A Conventional straw from a Mini Jersey runs $50-$100 each and has a statistical 50/50 chance of a heifer calf. For comparison, a Conventional straw from a standard Jersey is $15-$25, and a heifer-sorted standard Jersey straw is $40-$50. There are several ways that a straw can be "sorted" to produce a heifer. With semen that's sorted by a centrifuge to increase the chance of female offspring, there's about a 90%-97% chance of a heifer calf. A heifer-sorted straw contains about 4 million female sperm. These straws are $240-$300 each. The reason for the higher cost is the lower number of straws produced, spreading the expense of production over fewer straws.
Sorting isn't perfect. When considering 4,000,000 tiny sperm are being sorted you can expect about a 3% chance for a bull calf. We had this happen a few years ago when Ruby had a bull calf from a Heifer-sorted TDH Dino-PP straw. That was very disappointing! Since we've had this experience we offer a "HEIFER GUARANTEE". If you get a bull calf from one of our sorted straws we'll give you a FREE Heifer-sorted straw to try again. (Shipping, storage, and breeding costs are not included.) To breed with AI straws a specially trained and licensed Artificial Insemination Technician performs the service for a fee. We pay $65 for the breeding service but I've heard some charge as much as $200. There are additional expenses for your AI Tech to store the frozen straws in biohazard liquid nitrogen tanks, typically $10-$20 a year. Or, you can purchase a tank for around $1,500 and have the liquid nitrogen refilled about every 90 days. Straws frozen in nitrogen will last indefinitely if they remain frozen. Once thawed, the straws must be used and cannot be refrozen.
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 I hear "Closed Herd" thrown around a lot. People know it adds value but the definition seems to be unclear. To be truly "Closed" the herd can't have fenceline or direct contact with other livestock, wild animals or their fluids or feces. Visitors should be restricted to public areas where cattle don't have access. A Closed Herd can't have biological contact with animals not raised on the farm, that includes visiting animals such as a bull, deer, dogs or horses. If an animal leaves the farm, say for breeding or to be shown at the county Fair, they should never come back into the herd. Animals should not be added through purchase or other sources. Even a very young bottle or graft calf can be a vector of disease. With all these limitations, why would anyone Close their herd? This practice limits entry of diseases into the herd through strict management practices. A disease-free herd can remain that way with great care.
We take a lot of precautions to protect our herd's health.
When weaned, he moved into a field with an older, bred heifer. She has little patience for his constant mounting and he's gotten much more respectful.
Investing in a squeeze is necessary to secure him for disease testing prior to straw collection or sale. If you plan to keep a bull this will be required. A Trichinosis test is very invasive and keeping him secure and still will keep him safe. This is also how a bull is secured for on-farm collection. We bring the cows to him so he doesn't need to be handled. Taking the cows out can be dangerous if the bull has become possessive. It's best to keep her halter on to speed up the process of leading her out. Bringing feed or something to distract him can be helpful too.
 North Woods Lilac was born to NW Fern on May 31, 2019. We ran her genetics and learned she's a Homozygous carrier of the prized A2 genes. This means she's A2/A2 and can only pass A2 to her offspring. She was tiny and perfect in every way! Healthy and active, she zoomed around her dam in their double stall, as the six previous calves had done the past year. The calving stalls are only a year old and side-by-side. The adjoining gate was kept open so Lilac could frolic but the gate to the pasture was closed. On June 24th, 2019, we were in the barn showing Lilac off to a friend. We heard the crash but didn't see it. Amber told me right away that Lilac had given herself a bloody lip running into the gate leading to the pasture. I went in to check that it wasn't serious. But, it was. I could feel a hinge in the right front lower jaw bone. The teeth were flooded with blood and I couldn't tell if they were broken.
She had surgery Tuesday morning to install a pin and wires that loop around her teeth to hold the lower jaw together. She did really well and ate a full bottle later that day. The vet students sent this picture of her (below) and it was such a relief!  On Wednesday, Amber ad I drove down to WSU with just over 2 gallons of Fern's milk for her calf. Antibiotics ruin the gut flora so this Raw Milk was critical to Lilac's recovery. When we returned from and 8 hour trip, I had to get Fern milked out again. She seemed off and grouchy. I stepped back and looked her over. BLOAT!! How did she get bloated? Bloat can kill a cow in just hours. I had to act fast. The gas was building up and she began rolling on the ground in pain. I ran to the barn for the empty ketchup bottle and baking soda. Its not a fancy fix but it's just what she needed. I also found a bottle of TheraBloat I had stashed for treating legume bloat. I got that in her and started calling vets for a second time that week. This was our first case of bloat. I still wasn't sure what caused it. In discussing her diet with a vet we realized I had accidentally doubled her pea pellet ration and she's too small to handle it. She had gone to twice-a-day milking suddenly with her calf away for surgery. I gave her a bucket at each milking, instead of splitting her ration in two! It was a rookie mistake that nearly killed her.
