That's right, Holly is a Cow. Holly for Holly the Holstein, not like Holy Cow, but the other morning when I said "Say hi to Holly cow." I figured it out and started to snicker.
She is incredibly sweet though and has settled in enough to stop charging the fence at people. Maybe it's because they bring food and treats. Like apples, carrots and handfuls of grass.
The other night as I walked away she had her head through the fence and was Mooing at me. "Come back and bring more goodies, Okay?"
She had let out one single Moo when they dropped her off. The guy said that was the first and only time he had ever heard her do that. She does it a lot here and talks to us at feeding time every morning and night.
Her suitor next door is an Angus. The neighbors have a few steers, the bull and a couple of heifers. She will stand out since she will be the only one with spots. One of their heifers is a Jersey or Guernsey cow, the brown ones for those not familiar with cattle breeds. I wanted a Jersey or Guernsey, but for now I have a Holstein and she's perfect. Things don't always work out like you plan and sometimes it is for the best.
Links with more information from
Holstein Association USA and
Oklahoma State University
That's right, Holly is a Cow. Holly for Holly the Holstein, not like Holy Cow, but the other morning when I said "Say hi to Holly cow." I figured it out and started to snicker. 
She is incredibly sweet though and has settled in enough to stop charging the fence at people. Maybe it's because they bring food and treats. Like apples, carrots and handfuls of grass. 
The other night as I walked away she had her head through the fence and was Mooing at me. "Come back and bring more goodies, Okay?" 
She had let out one single Moo when they dropped her off. The guy said that was the first and only time he had ever heard her do that. She does it a lot here and talks to us at feeding time every morning and night.
Her suitor next door is an Angus. The neighbors have a few steers, the bull and a couple of heifers. She will stand out since she will be the only one with spots. One of their heifers is a Jersey or Guernsey cow, the brown ones for those not familiar with cattle breeds. I wanted a Jersey or Guernsey, but for now I have a Holstein and she's perfect. Things don't always work out like you plan and sometimes it is for the best. 
Links with more information from Holstein Association USA and Oklahoma State University
Oh, you brat.
ReplyDeleteI was sure it was a horsie..
Looking good , and she is nicely settled , that moooing ,might cease to be cute soon esp if she can get you wrapped tight enough around her hoof. We have an Angus cross that starts bellering everytinme she sees me , even when she has grass or hay.(just incase I might bring her something better)
ReplyDeleteBwahahahahaha-I KNEW it had to be something 'not horse'. I was thinking goat, but the 15.1HH threw me. Can't believe a cow didn't cross my mind. LOL I guess cause just not that many people go get themselves a lone cow.
ReplyDeleteSoooo...milker?
I was tricked because you said "the rest of our horses"... now if you had just "our horses" I wouldn't feel quite so betrayed ;-)
ReplyDeleteOkay...so I gotta ask...Why do you have a Holstein heifer? If she has not "freshened," aka as having her first calf, then she is a heifer versus a cow. I know this because I was once the Skagit-Island Reserve Dairy Princess. Not the Dairy "Queen" but the Dairy "Princess." Why, because "The cow is the Queen."
ReplyDeleteAh, those were the days. And btw, I was ROBBED! Reserve my ass. Just cuz those Skagit dairymen were in cahoots with the judges, whatever...
Yeah, FV, I had a calf once that grew up to LOVE LOVE LOVE me (and hate most everybody else) and she had the worst moo of all time. Sounded like an elephant I kid you not. The first day she started doing it we all rushed outside to see what the hell animal was being killed/strangled or something. But nope, just Rosemary!
And fyi, Jersey's are generally smaller and light fawn colored, look very delicate like a deer. Usually solid colored, sometimes fawn and white. Kinda the Arabian of cow world.
Guerneys look a bit like a Jersey in the head and body, but taller and usually two-toned darker brown and white. Look kinda like a brown and white Holstein, except not quite as big and robust.
GL- How did you know my nickname from so long ago was Brat? For some reason I always got what I wanted, even if I had to go out and get it myself.
