# We rescued another cow this week!



## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

Meet Marianne, who has taken up residence at Dysfunction Junction after narrowly escaping a date with the meat packers this week. :teehee:

Isn't she purdy? 

She is making 60 lbs. of milk a day (and I'm hand milking ... oy) and in May she tested positive for an A.I.-sired (by me) calf due Dec. 9. 

This was not really planned ... had you told me Monday morning I'd be the proud owner of a lactating cow before the day was out, I'd have said you were on drugs. ound:

But, well, sometimes you just gotta go where life takes you! 

Incidentally, I named my late great cow Twister after the tornado-shaped white mark on her forehead. If I'd done the same with this one, her name surely would be "Apostrophe," or maybe, "Cartoon Thought Bubble." :hysterical:


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

What very good news for Marianne! So glad that you saved her, and I bet she pays you back big time! Congratulations, willow_girl.


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

Hah, the only animals I get to rescue are cats, up to 18 and there seems to be another drop off!!! I threatened to start eating them {No, not really!!}

She is purdy! Tell us the rescue story, it sounds like a good pay back already.
 My hats off to you for hand milking.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Dysfunction Junction is the place to be, farm living is the life for me....Topside


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh goodness, she sure IS pretty. 
And you will be calving her out in December. 

Congratulations and happy drowning in milk for all at the Junction! :buds:


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

tab said:


> Hah, the only animals I get to rescue are cats, up to 18 and there seems to be another drop off!!! I threatened to start eating them {No, not really!!}


Hope you have a spay/neuter program available!


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

G. Seddon said:


> Hope you have a spay/neuter program available!


Nope, out of pocket. Thankfully horse vet does the boys cheap right here. Girls go to a different vet, who is pretty reasonable. It adds to why I hate people who abuse animals, cows, horses, cats dogs, any of them.


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

Willow, what are you doing with gallons and gallons of milk!?


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

I think I'm going to save it up and take a bath in it! ound:

I'm hoping her milk will fall off a bit on a dry-cow diet of hay, but the paddock she's in is full of lush green grass. Oy ...

I need to make friends with a family with a lot of kids! 

OK, by popular demand, here's the story of her rescue, which I penned for our forum last night:

Imagine my shock and horror when I got to work Monday and discovered my boss had put one of my favorite cows on the truck!









Well, she'd been a very bad girl, which was not so unusual for Marianne, who has, shall we say, a bit more personality than your average cow. In a boisterous moment, she knocked down my bosses' 85-year-old father, bruising his leg badly. She had gotten into the (bad) habit of rushing up behind us, having discovered that it startles humans and makes them shriek. (I swear this cow has a sense of humor. ) But she tried that with the wrong person, and my boss didn't want a repeat of the incident, so he culled her. 










In a state of panic, I rang up Numb, and asked him if he knew where the stockyards in Eighty-Four were. (He didn't.) I said, "Well, you need to find out, and go down there and save my cow!" (I couldn't leave work -- there was no one else to milk.)

So off he went, being the sweetheart he is.







He found her in the throng of down-and-out cows, and, upon checking with the sale barn office, learned she'd already been sold, to a buyer for the Cargill slaughterhouse on the other side of the state, and was due to be shipped Tuesday night. Numb tried to talk the clerks into putting him in touch with the buyer, in hopes he might sell her to me, but they wouldn't cooperate. But Numb, being Numb, was persistent (it's one of his fine qualities), until finally an old man sitting off to the side started cackling and said, "Come back and see me tonight, after 9 when everyone's gone. I'll be here all night loading cattle."

So as soon as I got home from work, off we went, having no idea what was going to happen, or if the old dude was going to be able to do anything more than let me say goodbye to my pet cow. We had scraped together every dollar in cash that we'd had in the house; I was driving like a bat outta hell; and Numb was terrified that we'd get pulled over and the police would mistake it for drug money. (I was, like, "What? You don't think they'd believe we were just trying to buy a cow?")









When we arrived at the stockyards, we found the old dude, George, who was holding down the fort by himself on a hot summer night. After some small talk and sizing us up a bit, he made two phone calls, and arranged for Marianne's buyer to sell her to me for $50 more than he'd paid for her. (The buyer obviously had no idea just how much he could have gotten away with charging me.) Then he found a nearby dairy farmer just in from milking who was willing to drop everything and haul a cow for us in the middle of the night.

_There are angels among us, and George is surely one of them. _

So, Monday around midnight, Marianne officially took up residence here at Dysfunction Junction. She's making 60 lbs. of milk a day (and I'm hand-milking ... oy) and is due with an A.I.-sired (by me!) calf in early December. I'm not sure whether we'll keep her here or possibly send her off to live with the Krishnas ... right now, because this is all so new, we're just taking things one day at a time. We haven't even started using her milk yet, although the dogs and cats are getting fatter with each milking. 