We brought a towel to Lilac that was rubbed on Fern. Lilac wagged her tail and bucked! They taped it to the wall in her stall. We rubbed one on Lilac and brought it back to Fern. She stood for it to nurse! We ended up draping it over a gate at milking while they were apart. They really missed each other.
Ruby held off calving, thankfully, giving us time to deal with making the gate in the pallet shelter more visible. We wove in straps and a lead to be sure she saw it. We're not sure why she crashed into the gate but we had to try babyproofing. She's kinda klutzy and her only speed is full throttle! We're praying she can heal.
 Spartan is still my handsome boy! So, if all that wasn't enough, Amber discovered Sunday night, right after our return, that Spartan had a horrible ear infection. We are in that field twice a day, every day. He never let on he wasn't feeling well. Off to the vet Monday for an exam and meds. By Friday, he was still feeling rotten so we went back and let them sedate, shave, examine his ear then clean his teeth while he was under. Turns out both ears were infected! The assumption is some small punctures from playing with the 10 month old puppies got infected. He was already on the way to recovery with 4 days of antibiotics on board. He's on light duty guarding the barn and getting extra love. Ruby, who was 10 days early with Fern (21.5" at birth) and 3 days with Willow (22" at birth), went overdue by 3 days this time. We watched her with cameras placed in the barn. We called it RubyTV and it was on 24/7. She was bred to sex-sorted semen, giving us a 90+% chance of a heifer. Boy were were surprised! She finally calved with a bull calf at 1AM July 5th. He's a full blood relation to Willow. We named him Porterhouse because he's huge, 27", another rarity for Ruby. Bulls tend to be overdue, but it's not a solid rule. Ruby's sister, Emerald, was 4 days overdue both times and had a heifer then a bull.
Focused on our blessings, praying for a quieter week, and hoping for lots of sleep. Lorinda & Lance
When we had been married six years we bought a house in Georgia. We thought we might retire there after the Army. The cost of living was low, jobs were available and the beach was only a short drive away. We hung onto that house after the Army moved us back to Alaska and rented it out for 16 years. In Alaska we bought another house as an investment. After extensive remodelling, the money from selling it was saved for a yet unknown future as the Army moved us to New Jersey. We refinanced the Georgia house and used that in 2010 to put a down payment on property in Idaho. Our future was starting to take shape. As we got closer to making our dreams a reality, we bought an RV to live in when we'd move to Idaho. It was a massive thing with 5 slides, two bedrooms, two baths a a stacked washer and dryer, and a dishwasher! We moved in while stationed in New Jersey and lived at the Skeet Range offseason. We saved up for improvements happening on the property in Idaho. We talked and dreamed about homesteading and the animals we'd raise some day. After nearly 20 months living in the RV we got orders to Kansas and decided to rent a farm to learn the skills we needed while we still had Lance's steady paycheck. Our plans to move to Idaho were put on hold and we sold the RV. We started with chickens and two Jersey steer bottle calves. Within months we added two small, bred Jersey cows. They both gave us heifers. Then, those heifers had heifers. And, you guessed it, they gave us heifers too! We didn't have a single bull calf born to our herd until 2018! Lance did several more years of Active Duty and a third deployment while we patiently paid off debt, sold the Georgia house, developed the Idaho property and saved for building our future home. We ended up spending four years in Kansas. Those years were trying and sometimes the blessings were hard to appreciate. The first rented farm didn't work out. We were forced to move a couple hours away to the other side of the Army Post. Both cows calved during that two week time frame. The kids graduated from homeschool in the middle of moving and Lance's parents came to visit among the boxes and chaos. We were blessed but struggling with it all coming at once and with so many challenges. The second farm was next door to a large jam & jelly factory and the kids were both employed there for several years. They could walk to work and be home for farm chores morning and night. We're often asked how we got our homestead and how we make it work financially. We can't put our finger on any one thing or make a How To Checklist for those inquiring. For us, we see it as a series of things; personal choices, duty station assignments, life's path, and a whole lot of blessings. To get where we are now we sacrificed financially and definitely sacrificed our privacy when all four of us were living in the RV. For many years we mended clothes, clipped coupons, learned to do things ourselves to save on service fees, declined social invitations, gardened, visited the library for entertainment, and didn't take vacations. We still live modestly as we're saving for more large building projects. We don't see it as a hardship since it's our choice. We feel blessed to be able to work hard and save for the things we want and need. We joke that we'll can get anything we want, if we wait long enough.  You'll have your own path and it'll come with as many struggles as blessings. Leave a comment below and tell us about how the struggles have blessed you.
