I think she's a keeper!

Yesterday we went and got Hershey. The other little cow I had planned on buying last week but didn't get to since she had calved and had trouble the morning we were to get her. I really really wanted her, but also worried that I was imagining how sweet tempered she was and how nice her udder looked. I bought her and the Holstein graft calf he had bought to go on her. She loaded like a saddle horse.

Last night I hand milked about 1-1 1/2 quarts. Not a lot, but remember she has been down and is only a heifer, a YOUNG heifer at that. I was quite pleased with how easy she is to milk. I did hobble her. I am a chicken. She never made any effort to kick. I struggle to milk the back to teats as they are normal heifer short. They will stretch! I then let the calf have what was left after I did as much as I could. The calf had gotten way to much the night before and has dirraria. I have him a large bottle of water with cider vinegar in it then just the left overs from the cow. This morning he was still not OK, but acts good. I added a little sugar to the vinegar mix and gave that to him. Once I finished milking he again got scraps. I hope by this evening he will be much better.

This morning she did NOT want to go in the stanchion. With some tugging and pushing we got her in. I milked a bit more than last night. I then wanted to see what would happen if her "calf" took on a new look. I don't have any real bottle babies. They are about grown but MN assured me this goat nurses on any goat that slows down. Sooooooooooo..................

Yep she was right! Hershey took it all in stride and didn't lift a foot. I think she is a keeper don't you?

She isn't eating as well as I would like. Everything is strange and new and different. This morning I brought Buckets in to share the pool pen with her. While she ignored the pan of feed Buckets didn't. If Buckets was going to eat.... well she had to have her share. That is what I wanted to happen.

On the way to get the cow we took the long way. Dh has been after me to find some guardian pups. We really miss having those gentle giants around. I had found some east of us about 30 miles. They had some 4 month old, and some 10 week old out of two separate blood lines. Come to find out the guy is pretty sure that the 10 week old are out of the same blood lines Shiloh was. You guessed it, we loaded TWO tiny sweet delicate puppies in the trailer.

Meet Snowball. She is VERY white and short haired for a Great Pyrenees. She is very laid back and calm. She loves to be petted, but loves a shady spot just about as much.

Then there is Grizzly. We wanted to go with the name Bear, but since that is what the bull was named when we got him decided it would be confusing. Since he is SO big and his feet are even larger we figured Grizzly would fit. With his personality he could well be dangerous. He might drown you in licks, or beat you to death with is tail or fall on you. Which would leave you stuck under him until he decided to move.

Grizzly took to the barn quite well. As you can see MN is milking goats next to him. If you look real close there is a stream of milk flowing into his mouth.

Now doesn't that tongue look dangerous?

Life is never dull around here!