The milking schedule here goes like this:
My day: In the evening of Glory Bee’s day, at dinnertime I take Beulah Petunia out and put her back in BP-land. Or, actually, she takes herself. I have the gate open to BP-land and she goes straight there to her dinner in the milk stand. I milk her the next morning and evening.
Glory Bee’s day: After milking BP in the evening, I take her back to the goat yard to Glory Bee. Or, actually, BP takes herself. I open the gate while I’m milking her so as soon as I let her out of the milk stand, she goes straight for Glory Bee. BP spends the night with Glory Bee, and Glory Bee gets to milk her that night and ALL DAY.
To show you how she takes herself, I made this little video. She really does amaze me. Cows are so trainable. What you’ll see first in this video is the evening when I’m taking BP out for my day the next day. It ends with the next evening when I take her back for Glory Bee’s day the next day. They are both impatient and eager for their reunion by then. They know the schedule very well now, though, and there’s not a bunch of crying in between. They have adjusted their internal rhythms to the routine. The evenings when I take BP out, she is looking for me, ready to go. The evenings when she goes back to Glory Bee, she is in a frenzy to get to her. (Glory Bee is in even MORE of a frenzy to get to mommy!)
Pete says:
Awwwww. They are so content and well-mannered!! :snoopy:
On January 27, 2011 at 8:21 pm
Brenda E says:
I love it – that baby is in a romp for her mother when she gets in there. It’s so funny how they know the routine and BP is so smart to learn so quick. Glory Bee is so cute and I love the dog barking at BP all the way to the milk stand – how cute.
On January 27, 2011 at 8:27 pm
Urbanite says:
That was very sweet at the end when BP rested her head on Glory Bee for a moment.
On January 27, 2011 at 8:40 pm
CindyP says:
She can’t wait to get away and she can’t wait to get back. Oh sweet Bp 🙂 And Boomer is quite the herding dog. He has a purpose!
On January 27, 2011 at 8:42 pm
texwisgirl says:
BP is such a good cow!!! Did you ever think you were going to get so lucky with your first cow? Now hopefully her baby will learn her manners… 🙂
Amazing that the other goats and such don’t escape under BP when you open the gate for her. You have such a barnyard full!
On January 27, 2011 at 8:57 pm
holstein woman says:
I love how easy they are to train. Mine has been here 3 days and learning very nicely.
BP and GB are very beautiful and sweet. :fairy:
On January 27, 2011 at 8:58 pm
AA says:
That’s pretty cool. So much easier when the animals are cooperating. I had a horse that would come when I whistled or when I called him. Sometimes he would start nickering when he just heard me talking to someone.
On January 27, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Heidi says:
Haha, I like that honk that she makes at the end right before going through the gate.
On January 27, 2011 at 9:03 pm
Zusiqu says:
Is it my imagination? Or is BP limping a bit on her left rear foot?
On January 27, 2011 at 9:08 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
Zusiqu, BP has always had a limp. When we got her, the people told us she’d limped like that since they had her, that it never got worse or better. It’s true. Since we’ve had her it’s never gotten worse or better.
On January 27, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Teri says:
Oh Suzanne I just love your videos! The bond that those two share just give me the warm fuzzies. :snoopy: :snoopy: Thank you for sharing.
P.S. Just HOW do you deal with all that guinea noise????? :bugeyed:
On January 27, 2011 at 9:19 pm
Deborah Hitayezu says:
at the beginning of the video, there is an animal sound that I can’t identify…it goes whaa whaa whaa, rhythmically for about 53 seconds.
I even asked my daughter to come watch the video to see if she knew what it was.
Forgive my ignorance, but could anyone tell me what creature is making those sounds?
On January 27, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Eggy says:
Deborah, I heard the sound too and it was fowl (goose, duck or guinea!)
On January 27, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Laurie says:
I think that sound are geese. Am I right?
On January 27, 2011 at 10:06 pm
joycee says:
you have done the impossible, a lot of hard work to get here! Moma and baby are so sweet!
On January 27, 2011 at 10:09 pm
sophanne says:
You make me smile so hard!
On January 27, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Bev says:
Perhaps the sounds are the Guinea?
I was going to comment on the limp also.
Glad is it not something new.
When can the lil’ “sucker” get weaned? I think Momma needs time to get fattened up.
On January 27, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Diane says:
I wonder if BP was ever allowed to bond with her calf or was the calf bottle fed with previous owners. Such a sweet lovely creature she is. You are truly blessed for your first milk cow to be so easy. I would think it could easily be a nightmare! I want to get little GB and smoosh her little fuzzy head against mine :moo:
On January 27, 2011 at 10:35 pm
thunja says:
brrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
On January 27, 2011 at 10:45 pm
patchkat says:
On the off days, does Glory Bee eat grain now? She’s getting to be a big girl! Was it just my imagination, or was BP limping?
On January 27, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
Yes, BP has a limp. She has always had it.
Glory Bee can be weaned anytime, really. I’m planning to let her milk (at least part-time) until 6 months, probably. She does eat lots of hay and some feed.
On January 28, 2011 at 6:29 am
Blessings says:
Nice that GB has gotten use to the routine! However I think BP is feeling used :)..lol
On January 27, 2011 at 11:43 pm
Lindsay says:
That BP is one patient mama! Glory Bee is adorable and feisty, and I love her moo!
On January 28, 2011 at 12:15 am
Luann says:
awesome :woof:
On January 28, 2011 at 1:19 am
Karen says:
What a cool video!!! Love little ones tail flipping momma in the eye but she doesn’t care! They both look so relieved to be back together.
On January 28, 2011 at 1:32 am
lauren says:
awww I love the harmony at your place 🙂
On January 28, 2011 at 6:11 am
ellen mcbryde says:
Routines are no just good for OUR children…animals love routine too!
BTW: when I watch your videos my rat terrier goes crazy looking out the windows looking for the source of all the sounds!
On January 28, 2011 at 7:40 am
lavenderblue says:
You make it look so easy, such a peaceful little kingdom you have there. I know that there is such a lot of hard work that we don’t always see.
On January 28, 2011 at 7:44 am
T M says:
With all your wonderful critter videos you make me long for the country life again!!
On January 28, 2011 at 8:02 am
Jane says:
Aw, BP is so sweet! I am glad you found a way to make it work for both of you:) Wow, does it look cold there though. I am shivering just THINKING of having to milk BP with bare hands:(
On January 28, 2011 at 8:38 am
glenda says:
Cows love routine…..whatever it is…..
Glad you have this all worked out.
I really think you need another dog or three!
On January 28, 2011 at 9:04 am
Ramona says:
What a very smart girl BP is. And GP missed her Mommy!
On January 28, 2011 at 9:58 am
Brenda H. says:
Are you still pasteurizing BP’s milk? Do you have to do it forever or at some point can you use the raw milk? Just curious.
On January 28, 2011 at 10:04 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
Brenda, it depends. I use raw milk for hard cheeses because the curds are so much better and I’m going to age them anyway. I usually pasteurize for soft cheeses, drinking milk, and cream. We could use it all raw if we wanted to. It’s just a personal decision, whatever an individual is comfortable with.
On January 28, 2011 at 10:07 am
Gen-IL Homesteader says:
Is that a goose honking in the background??? :wave:
On January 28, 2011 at 2:16 pm
Candy Stivers says:
interesting how all the farm babies wag their tails when nursing!
On January 28, 2011 at 5:18 pm
MaryB says:
My hubby and I are enjoying your farm. I love your animals! 🙂
On March 12, 2011 at 2:20 am