On Satruday we got next to no milk. Bif was obviously being greedy. After that we left Buttercup on the drive overnight (to mow it) and Bif was in the field with his Aunties - he always goes to visit them while Buttercup is being milked and refuses to go under the fence to get to her, although he will happily go under the one to get in to his Aunties field. He obviously didn't make it on to the drive all night as she had plently of milk this monring. Around 6l - we normally get something like 1.5l a day. Another advantage was that Bif was so super keen to feed afterwards that we could catch him, something we haven't been able to do for weeks!
We have been trying to teach Bluebell to be led, but with not a great deal of success. She will occasionally step forward for a handful of cow nuts, but more usually just reaches forward and forward without moving her feet and then gives up. Any attempt to drag her along ends up with her going 'bat shit crazy, rodeo style' in Doug's words. Which means she leaps about like a mad thing and tanks off like a giant glumphasorus down the hill. There is no chance you can hang on for this - which is bad as it has taught her she can get away. If only she had been taught to lead when she was small...
Then after the milking and leading effort we thought hmmmm we haven't seen Hainoa today. We were just assuring each other that she was just at the bottom of yhe field when Doug spotted her on the neighbors drive. Aaargh! Another half an hour getting her back. She is now with Buttercup as she getts on better with her than the other cows. We are hoping to take her to a bull next weekend but can't find a vehicle to take her in.
It was pouring in rain at the start of all this, but beautiful by the end of the day.
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