Be blessed! Milkmaid Lorinda This is a serious issue. Setting your price can make or break your business. We're guilty of undervaluing our product. For many years we didn't consider our blood, sweat and tears invested. How can we expect our customers to value our product if we don't?  Originally, we were doing great setting prices for our cattle and chicks, at least doing a little better than breaking even. But, we didn't increase our prices when we started genomic testing every cow, added more health testing for the herd and NPIP for the poultry, brought in Faverolles bloodlines from the East Coast, and went to Artificial Insemination cattle breeding with specialty frozen straws shipped from across the USA in biohazard tanks. Our expenses went way up, as did our quality, but our price didn't! Doh!! Obviously, we saw value in these expenses but we didn't translate that into our products. I'm not sure exactly when we made the shift away from "backyard breeders" to that of producers of a top shelf livestock. I think we were offering great family cows, chicks and eggs before our mentality caught up!
As we hone our eye for confirmation that meets the breed standard we make better choices for breeding. For example, this translates to investing in AI breeding our Mini Jersey herd and importing Faverolles bloodlines. Our stock also improves as we learn more about optimum nutrition for each species. These add value to the distinctive quality of livestock we produce. That's not just figurative but literal dollars.
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How do we know they're pure and not crossbred? We send DNA samples, tail hairs with the follicle attached, to the GeneSeek Labs in Lincoln, NE. They compare the DNA they collect with a database of over 3,688 Artificial Insemination bulls in the Jersey reference group with know pedigrees going back over five generations. All 30 animals in the fifth-generation breed stack are identified with the breed code Jersey, and if born 2000 and later, all ancestors in the fifth generation pedigree are known. Reference groups are updated annually with the April official genetic evaluations.
Breed Base Representation (BBR) is a genomic trait that assesses the degree to which alleles in an individual animal’s genome are in common with the allele frequency of the breed reference group for Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein and Jersey. The more an animal’s genetic make-up resembles its breed reference group, the higher its BBR for the primary breed.
Our herd are all tested and recorded through American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) as BBR 100%. Pure Jersey traits in the Mini Jerseys we breed are important to us. We think, if you've read this far, that's important to you too! Follow the blue links above to learn more.
Milkmaid Lorinda
Milkmaid Lorinda
Herd tests negative annually for bvd/BLV/TB/johnes diseases
OUR HERD TESTS CLEAN AGAIN!
We have tested our herd annually for our own piece of mind for years to ensure we're free of BLV/BVD/Johne's/TB. In our older blog posts you'll find we covered these diseases at length in April of 2017.
Raw Milk has some risk involved so it's important that you only consume the milk of health screened cows. Tuberculosis (TB) is rare in cattle now but was a serious health concern historically. By federal law, any cow sold for transportation over state lines is tested for TB prior to a Health Certificate being issued. Our herd is vaccinated against Brucellosis, as is the law in Idaho. This is also required by most states for importing a dairy cow since Brucella bacteria can be transmitted from cattle to humans and causes Undulating Fever.
It's important to us that we're making every effort for the health of our herd and for the families who trust us enough to add one of our little Jerseys to their family. We understand that for many, their single milk cow is an investment and a beloved pet.
Ruby is about to be dried off for calving in late April, so we sent a milk sample to the lab to test for Bovine Leukosis Virus/BVD/Johnes. She's three months away from being three years old. Being over two, and born into our herd (in Kansas prior to relocating to Idaho), makes Ruby a very good candidate for proof of a clean herd. These diseases are highly contagious, so by spot testing older cows in the herd it's safe to say OUR HERD IS CLEAN. We've spoken with several veterinarians in Idaho and Kansas, including at KSU College of Veteranary Medicine, and we've been reassured over and over that this is a safe practice for judging overall herd health.
We have tested our herd annually for our own piece of mind for years to ensure we're free of BLV/BVD/Johne's/TB. In our older blog posts you'll find we covered these diseases at length in April of 2017.
Raw Milk has some risk involved so it's important that you only consume the milk of health screened cows. Tuberculosis (TB) is rare in cattle now but was a serious health concern historically. By federal law, any cow sold for transportation over state lines is tested for TB prior to a Health Certificate being issued. Our herd is vaccinated against Brucellosis, as is the law in Idaho. This is also required by most states for importing a dairy cow since Brucella bacteria can be transmitted from cattle to humans and causes Undulating Fever.
