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Every so often….
….our plan works out. For instance, this heifer calf. When we brought back THF Reality from John and Terry Guevremont farm on “temporary assignment” we were looking to couple his genetics (Rotokawa 667) to some of our best cows, particularly THF 6 (Hope). And it came to fruition this morning. “Hope”, who is a 688 daughter, has produced more calves (19) than any other cow at Thistle Hill and, in fact, this is her 10th heifer! Of course, many of the earlier calves were thanks to embryo transplants. In recent years, we’ve kept her to natural breeding.
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And then there were two….
….the first of two calves born today at Thistle Hill. The first, a bull calf, was delivered in our “nursery”…a small area near the house where we keep an eye on “first calvers”. It was no problem for W64….she found a safe area and delivered before we could come out and monitor the event. The sire is Thistle Hill Reality. It was a breeze as well for Q48 this morning. She was in the eastern pasture and strolled away from the herd for a few minutes for another non-fuss delivery, her fourth calf. This one a heifer, again by Reality. I mentioned earlier that the mamas here tend to keep a…
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Which one’s my mom???
….Enlarge the picture to see a pony volunteering. Not likely. I seem to look like the one in the center. But the one on the right? Yep! A Devon-Angus cross bull calf born this morning to the heifer on the right. Actually, she’s half Devon…hence the red color of the baby. Sire was Jackpot. The calf was born on an adjacent pasture still under development and we’d begun to put up a temporary pen to bring the heifer home for calving. Too late! Take down the pen.
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You have only a few days….
….to access an excellent roundup (sorry, bad choice of word) of the threat posed by the GMO industry. Normally, this video is behind a paywall but you can access it now and through November 9th at no charge. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/02/genetic-roulette.aspx
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Singing in the rain…
….what’s a little rain when you can welcome a new baby first thing in the morning? Even when you get clean jeans muddy tagging her? This heifer is by 256 out of Thistle Hill Jackpot. So far the bull/heifer ration is just about even. Old hat now for “R3“….her bull calf is by Thistle Hill Reality. Just a guess but it was almost as though both cows (standing about 50 feet apart, which is unusual) delivered between two cloud bursts at just about the same time. “3” is one of those cows who leans right over you talking to her calf while you tag her. I’ve learned to speak some mama…
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A billionaire and his millions….
….are soon parted. Google (you really want to trust those guys with your food, too) is financing a project in England to grow “cultured” or “cloned” hamburger. Not sure which to call it, except maybe disgusting. Almost nothing in this article is accurate but the money involved. http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/08/05/googles-brin-funds-332k-lab-grown-beef-hamburger-looks-to-make-meat-a-sustainable-resource
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A sign of the times….
….what to do about our over-weight military recruits—and everyone else? You’d think the Pentagon might decide to feed them right instead of hoping to run them back into condition. Where’ve you been? The obvious answer is: liposuction! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2478403/Suck-Chubby-military-personnel-getting-liposuction-pass-Pentagons-body-fat-test.html Our guess is the chow halls are doling out extra portions of whole wheat bread as well! (Note: if you’re new here, this is all sarcasm.)
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Speaking of England….
….Bill Walker weighs in with a recent picture of Traditional Devon’s TDA 3, now exactly two years old and we’re about to breed her. “3” is, of course, out of Tilbrook Cashtiller by Cutcombe Jaunty. Doesn’t get any better than that!
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A few of my favorite…..
….People! My mate, Ivan Rowe, braving a gale to judge a Devon show at Camelford, England recently. The steward for the show was our Cornwall lass, Juliet Cleave. Our English project is all the stronger for the fact that four of our seven partners have been judges in Devon circles for many years. If Ivan tells you a cow is “fit”, take it to the bank. It’s an integrity he took to people judging too, as a former Queen’s magistrate.
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The Class of “A”….
….at least so far. The first five calves gather under a tree (that should come down and will soon if I don’t get at it) with baby-sitters U3 and R2. (click to see them all) We seem to have hit a pause with 15 yet to come.