Monday, June 29, 2009

Got milk?

No, not yet.

Do you wonder why Bonnie is looking at me like this?

It's because she's tired of me checking out her "business end" several times a day. Look at that udder; poor thing is lucky she's able to walk.

Seriously! And she hasn't even calved yet.

When the hollows next to her pin bones get really large, that's the signal to expect a calf in twenty-four to forty-eight hours. This is something that shows very well on bony dairy cows like Bonnie, but it's hard to notice on beef cattle.

I don't think she's down to the last two days yet, but it's been so long since I had Jerseys that I might have lost the knack for diagnosing impending calving.

6 comments:

  1. Looks like it will be this week!

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  2. Poor thing! I know she'll be happy when it's over. Like all expentant mothers, it is such a relief.

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  3. Lindie6:54 PM

    What are pin bones?

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  4. Lindie, the pin bones are those sharp, rather protruding bones at each side of the tail head. When the calf starts to enter the birth canal the pin bones spread apart.

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  5. This is exciting! Looking forward to the story and the pictures.

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  6. awwww a new baby soon! got a name picked out yet?

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