We were waiting ...

Kris' weightlifting routine

Every time you turn around, there's another calf.  We have 16 heifers in the barn at my last count! We have a lot of bulls too, but we sell them twice a week to a steer raising farm.

We're always trying to do a better job on our farm, and one of the processes we're trying to improve is our fresh cow protocol.  Fresh cows - which are what you call cows that have just given birth and are lactating - are in a more vulnerable state.  Of course, we've always monitored their health, but now we're doing even more.

For instance, we're now checking each of them for ketosis.  Ketosis is a metabolic disorder that happens when energy demands (like milk production) exceeds energy intake.  Ketotic cows often have low blood sugar.  How do you check cows for ketosis?  They have to pee on a test strip.

Sometimes it happens right away, but sometimes it takes awhile to get her to urinate.

It's hard to make plans in the summer that require us to be on time.  Saying, "We were waiting for the fresh cow to urinate," never sounds right at a party.



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