pine_guy
Member
- Location
- North Cumbria
Yes, the Caldew, Cumbrian way follows it, thankfully on the other side, but amazing how many walkers get lost
All things Dairy
- Thread starter Cows 'n grass
- Start date
Milkcow365
Member
- Location
- Sw Scotland
- Location
- Northumberland
Looks good. Your gulf stream climate been keeping the frosts away ? It`s properly buggering our growth. Not even tempted to give the contractor his 2 week early warning call yet
Okay its the worst patch in tomorrow's feed. But this paddock was not grazed in April! These patches expand rapidly.
Martyn
Member
- Location
- South west
We had our first shower of rain (enough for me to get my wellies in out of it) this afternoon steady for about 45 minutes. First real rain in 7/8 weeks. Hope you got a splash.
betweenthelines
Member
- Location
- southwest
This afternoons job, picking up bloody stone! Weve done 1.5 acres so far and filled put 11t trailer to the brimon the plus side nice limousin bull from a heifer today View attachment 958113
Hope you are checking for tin or copper-you could be a 21st Century Cap'n Poldark
Half of our forecast rain for Monday has disappeared and winds forecast to get stronger. Lots of light grass crops in the area.
Martyn
Member
- Location
- South west
Foragers been bussing up here in crops I would consider as cow grazing.
A good friend of mine does contracting elsewhere and he's pretty happy right now. He's busy with everyone else getting all excited about Monday safe in the knowledge that his isn't ready yet. When it is he will be able to crack on unhindered because everyone else will have done theirs already. Win win.
Sun and wind all day
- Location
- South Molton
5mm here today
Jdunn55
Member
- Location
- Helston, cornwall
For those who do their own ai, if a cow is bulling (her estrotect was silver this morning and is now orange) now and you try serving her could that make everything inside more slippery than usual? I just tried serving the heifer in question and couldnt grip hold of the cervix for long enough to get the rod in and through, the cervix literally kept falling through my fingers no matter how hard I gripped. I'm hoping I was just a bit quick to try serving her?!
On the plus side served the first 2 cows since my ai course on tuesday and for once am 100% certain they were served correctly! Nice for things to go well for once!
On the plus side served the first 2 cows since my ai course on tuesday and for once am 100% certain they were served correctly! Nice for things to go well for once!
Attachments
organicguy
Member
- Location
- North East of the south west
Congrats for doing the course, in time you will think it the best thing you have done but there will be days when it seems like a mistake.
Serving heifers is much harder than cows and i would suggest you have a back up plan until you become confident if a tight calving pattern is important.
Personally I try to avoid gripping the cervix as you are squeezing shut the tube you are trying to pass the gun through.
I tend but try to press it gently to hold in place then slip fingers underneath /around to wiggle the gun through.
Others will disagree!
Good luck and keep trying.
Serving heifers is much harder than cows and i would suggest you have a back up plan until you become confident if a tight calving pattern is important.
Personally I try to avoid gripping the cervix as you are squeezing shut the tube you are trying to pass the gun through.
I tend but try to press it gently to hold in place then slip fingers underneath /around to wiggle the gun through.
Others will disagree!
Good luck and keep trying.
Barmyfarmer
Member
Exactly what @organicguy said cows and heifers are chalk and cheese, go steady with heifers and definitely have a back up plan because when that arm goes dead its a struggle
Jdunn55
Member
- Location
- Helston, cornwall
Basically yes!
Jdunn55
Member
- Location
- Helston, cornwall
Thankyou, DIY would work well for me as I can let the cows out when I want, if I have a tech coming in then I've got to wait for them to come and serve the cows before they can go back out or else take the cows out twice which isnt much fun when crossing roads! Hopefully I'll get there, really pleased I've served 2 properly. I did say to the vets on my course about squeezing it too hard and shutting it up by they basically said dont worry it's not a risk which surprised me as logically what you said makes sense! When I say shes a heifer, shes calved once so atleast not a maiden!
Thanks for the advice as well
Are you sure she's not PD+?
Without being there with you but if the cervix is difficult to grab, keeps wanting to go down and over the pelvic bone it's a good indicator that she's probably 100d PD+ or more.
organicguy
Member
- Location
- North East of the south west
If I'd looked at the photo properly I would have seen she had calved.
I have been serving for 30+ years and had more difficult 1st calvers this year than all the rest put together.
1st calvers can be like maidens in terms of the cervix size but have issues because of scar tissue from calving.
In time you will want to explore a little deeper and can then feel the horns of the uterus. In a calved heifer who is bulling you would expect to be able to feel both horns under your hand if you reach a little deeper. If you can't check the service book!
I have been serving for 30+ years and had more difficult 1st calvers this year than all the rest put together.
1st calvers can be like maidens in terms of the cervix size but have issues because of scar tissue from calving.
In time you will want to explore a little deeper and can then feel the horns of the uterus. In a calved heifer who is bulling you would expect to be able to feel both horns under your hand if you reach a little deeper. If you can't check the service book!
- Location
- South Molton
And then you get the old girl with a cervix the size of a bottle of port , this cervix requires a ai gun as long as your arm!