Tom Knows Cows

Just spent 2 weeks on a cattle farm. It was an experience, I would perhaps like to repeat but definitely not like to do for a living. The cows were cool, most of them nice (though 28, 53 and 107 are the evil kicking ones that stick out in my mind), number 7 was particularly pleasant despite being an old grandma with a top speed of about half a mile an hour (quite literally).

I got to do a rectal examination (well, more of just a general feel around before the farmer did AI, but I got an idea of what I should find up a cow's arse), which was great fun (don't laugh), I feel like I have lived the vet dream now (and so can happily retire :)

I got to calve a calf, which, either fortunately or unluckily depending on from who's point of view you look at it, began to calve when the farmer was away. So I rang him up
"Um, Wilf... one of your cows is calving," to which he replied something along the lines of; "I'll be back in 20 minutes, just get the calving ropes out of the house, my Mum will know where they are, and give it a go."
"Do i burst the bag?"
"Yes"

Twas great - what greater experience I am getting than a medical student!

Other stuff I got to do included

* Injecting
* Dehorning (which is gruesome - you get a huge soldering iron thing and gouge the horn out from their skull)
* Ear Tagging (less gruesome, more like ear piercing, but with a bigger hole)
* Milking, LOTS of milking
* Moving shit about... LOTS of shit.
* Making fires (muwaha)
* Watching for "heat"
* Following a vet round briefly.

So yeah, a worthwhile venture in the end. Glad I went! So, 4 weeks down, 8 to go!

PICTURES!!!!!!!

Granny


Some little week old Fresian/Holstein Heifers.


The low yielders enjoying their sileage, maize and sugar beet lunch.


Limousin Bull


Jack the Rotweiler- a sweetie really.