ReplyDeleteFV- I thought the mooing might get old at some point, but she was mooing away while I trimmed Kat's feet last night. She met me at the fence as I went to get him. Looked at him so strange that he was walking beside me as we went past- it was kinda funny. As I pulled the truck up to drop her bale of hay, she let out with a quiet, hushed moo. Almost like she was thinking all the bales were for her. Naaah! She's not so spoiled.
BEC's- Hopefully she won't be the only cow for long. We are still considering bringing home one or two of the Jersey steer calves. They were mighty damned cute and friendly. But they would be named and become pets. Not exactly what we intended, but that may be why we haven't gotten one them yet.
Bif- Sorry about that. I was trying to keep it pretty generalized so it could be a surprise. The horses always react to a trailer- coming in, going out, empty, loaded- they all get excited. Goofballs!
PF- I have been looking for a heifer or cow for milking for a while now. I'm tired of running to the store all the time and seeing the prices bouncing around for the same stuff with who knows what in any of it?
ReplyDeleteI have found things online of how to make butter, sour cream, cream cheese, yogurt and a nuber of different cheeses (mozzerella and ricotta come to mind) as well as having fresh creamer for our coffee without all the 'ingredients' nobody knows how to pronounce...
I have always loved the whole look of the Jerseys and Guernseys. They have the kindest eyes I have seen on a cow. The kind you could get lost in, gazing into them. Plus their temperments are a bit more subdued from what I understand. They think about it, think about it, think about it- then kick, where the Holsteins kick and then wonder what it was they just kicked and if they need to do it again.
Also the J & G's milk contains a higher percentage of butterfat vs. the H's which produce more milk. This is just the start of things and we are going to get more cattle as well as getting the garden into production too.
I'll drop you an email. I have some farmer questions for you, if you don't mind.
CNJ, when it comes to milking and no kicking , I have a few tricks up my sleeve(you may note that my nose is fairly straight, so I have proof they work) all are dewwigned not to strees you or the cow and work slick.
ReplyDeleteJust for fun here is a one man show ,this guy is fun,he does one on milking a heifer , but I can't find it on youboob Wingfield
HAHAHAHAHA
ReplyDeleteHere I thought you went all crazy and got some kind of grade Gypsy Vanner....
I've had raw milk. It's amaaaaazing. It doesn't bother my tummy at all!
Check out this thing - it's the robotic milker on some family friends' dairy farm:
http://www.milkywayfarm.com/farm-robot.htm
Here it is in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vo4NJU5wTk
Fern- I am working on getting close enough to pet her at the moment. Scratching the itchy spots and letting her know life is good around humans. She's coming along, but milking is a ways off still. Then considering breeding and gestation- at least 9 months away... Then she needs a bath, her teats and udder cleaned before milking and the list goes on.
ReplyDeleteWhen we get there though, I am thinking one of those 'arms' like they use in dog rescue to check for food agression. A hand on a stick if you will. Rub that over her to get her used to being touched just about everywhere- without my head or body being in range for getting nailed.
I'm pretty sure the day will come anyways though. Maybe I am somehow needing a cloven hoofprint on my left shin to match the horse hoof on the right one?
CP- I'm going to have to check that out. Some things that people come up with though, you have to admire their enginuity.
Honestly cnj, get her halter broke and get a stockmans cane and a lariat. all you should need . You can use the cane like the arm you are talking about and the lariat ... well if I tell you all my secrets will you still want to talk to me?
ReplyDeleteOH, Fern, I LOVE Wingfield! Guy is hilarious..
ReplyDeletePF said (although she NEVER comments on my blog, so poople on HER..)
"Why do you have a Holstein heifer?"
Why Not, I say!
We had a guy here in Ontario get into all kinds of trouble for selling raw milk to people. Even though they owned shares in the cows' teats, and everything!
GL- believe it or not it is against the law to sell raw milk (cow or goat) for human consumption. At least it is in the states.
ReplyDeleteThere are ads for it on CL all the time. Each one states, *NOT for human consumption*. I figured that was to keep the health department from coming to visit. Once it leaves your property- who is to say what the buyer does with it?