Breaking out my old 1950s-era Monkey Wards pasteurizer and cutting muslin into squares for filters today, I felt like a woman who has an unexpected pregnancy in middle age. I certainly didn't expect to be doing this again.







But, well, here we are. 

Incidentally, Marianne has been exceedingly well-behaved since she's been here. (I think having a more mentally-stimulating environment might tone down her boisterousness a bit.) Numb's taught her to walk on a lead rope like a horse already. (Or it could be that she just adores him and would follow him even without the rope ... that's also possible.) He took out her yellow ear tag and (this is too kewl, seriously) made her a prosthetic tail out of vetwrap and baler twine so she can flick the flies off her back like a proper cow.







(The farmer I work for docks the cows' tails to keep them clean but uses fly spray in the barn, which we didn't have on hand this morning until we were able to get to Tractor Supply.)

When I went in to work tonight, I figured I'd better 'fess up to my boss as to what I'd done, as he'd surely find out through the "farmer's network" eventually. I started by saying I'd noticed he'd shipped another cow, #904, whom I'd called The Gimp because she was chronically lame. We'd tried everything and she simply didn't respond, and it was better for her not to suffer. He agreed. Then I said, "And I'm sure 1011 [Marianne] went to a better place," and he said, "Yeah, uh-huh," and I said, "I know, because right now she's living in Numb's backyard!"









He was surprised as heck, but you know, I think he was kinda glad, too. I know I am.


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

Cool story. Funny thing, sometimes the crusty old birds still have soft spots. 

Wonder is she'd foster babies.....with almost 8 gallons a day you could raise pigs, calves and make lots of cheese! Plus take a bath in it! I think most cows do wonderfully in small groups.


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

Nooo, no more babies! When I bought Christine, my first Holstein, I bought a sale barn bull calf and grafted him onto her, sold him when he was about 6 months old. 

Nowadays I couldn't bear to part with the babies, especially knowing they'd eventually be going to slaughter. 

I've become a softie in my old age, too.

My farm boss says if her calf turns out to be a heifer, he'll buy her from me. LOL


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## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

See she needs to come up to my house and join my clan. With 9 kids I go threw lots of dairy products. My first girl is due feb 14.


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

Her milk is delicious! :happy2:


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## Chief Cook (Apr 24, 2011)

I swear, Willow Girl, you just impress the stuffins out of me! Is there anything that you cannot do? I love the fact that you saved a wonderful cow. I am always amazed with people that can milk a cow by hand, it is something that I just cannot get the hang of. I tried to milk a cow one evening for a couple that I was staying with, they had gone to town and were late getting home. I let that little calf eat all he wanted and then tried to finish off the cow. It is a wonder the calf didn't get sick, he looked like he might explode! I got four squirts! Luckily I did not let the cows out to their pasture and when the owner got home he got a gallon from that cow! He laughed and teased me about that until I grew up and moved away. Reading about your adventures really got me remembering those good times. Thanks!


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

I LOVE the tail!!!


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

What a tale. And, especially, what a tail!!

All that milk by hand, you must have "hands and forearms of steel". (If not already, you will soon!) And you still have to go thru one more lactation with her. Oy! is an understatement.

Glad for Miss Marianne that you were able to pull it off. Hope she stays on good behavior and you all live happily everafter!


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## WildRoots (Nov 24, 2013)

You should raise a pig!


Wild Roots Farms Pompey, NY.


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## Jersey/guernsey (Nov 12, 2012)

:thumb::clap: Lucky cow. Why'd a nice looking (Very pretty) cow like that sell to the packers? Would have thought someone would want her:shrug: But I'm glad she got to go home with you:happy2:


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## DianeWV (Feb 1, 2007)

I love it! What a great story. Take care Willowgirl!


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

> Why'd a nice looking (Very pretty) cow like that sell to the packers? Would have thought someone would want her


Probably most people would assume that because a cow has been culled, she has chronic mastitis or won't breed back. 

The packer didn't get her cheap, though -- he paid $1,520 for her. 

Yeah, she's a beauty queen alright! :hysterical:

Numb took a nicer picture of her today!


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Maybe you should just ask your boss for first bid on any future culls?


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

I woke up this morning all groggy and grabbed a cup of coffee to sip on while reading HT and waking up. This is the first thread I opened and I swear it brought tears to my eyes. I can just imagine that she thinks she's in 7th heaven. 

Yeah, there are angels out there. Old George is one and so are you and Numb and the guy who would haul a cow in the middle of the night. 

