She's the fat, happy cow that just loved grazing this summer. (pictured in a previous post)
She's the oldest cow in the barn...the matriarch...the definite leader of the pack...
She should have been named "Bossy"...
She's 11 years and 7 months old...
Today she had her eleventh calf; her seventh heifer...
That's quite a record!
It's unusual to keep a cow this long...but she just keeps on going! Belle had her first calf at age two, and has had a calf every year since then. That's a tremendous breeding record!
She looks (and acts) half her age.
Her sire is Belltone, one of the "good old guys". We have had quite a few Belltone daughters... He was a bull that was used often on first calf heifers because he was proven to give small calves, which results in an easy calving...and she is the only one we have left!
Tonight we checked on her before bed because she's a milk fever threat. (see Dairy Farming 101) Jim gave her some calcium earlier this evening, but when we checked, she was standing up chewing her cud!
Way to go Belle! Welcome back to the barn!
Thanks for sharing the pictures. So cute!
ReplyDeleteVery cute little one! Enjoying your posts even when I don't post a comment. Yes, people do read it. :) Hugs from Oregon!
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying reading your comments...thanks! And hugs back out to Oregon :) When are you headed east??!!
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