68mm of rain and most of this fell during the second half of the month so the cows were able to stay out at night until the eighth and didn’t come in during the day until the 22nd and then only due to the wet as the temperature has remained mild and as I write this report on the 2nd of December it is 10.4c.

We send some of our heifers to Dorothy’s Dad’s farm for the summer and we brought back six which were in-calf the nearest being about 2 weeks from calving all came back and settled with the herd then the problems started.

Calving cows often separate themselves to calve and will find a quiet corner to give birth away from the main herd the first heifer went further however making her way over two fields (from the left hand meadow to the heifer meadow if you look at the map) at night.

She then had a stillborn calf right by the river’s edge. Next I can only guess but she somehow then managed to roll down the riverbank into the river and drown.

The sad end pictured here by Webby before removal.

Next one calved perfectly normal but the next 4 days ago calved and due to complications haemorrhaged internally and bled to death with myself and Richard our Vet watching on helpless.

You know the saying “where there’s livestock there’s deadstock “  but after 2 ½ years care and attention loosing  two future milkers together is sickening.

We had a dry night for the bonfire and it was enjoyed by all who attended.

Early November saw our annual inspection and here is Andy the inspector working for the people who sell and process our milk laptop computer at the ready.

There were some loose cubicles to repair and a few extra records I need to keep but otherwise he was happy. Click here to learn more about where our milk goes once it has been collected www.dfob.com  

Next was the visit from Manchester University we have one coach load in the  morning and another in the afternoon here the students are by the pond and here are Dorothy and Margot providing them with a welcome brew after. The first visit to make use of the shed.

After all this I managed some muckspreading before the rains came again and as I write, the store is looking full again with the fields looking too wet to spread on.

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By the time the next report goes on Christmas will have been and gone and it will be 2007.

 

See you next month PHIL

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