Monday, May 12, 2014

Getting Ruby Bred and Settled

Sunday, May 11th marked another heat cycle for my cow, Ruby.  I noticed she was in heat and called my AI tech.  He came over in the evening and bred my cow for me.  I sure hope she settles this time.  If she doesn't, I may have to find a bull and see if we can get her settled that way.  I think the other times I had her bred too late in her cycle, even though I was reassured by my AI tech that it wasn't too late.  This time around, I noticed early enough in the day that I was able to get the AI tech to come in the evening.  Previous cycles, I haven't been sure until afternoon, and then my AI tech would come the next day to breed.  It was too late, I think. 

If she conceives this time around, her due date would be February 21, 2015, and we would likely dry her off around Thanksgiving.  It would be a bit early, but I would like to have some time off milking two cows, if possible.  Winter time is the best time to reduce the farm workload.  My cow, Emmy, is due the end of next month, and so I will have two to milk from the time she has her calf until I dry off Ruby.

May's Milk Quality Test Results

Still producing high quality raw milk.

Results are the same as most of my previous months:

SPC <2500 /mL
Coliform <1 /mL
SCC <100,000 /mL

Quoting myself once again to give an explanation of the numbers...

"SPC is Standard Plate Count (total bacteria, good or bad).  Coliform is environmental bacteria (may or may not include fecal).  SCC is Somatic Cell Count and an elevated number can indicate mastitis or can be reflective of injury to the udder.

State tests do not detect less than the values I have shown above.  To pass state tests, the SPC needs to be below 15,000/mL, Coliform less than 25/mL, and SCC less than 500,000/mL.  Once again, I am very pleased with my results, and find it very reassuring to know that the milk I am drinking and selling is extremely high quality milk."

Friday, May 9, 2014

Milking the cow at Elliott's Emerald Acre


Can we see you milk the cow?

I sometimes get requests from friends and customers who want to come during milking time and watch us milk the cow.  I thought it would be easiest for me to do a video and show how we do it, so here it is.


April's Milk Quality Test Results

So late in posting this!  It's already well into May.  But, the test results are just as great as usual.

SPC <2500 / mL
Coliform <1 / mL
SCC <100,000 /mL

I'm just going to quote what I have previously written about my test results, because that's easier than trying to find a new way to say I'm happy with my results.

"SPC is Standard Plate Count (total bacteria, good or bad).  Coliform is environmental bacteria (may or may not include fecal).  SCC is Somatic Cell Count and an elevated number can indicate mastitis or can be reflective of injury to the udder.

State tests do not detect less than the values I have shown above.  To pass state tests, the SPC needs to be below 15,000/mL, Coliform less than 25/mL, and SCC less than 500,000/mL.  Once again, I am very pleased with my results, and find it very reassuring to know that the milk I am drinking and selling is extremely high quality milk."