It's important to us that we're making every effort for the health of our herd and for the families who trust us enough to add one of our little Jerseys to their family. We understand that for many, their single milk cow is an investment and a beloved pet.
Ruby is about to be dried off for calving in late April, so we sent a milk sample to the lab to test for Bovine Leukosis Virus/BVD/Johnes. She's three months away from being three years old. Being over two, and born into our herd (in Kansas prior to relocating to Idaho), makes Ruby a very good candidate for proof of a clean herd. These diseases are highly contagious, so by spot testing older cows in the herd it's safe to say OUR HERD IS CLEAN. We've spoken with several veterinarians in Idaho and Kansas, including at KSU College of Veteranary Medicine, and we've been reassured over and over that this is a safe practice for judging overall herd health.
Brook
Brook was being tested for pregnancy so it was easy to also test her for BLV, BVD, and Johnes. She's 15 months old and was born into our herd in North Idaho.
Cows and heifers currently in our herd that have tested clean:
Emerald (4/16)
Snowflake (4/16)
Betsy (5/16, 4/17)
Bebin (4/17)
Lealus (4/17)
Bella (7/17)
Brook (2/18)
Ruby (4/16, 2/18)
Emerald (4/16)
Snowflake (4/16)
Betsy (5/16, 4/17)
Bebin (4/17)
Lealus (4/17)
Bella (7/17)
Brook (2/18)
Ruby (4/16, 2/18)
| The cows we've placed in the past 5 years have been tested clean by a third party Veterinarian: Buttermilk (5/13) Creme Brulee (12/14) Creme Caramel (2/16) Munchkin (4/16, 3/17) Buttercup (4/16, 4/17) |  |
Only our youngest calves, nine month old Meadow and Fern, have not yet been tested for these diseases. They are both Negative for Achondroplasia, a genetic defect that causes Dwarfism. The others with Mini Jersey bloodlines, Snowflake, Munchkin and Buttercup, were also screened Negative for "Chondro".
Any cattle we've purchased have tested clean prior to arriving on our property and received a strict 30 day quarantine. During this time they're treated as a precaution for internal and external parasites. We use this time to get to know them, brushing them daily, and introducing them to our herbal deworming and mineral protocol. It's our intent to be a Closed Herd as of August 2017, only bringing in new genetic material by AI from tested bulls.
Our vets assures us we are indeed a clean herd. We will happily submit each cow we place for third party testing at the buyer's request, and would refund any deposit if the tests aren't 100% clean.
Until later,
Milkmaid Lorinda
Our vets assures us we are indeed a clean herd. We will happily submit each cow we place for third party testing at the buyer's request, and would refund any deposit if the tests aren't 100% clean.
Until later,
Milkmaid Lorinda
Where has the time gone?! We've had a lot going on in 2017. Let's get caught up!
When we lived in Alaska early in Lance's military career we learned Spring there is called "Break Up" because the ice melts and breaks up on the rivers. Being in a river town again with a similar climate to Fairbanks we were excited to learn Spring here is called Break Up too. Well, excited until an unusual amount of Winter snowpack started to melt by March 2017 and our little creek overflowed its banks flooding our driveway. It wasn't pretty! The flooding lasted several months.
When we lived in Alaska early in Lance's military career we learned Spring there is called "Break Up" because the ice melts and breaks up on the rivers. Being in a river town again with a similar climate to Fairbanks we were excited to learn Spring here is called Break Up too. Well, excited until an unusual amount of Winter snowpack started to melt by March 2017 and our little creek overflowed its banks flooding our driveway. It wasn't pretty! The flooding lasted several months.
| We eagerly anticipated our only two calves of the year. Emerald was due in May two weeks before Ruby. Emerald's calf, a heifer we named Meadow (green halter), was born four days late. Statistically, bull calves are overdue so we were shocked to welcome a heifer. Ruby went into labor three days early and blessed us with another heifer. We named her Fern (red halter). That means we've had eight heifers in a row!! These calves are only six days apart but Fern is much tinier than Meadow. | |
 Buttercup May 2017 | We specialize in training our Mini Jerseys to be a cherished family milk cow. Buttercup and her first calf, Munchkin, went to new homes the Summer of 2017. Both were bred and Buttercup delivered her third calf, a tiny bull sired by DC Taylor's Alpha. Sadly, Munchkin lost her pregnancy early but has been rebred for Sept 2018. |
 Buttercup & Alpha's Bull Calf Jan 2018 We had the opportunity to purchase two Mini Highland cross heifers to start a beef herd to compliment our dairy herd. They were so shy but quickly learned to love brushing time. (We later sold them.) We were excited to find wild Huckleberries growing all over our property. We hadn't seen any the year before. We picked nearly every day during the season. We also planted a big garden. It was our best attempt yet.