The cartoon bubble on her forehead makes me smile. I had a horse once with that same kind of marking. Being quirky, I would sometimes write things there with a black sharpie. "I need carrots." "Love you!" "Kiss me" hahahahaha The people at the barn where I kept him thought I was nuts. 

Well done, Willow Girl.


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

> Maybe you should just ask your boss for first bid on any future culls?


This is the third cow I've bought from him; the other two were repro culls, and when their milk was falling off, I talked to him and we worked out a deal.

I couldn't see this one coming, though, and I'd never said anything to him about her -- I figured she was safe, since she was confirmed pregnant and in good health. It blew me away when I found out she'd been shipped, although I can't really blame him, under the circumstances. 

I'd told her she was gonna find her  on the truck if she didn't quit messing with people! ound:

I never thought it would actually happen, though.

Incidentally, she's been a perfect angel since she's been here. :angel:



> The cartoon bubble on her forehead makes me smile. I had a horse once with that same kind of marking. Being quirky, I would sometimes write things there with a black sharpie. "I need carrots." "Love you!" "Kiss me" hahahahaha The people at the barn where I kept him thought I was nuts.


OMG, I've thought of doing the same thing! :grin:

Too funny. :hysterical:


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

BTW, thanks, everyone, for the kind words.
Rescuing cows is kinda my mission in life, I think. 
Poor Numb is just along for the ride! ound:


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## Tabitha (Apr 10, 2006)

I am just so impressed with your handmilking after looking at the size of the spickets. Yikes. 
That is so nice to make her a fake tail. what I am wondering, is she using it like the real thing?


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

Yes to the tail thing. It's funny; the ones at work who are docked still flick their stumps just like they would a normal tail when they're annoyed, or whatever. It must be instinct.

Before Numb made her the prosthesis, she was trying to swish flies with her stump. 

She doesn't use it as much now that she's been powdered with Python Dust.


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

Oh, Numb perfected his design of a stomach-pump powered milking machine today! We tried it out tonight and it works great. Of course, he could only milk one teat at a time with it, but I was happy to give my hands a break. :teehee: Marianne didn't seem to mind it at all,.

He also made TWO kinds of cheese while I was at work! I don't know if I was more excited about tasting it or merely the fact that it used up two gallons of milk! ound:

Her production is falling off nicely with no signs of mastitis on a ramped-down hay and grass diet. I give her a little bit of TMR ration to reward her at milking time -- it's pretty much what she lives for. I'm sure she believes she's being systematically starved here. ound:


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

:thumb: well done and thanks for sharing. Heartwarming.


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

Ermagerd, I LERVE my new milking machine! :banana:

Numb took it for a test flight last night, while I used it this morning. It made milking a breeze! 

Basically, it's an old hospital stomach pump hooked up to plastic tubing with the shell of a big syringe on the end, fitted approximately to her teat. Numb drilled a tiny hole in the syringe that I can open and close to replicate the action of a pulsator, letting the vacuum build up, then drop when I take my finger off the hole. The milk flows into a half-gallon Mason jar that we empty periodically into a larger container. 

Right now, we're only milking 1 teat at a time, but Numb says he can put a Y-valve on the tubing and add a second syringe so I can do two at once. The pump ought to put out enough vacuum; its gauge goes up to 24lbs. and we're running at about 8. She doesn't seem bothered by this at all -- I assume if it were uncomfortable for her, she's dance around and fuss. 

Now if we could just find a use for all this milk! But that's a nice problem to have, I guess. :hysterical:


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

Numb modified the milker with a second syringe so now I can milk in half the time! She is holding steady at just over 3 gallons a day, which is more than enough for two people and bunch of spoiled barn cats!

We (or I should say, Numb) is making butter, cheese and we bought a 1-quart ice cream freezer this weekend although we haven't had a chance to try it out yet. It's the newfangled kind that doesn't use crushed ice or rock salt; you just put the cannister overnight in the freezer, I guess. 

Last night I made lasagna with homemade ricotta and mozzarella cheeses ... mmmm.


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## WildRoots (Nov 24, 2013)

Get a pig for the extra milk. They love it and grow very well.


Wild Roots Farms Pompey, NY.


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## Sensiblefarmer (Apr 24, 2014)

It's a nice story, but I have a different opinion, so read no further if you don't want to hear it.

Temperament or behavioral issues are very good reasons for shipping an animal, especially one as potentially dangerous as a large cow which has already has a long history of being a problem. While some see a heartwarming story, I see the possibility of keeping an animal that may harm someone in the future. Hopefully the change of environment and the increased individual attention will be just what she needs to behave appropriately around humans. I just hope that her behavior doesn't return or even worsen once she becomes comfortable with the new place, so that no one gets hurt.


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

Farmer, I'm sure no offense was meant and none taken. 

