There's something weirdly satisfying about pulling blood... Or maybe it's just me. Actually, it probably IS just me. I guess it all started during my two years as a Vet Tech... I learned to pull blood from a lot of different critters, and got pretty proficient at it, if I do say so myself. My skills have gotten a little rusty, but they still have come in handy the last few years when we've drawn blood to pregnancy test our cattle. Now, … [Read more...] about How to Draw Blood from Cattle
Home Dairy
Cheap Milking Equipment for Home Dairy
Cheap isn't always better. I've learned over the course of my homesteading journey that sometimes being willing to pay a little more for a higher quality item is completely and totally worth it in the end. I've applied that philosophy to essential oils, cookware, and canning equipment, and it has served me well. Going for the cheapest option, while tempting at first, can often bite you in the rear later down the road.(Says the girl who's … [Read more...] about Cheap Milking Equipment for Home Dairy
Breeding Your Cow with Artificial Insemination
It always sneaks up on me... Breeding season, that is. Compared to all the big ranches around us who have hundreds of cows to breed each year, I feel like pretty small potatoes with our two measly mama cows. But still, if our cows don't get bred, then we don't have milk. Or meat. So yeah, it's an important deal. I know I'll get this question, so I'll answer it right off the bat: Yes, if you want the best quantity of milk and a new calf … [Read more...] about Breeding Your Cow with Artificial Insemination
Signs of Calving: 5 Things to Watch
"Honey, can you hand me my phone so I can take a picture of the cow's mucous?" That's pretty much how the conversations have been sounding around our house lately... Calving is always an exciting time, but I'm especially excited this year since we bred Oakley (our milk cow) to a super nice Brown Swiss bull. Usually, we just borrow a neighbor's bull and end up with a half beef/half dairy calf. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I've been … [Read more...] about Signs of Calving: 5 Things to Watch
