Balsam was a decent sized Feb calf in a class with MAMMOTH Dec babies), he added in with a big grin ‘From last’.

That first year at Cooperstown I took reserve master showman for my age division, and third place summer yearling in the calf classes. Dixie was actually beaten by a heifer that would go on to be classified EX-97 5E with several sons in AI stud and multiple All American nominations and All New York championships. Not too shabby for our little herd, that is one ‘loss’ that is well worth it, just to stand in the same line up as another future national’s cow.

In all honesty, that year probably should have been Dixie’s last on the show circuit. She wasn’t as ‘big’ as what was needed to be a top animal in the ring, and she wouldn’t ‘bag up’ when we were getting her ready prior to the show. So much as go NEAR her with a halter and whoosh, she let her milk down right away. We spent a lot of years dead last at Altamont, but she was such a darling that I simply couldn’t leave her home. She would just know when it was show time, and would stare at our CornPro trailer, like, come on, let’s get loaded up and GO already! On top of that, she was HYSTERICAL at the fairs. That cow was like a walking garbage can. If it looked or smelled even remotely like food, she would eat it. Anything and Everything. Pizza, lemonade, heck, French fries. She loved ‘em all.

And so every year she went.

Then when she was 5, we stood first in the class. I was shocked, and we later came back for high honorable mention in the Senior Championship. Then the next year, first place aged cow, Reserve Senior Champion, High Honorable Mention Supreme Champion, Best Uddered Holstein Female. We came back the next summer to be named Senior and Grand Champion Holstein Cow, then we were a very very close Reserve Supreme Champion. The Jersey cow that took the top spot was a little older, and looked a little bit better in the feet and legs, which took her up to the top spot. The icing on the cake that year was coming in with another animal for High Honorable Mention for Senior Champion in the same division (Lizzie(the cow) I bought at the Coby Fashion Sale for $525.00 as about a five or six hour old calf two years before, not too bad an investment, now if only I could have ever gotten her to have another calf).

We lost Dixie the next spring. She got milk fever before she even calved, and we just couldn’t bring her around, and even if we had, she had ripped the tendon in the back of her left leg in half, and probably would never have been able to walk well again. The only high note about it was that she dropped a gorgeous little Eland heifer, who is due back on the 24th of May, two days before I’ll turn 21. Dixie was a classy cow right up to the end. I simply couldn’t make the decision to put her down and end the suffering she was going through, though I probably should have called it quits after about the second day. But I always would have second guessed myself and wondered if MAYBE just maybe she would have come around and gotten better, so I told my parents to make that choice. That Thursday morning they reached the conclusion that it would be better for her if she didn’t go on any further. It was like she knew they told me that night, because she looked up into the barn, mooed at them, and five minutes later was gone. She’s buried up behind the barn in the pasture that runs near the creek. The guys down at the local dealership were even kind enough to rent my dad an emergency dozer to dig her a good deep hole so that the coyotes and such couldn't get at her body.

I’ll forever miss her, but everything has it’s time, and I guess it was just hers. It's coming up on four years now since we lost her, and to this day I still wish she was standing back in the second from last stall in the barn, with a look on her face asking, 'Isn't it fair time yet?'

New Blog

2007-03-05T18:09:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog. I've got a feeling it is going to take me a while to get used to this newer version of blogger, but I've got a week's worth of spring break coming up starting this Friday, so I should have LOTS of time to play around with it.