I don't blame my boss for culling her; she has a history of being boisterous. I thought long and hard before deciding to take her on, even before she was culled. (There are certain cows I've decided ahead of time to rescue, or try to, if the opportunity arises, and she was one of them.)

I think the bottom line for me was that I didn't detect any meanness or even aggressiveness in her behavior. Honestly, this is a cow with a sense of humor! She is probably the smartest cow I've known (and I've interacted with hundreds). There is an almost human level of intelligence in her expression and in the way she interacts with us. I think she was bored in the freestall barn and needed a more mentally stimulating environment. 

She has been very well-behaved here, even moreso than I had expected -- for instance, within a day, Numb had taught her to lead on a rope like a horse. She didn't even make much of a fuss about it. 

I realize that after she calves and starts cycling again, she may be a handful when she's in heat, and I plan on tracking her cycles so we won't be taken by surprise. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say. If she's too much of a PITA, I suppose I could always breed her again! (Arrgh, what would I do with the calf, other than to be stuck feeding it forever? I need about 50 acres for all these cows!) ound:


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

I'll add that my Christine was culled as a first-calf heifer for not only being lo pro, but a total hellion in the parlor! She's the only heifer I've milked in 10+ years who never gave up fighting. Funny; outside of the parlor, she was the friendliest girl imaginable; she just didn't want to be milked by humans, I guess. I admired her spirit, so I went and bought her, and she has been a hungry pasture ornament for me these past 11 years (she did raise a couple of nice calves, including one I grafted onto her, and her behemoth daughter Lillian). 

Lillian:

Being one myself, I guess I've always had a soft spot for bad girls! ound:


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## Jim S. (Apr 22, 2004)

By golly, those are some body condition score 9 cows - truly obese. They'll be healthier if you put them on a lower-nutrition diet (more grass and hay; much less if any feed) to get them back to BCS 5-6, and they will be better able to provide you a healthy calf every year, which is what they ought to be doing at a minimum.

I gotta hand it to you. If they don't pay their way they are gone from my place. For $1,570, that new one you bought ought to raise up a whole bunch of slaughter pigs to pay you back, and those pigs do taste oh so good after being milk-fed. You can earn a good penny selling them live by the half and whole, delivering them to the butcher, and letting your customer pay him separately and have him cut them up like they want.

We are buyers of these kinds of pigs from a friend who milk raises them just like that. Amazingly delicious, and we know we're eating an animal that was raised happy.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Willow truly loves her cows! I've "known" her for many years and that's one of many things I lurves about her!


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## Jim S. (Apr 22, 2004)

She's loving those two above just a bit too much for their own good.  I love mine, too, and I know it is easy to overdo nutrition.

They really will be healthier at BCS 5-6, even if they are "living on welfare," as they say around here, and not having to earn their keep. That way, they'll be around longer for Willow to love.

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/beef/as1026.pdf


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Jim S. said:


> She's loving those two above just a bit too much for their own good.  I love mine, too, and I know it is easy to overdo nutrition.
> 
> They really will be healthier at BCS 5-6, even if they are "living on welfare," as they say around here, and not having to earn their keep. That way, they'll be around longer for Willow to love.
> 
> http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/beef/as1026.pdf


I'm certain Willow will take your advice into consideration.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Willow's cows always remind me of those old folk art style paintings of cattle. :grin:


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

ound: ound: ound:

What, that's not how a cow is supposed to look? :whistlin:

Jim, I'm not breeding my girls, so I figure it's OK for them to be a bit, errm, chubby! Actually they wouldn't be so fat except my third cow, Bitey, is a rickety, toothless ol' bag-of-bones, so I have to pour on the feed to keep her weight up. I could pen her up and feed her separately, I suppose (and sometimes in the winter I do, just to make sure she gets her fair share) but they are cows ... they like to eat together. If I give them 3 separate tubs, they'll all eat out of one, then move on to the next. 

And ... at this point in life, I couldn't sell anything for slaughter. I've done it in the past, and I have no gripe against 'real' farmers (heck, I work for one!) I just couldn't do it myself. So Marianne will continue to drown us in milk ... the cats have gotten noticeably fatter these last 2 weeks, and Numb has made about 9 kinds of cheese so far! Luckily we've been able to palm some off on friends and family.

Marianne lives at Numb's place with his goats, not out at the farm with my girls, so I can better control her feed and make sure she doesn't get too fat, which can lead to calving problems. Right now she's holding her weight on hay, a bit of grass, and a couple of pounds of TMR ration from the farm where I work, which I give her as a treat after milking. She sure misses that ration! I tell her that if she'd behaved herself, she wouldn't have been culled, and would still have a steady diet of it!


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