Since today was supposed to be Fern's day in heat, I spent a couple of hours in the night, dozing and praying, and woke to greet the day discombobulated and demoralized, almost despairing.
And Fern showed no signs of heat. After three clear cycles, the one week when we finally have time, semen straws, and the technician in the country, Fern appeared to skip her cycle altogether.
Despair. If a heifer is bred too young, she has to build too much of her own frame while growing a calf, and that shortens her life. But if a heifer is bred too old, she gets too fat and becomes sterile. So I have, hanging over my head, two more months of summer (though hopefully not two more months of consistent 100 degree weather); a two-year-old heifer in a breed that doesn't take AI (artificial insemination) well, and no knowledge of where to find a bull, all while the clock is ticking on Fern's window of potential breeding.
No wonder I had a nightmare. I talked to Giovanni, our AI technician, and he advised to wait until the next cycle. Or maybe she'll show signs tomorrow. But with the heat this month: it's stressful on the animals.
Stressful on the people, too. I understand why tempers "flare" when it's hot; hot heads lead to hotheads.
The good news? The boys and I finished The Cricket in Times Square which is so superb, I can hardly express it. That was very good.
And Phil finished the pig pen. I think it's adorable, fitting perfectly between the rows of peaches and cherries. He propped up one side, and the pigs happily followed me, as I made the sound that means "food!" It feels good to have them contained, and they appear happy in their new digs.
Can't think of anything much to say. I have zero experience with pigs, your chicks and hen look amazing, and as for Fern, there is always next month and who knows, this month may just be too hot for her anyway... If you could fence him[I know] you could try a teaser bull calf who gets butchered after getting the cows into heat and letting you know about it....
ReplyDeleteThanks for being honest about schooling and living in the heat. Makes the rest of us go a little easier on ourselves. Michigan, my home state, has had temps. that feel like 100 all week..... As you say, tempers fray.
Seem to have found plenty to say...