Charlotte is definitely in calf and we are now just waiting to see when she’ll freshen – officially it could be any time between September and November, but with the way she’s looking, I think she may explode if she is still pregnant at the end of September. Her udder is starting to swell, but looks like she still has a couple of weeks to go. I have put her through the cattle crush and have been working with her using a glove on a stick to get her used to being handled ready to milk, but she is so big that she can’t get through the head gate very easily, so further training will need to wait until she has freshened.
Charlotte is still a fiery redhead and while she will come when called (to get her hay) and will come over to say hello, she does not like being handled so the whole milking thing is going to be interesting to say the least.
Matilda on the other hand is looking decidedly un-pregnant. Which is a shame as she is definitely tamer and friendlier than Charlotte and is definitely bribe able when it comes to food of any description. I finally found halters to fit them, so Matilda is currently wearing hers with a drag line to start the process of halter training her. The idea behind that (which is working) is that the cow learns to give their head to pressure when they step on the rope, so when it comes time to lead her, theoretically she should follow. Charlottes halter will have to wait until she can fit back in the cattle crush because there is no way she will let me get close enough to her head without being retrained.
I’m getting a few things growing in the vegie garden as well.
