June Milk & Egg Tally

Here it is:

1. 19 eggs, 9.5 cups milk
2. 22 eggs, 12 cups milk
3. 28 eggs, 10 cups milk
4. 28 eggs, 9 cups milk
5. 26 eggs, 9 cups milk
6. 22 eggs, 8.5 cups milk
7. 15 eggs, 8.5 cups milk
8. 21 eggs, 17 cups milk
9. 13 eggs, 10 cups milk
10. 12 eggs, 10 cups milk
11. 17 eggs, 3 cups milk
12. 14 eggs, 3.5 cups milk
13. 17 eggs, 6.5 cups milk
14. 15 eggs, 6.5 cups milk
15. 24 eggs, 9 cups milk
16. 25 eggs, 6.5 cups milk
17. 14 eggs, 7 cups milk
18. 19 eggs, 4 cups milk
19. 16 eggs, 4 cups milk
20. 18 eggs, 2.5 cups + some spilled milk
21. 15 eggs, 5 cups milk
22. 23 eggs, 5.5 cups milk
23. 14 eggs, 5 cups milk
24. 20 eggs, 2 cups milk
25. 27 eggs, all the milk spilled
26. 24 eggs, .5 cup milk
27. 21 eggs, .5 cup milk
28. 27 eggs, .5 cup milk
29. 23 eggs, .5 cup milk
30. 21 eggs, 11 cups milk

Totals: 600 eggs (50 dozen), 186.5 cups (11 gallons + 10.5 cups)
Eggs sold: 27 dozen

One of the books that we own says something to this effect: "If you try to fight your calf for milk, you WILL lose." It is that simple. We are losing. We are continuing to get less and less milk as Burt grows bigger and bigger. Our problem is that we want to continue to raise him on mama's milk, getting as much as he needs, for his own good. Also, we loved the idea that the pressure was sort of off us to completely drain her. If Burt was there, he could always take care of any inadequacies in our milking. However, as you can see, we are now getting hardly any milk at all from her. There have been miraculous times when I happen to get out there before Burt wakes up and so get a nice quantity. But those are rare times indeed. Something has to give. She's too expensive to be a lawn ornament.

We actually have fallen in love with the idea of a nurse cow. We are hoping to add another bred cow to our homestead early next spring who will calve at around the same time as Annabelle. Then, we would take both calves and put them on the nurse cow (whether Annabelle or the new cow would be the nurse cow would remain to be seen) and separate them off while we got to milk the other one exclusively. It seems to be the best of both worlds. You get strong, healthy, nursed calves while at the same time getting all the available milk from your milk cow. Now to find another cow. Oh, and get Annabelle re-bred.

On the upside, her mastitis is completely cleared up. Without medication. All I used was a homeopathic ointment when I milked her and tried to milk that quarter more often. Seems to have worked. We figured that we don't just off and give me a shot of antibiotics when I get mastitis, so why do that to our cow. I will admit that I was worried about the horror stories I had heard...including losing that quarter permanently. But Don held firm and I guess I have to admit that he was right. Don't tell him I said that, though.

Our egg production has been sufficient, but not probably where it should be. There have been lots of moulting hens, so that plays a role. We also could be losing some to random nests out in the grass...we have no idea if they are all laying in the coop. But, for the small bucket of grain each day, it is still a great return. I'm not complaining. We've been still able to eat a good dozen eggs a day, while selling extras. In fact, we've been selling enough now to keep my fridge with just a few dozen in it at a time. That is a nice change.