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Ode to Isabelle

11/26/2020

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Purchased for $1200 on July 19th, little Jersey Isabelle "Belle" arrived well-trained. The seller did not know her age (guessed 5 years old) and had a "friend" deliver her, arriving at mid-night due to traffic after nearly 12 hours in the trailer. Belle freaked when unloading immediately breaking through the fence to be with the other cows. That may have been her last bold moment. She was as gentle and sweet as we have known, never kicking or objecting to come in to be milked, though she had a quirky way of licking her teeth. The moment she knew where the stanchion was, she would compete to get into it. She let down perfectly, milked out easily, was only 3 years old, tested A2/A2, and had great handles. Her downfall was her poor fertility, probably hinted at by her crooked teeth and tiny frame. She had been with a bull for a month and was supposed to be bred. Then, we AI'd her unsuccessfully.
She gave a total of 161 gallons of rich milk from the latter part of her lactation before we dried her on November 11th. We invested $25 to find out she was A2/A2 with a simple hair sample, $110 to AI her, $6 for a blood preg-check, (we learned to do a blood draw from the tail-no vet needed) and around $250 to have her vet do a farm call with exam and check for TB and Brucellosis. We sold her for $1500 to someone who picked her up. She taught us the value of fertile cows, and we are now committed to Brown Swiss crosses.
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Spray foamed new facility roof

11/16/2020

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After approval from the inspector, I sprayed open cell 5" and 8.5" thick, not trimming to avoid a huge mess. It was "extra" foam, so Jamin gave me a GREAT deal (I picked the price), paying $750.
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Milk pump for Jewel

11/12/2020

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Problem: Tiny teats and engorged bag after freshening makes hand milking 2.5 gallons impossible
Solution: Vacuum milker
Total cost: $700
Purchased with Blessing, Caramel, and the stanchion in summer 2019 for $2200, we had a pump and parts in the shed. We sold Blessing and Caramel for $1800 in 2019, and we value the stanchion at $300, so the 1.5hp vacuum pump (new motor), claw, bucket, and pulsator cost $100. Under time pressure, Josh bought $100 of tubing and paid $175 for 100' of 10/3 wire and an outside outlet for a dedicated circuit. He built a roll-around cabinet for the vacuum pump in Abel's shop (new family to Garfield in July) with scrap wood. Kyra did the first milking two days after Jewel freshened (colostrum was hand milked sufficient for Kato before this). After $300 in new seals and claw parts, sanitary milk was easily milked by one person. Total cost after rebuild and install was $700. Compare at $4000 at Hampby's without the wire and outlet!
Thanks to Abel for help rewiring and pig-tail for cord!
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Jewel's edema before calving

11/9/2020

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Days before calving: it's a bulge; it's a hernia; it's edema! Thanks to Peter in Emmett, Amy, and the vet for their free consultations!
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    Authors

    Josh: Founder, father
    Kyra: Founder, mother
    Ashleigh:  1st of 8
    Courage:  2nd of 8

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