I fist learned about a heifer when I read a book in school entitled, "One's a Heifer". I have absolutely no recollection of the story, but did learn that a heifer was a young female calf or cow who did not yet have a baby. That is all I remember of that book. Now I know what heifers are, I have two of my own, only lately I have been thinking that Shona might be soon a mother. She is quite wide in the belly.
Shona is a small Riggit Galloway heifer whose mother died at age 17 when she was just 3 months old, leaving her to fend for herself. Without her mother's milk and protection, she did survive, but not thrive and has remained small and aloof. Her pasture mate is Kylie Highland, a Kylo Highland heifer. Kylie does not seem to be bred. The bull calf stayed with Shona for the winter months in a small pen, whilst I tried to tame them. The bull became calm, but Shona was always wild and wary. The bull is out with the rented cows, or rather the cows that rent the pasture. Shona and Kylie have stayed in wth the sheep so they would not be bred to the giant Charolais bull that came in. Kylie may have been bred though, by the Riggit Galloway bull prior to his bailing for the other girls.
Both breeds are small cows, and both are ancient breeds. Both breeds have double coats that keep them warm in winter, thereby saving on the feed bill since the modern cows must eat to generate heat to stay warm. These cows develop such thick winter coats that they do not even need straw to bed down on, much like the livestock guardian dogs, who often prefer to sleep in the snow.
I was hoping the first calf would be tame and the mother tame enough to milk, but that did not happen with my heifers and because they are not tame, they may not allow me near their babies either. Time will tell. But, I must say, Shona is rather large in the belly. Hmmm.
Shona is a small Riggit Galloway heifer whose mother died at age 17 when she was just 3 months old, leaving her to fend for herself. Without her mother's milk and protection, she did survive, but not thrive and has remained small and aloof. Her pasture mate is Kylie Highland, a Kylo Highland heifer. Kylie does not seem to be bred. The bull calf stayed with Shona for the winter months in a small pen, whilst I tried to tame them. The bull became calm, but Shona was always wild and wary. The bull is out with the rented cows, or rather the cows that rent the pasture. Shona and Kylie have stayed in wth the sheep so they would not be bred to the giant Charolais bull that came in. Kylie may have been bred though, by the Riggit Galloway bull prior to his bailing for the other girls.
Both breeds are small cows, and both are ancient breeds. Both breeds have double coats that keep them warm in winter, thereby saving on the feed bill since the modern cows must eat to generate heat to stay warm. These cows develop such thick winter coats that they do not even need straw to bed down on, much like the livestock guardian dogs, who often prefer to sleep in the snow.
I was hoping the first calf would be tame and the mother tame enough to milk, but that did not happen with my heifers and because they are not tame, they may not allow me near their babies either. Time will tell. But, I must say, Shona is rather large in the belly. Hmmm.
Shona was not being cooperative enough to allow me to get a good shot at her from the rear so the bulging sides show.
Kylie is much tamer but she does not look bred to me. There will still be time for her to be bred until December. Gestation for cows is the same as humans, 9 months. And there is the faithful border collie, Robbie, keeping an eye on things in case he is needed.
RSS Feed
