Monday, October 14, 2013

Goldenrod in October

The new larger milk line hoses were put on the milkers over the weekend. I don't like them. They are heavier - I noticed that the minute I lifted the first milker this morning to attach it to a cow. The hoses are stiffer and I think that is the reason the milkers are often not sitting right below the udder but are cockeyed off to the side (that will pull on one side of the udder). The metal connector between the new hoses and the milk line is bigger and it takes some pushing to get them together. Worst of all, the cows weren't giving milk this morning. Many gave under 20 lbs and that's about 1/2 of what they usually give at the morning milking. Of course, there could be other factors at play. The owners might have switched to a new bag of feed - sometimes the cows just don't like the mix for whatever reason and won't eat it. The cows might not like the weather (although once it started getting cooler milk production spiked up immediately). Or ... the hoofer was on site this morning and the cows always get antsy when he is around. I've seen the hoofer at work on a cow's feet - a relaxing pedicure it isn't.

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