 We came across a small AJCA registered A2/A2 Jersey, Bella, needing a home with other cows. She joined us in August 2017 and we bred her to a Polled A2/A2 Mini Jersey bull for June 2018.  Bella Aug 2017  After much research we decided to start a flock of rare Salmon Faverolles chickens. They're sweet hearty birds. We bought chicks from around the USA. We also added true Blue Ameraucanas. They're a blue-grey shade and lay robin-egg-blue eggs. We plan to incubate eggs and sell chicks the Summer of 2018. In the Autumn we got two feeder piglets to raise on Jersey milk. It's been shocking how fast they grow! We intend to butcher them ourselves in April 2018. Lastly, we gave a 2 year old Livestock Guardian Dog, Millie, a home and a job. Her family was very busy and she was growing increasingly bored. She's learning to guard the herd and is very playful with the other dogs in the pack. |  Munchkin June 2017  In May the site for the barn was cleared. We sold a load of logs we didn't need for firewood to the mill and it helped pay for the construction. By late July the barn was up and the hay harvest was overdue. We worked together to get it done and filled the barn with our own hay for the Winter.  Flying up the trusses June 2017  Making hay July 2017  Stacks of hay under a dry barn roof Between Summer projects we worked on a new chicken coop. The flock had been living in two small two-horse trailers since we arrived the Spring of 2016. We now have water nearby, a storage room, two pens, electricity and lights.   Lorinda, Millie, and Amber |
Did you hang in there to the end? There was a lot going on last year and I haven't even told you everything! In October Lance and I attended a week long course called Armed to Farm. That really deserves a Blog Post of it's own so stay tuned.
Lorinda
Lorinda
Lance and I had the opportunity to attend Armed to Farm: Sustainable Agriculture Training For Military Veterans in Charlo, MT, last Oct. The Mission Valley area was stunning and loaded with farmers. We stayed at NinePipes Lodge on the Flathead Indian Reservation. There's a coffee and gift shop, restaurant, dining hall and meeting room on site.
| Our weeklong stay was covered, as were many meals and transportation to the farm visits. We were lucky to have our daughter and Lance's dad to look after the homestead in our absence. They lost power a couple times and had to keep our baby chicks warm by the fireplace. | |
  | The mornings were spent in classroom lessons and discussions. We had multiple trainers from ATTRA and NCAT, as well as NRCS. No, we didn't know what those acronyms meant either! NCAT, the National Center for Appropriate Technology, is the organization that sponsored Armed to Farm. They're a non-profit that has promoted sustainable living for 40 years. |
ATTRA is the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas. They are the program implemented by NCAT in partnership with the USDA to reach rural communities with training materials, resources, and other programs.
NRCS, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, provides farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to voluntary put conservation on the ground, not only helping the environment but agricultural operations, too. They have many cost-share programs and grants to help small farms. (We no longer work with NRCS or recommend them.)
All of the farms we toured were part of the Western Montana Growers Cooperative. Fifty plus farms work together to market directly through a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and share the risk of farming. This gives them control over their profits, keeping more cash in their pockets.
We visited Foothill Farm where they raised pastured beef and had high tunnels of market produce. We helped them plant a field of seed garlic bulbs to raise for more seed garlic. Several of the farms, Ginger Roots Farm included, were growing seed garlic. Many also had high tunnels of heirloom tomatoes.
Foothills Farm also had a small "A" Frame style apartment they used seasonally for farm hands. When not in use otherwise they rented it out as an Air B&B, charging about $100 a night. See it here: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/355734
We visited Foothill Farm where they raised pastured beef and had high tunnels of market produce. We helped them plant a field of seed garlic bulbs to raise for more seed garlic. Several of the farms, Ginger Roots Farm included, were growing seed garlic. Many also had high tunnels of heirloom tomatoes.
Foothills Farm also had a small "A" Frame style apartment they used seasonally for farm hands. When not in use otherwise they rented it out as an Air B&B, charging about $100 a night. See it here: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/355734
Ploughshare Farm had several high tunnels of tomatoes and produce and a giant commercial grocer-sized walk-in refrigerator cooled with a specially converted air conditioner unit called a CoolBot.
Another, Fresh Roots Farm, was growing seeds for watermelons, carrots, strawberries and herbs. They were wasting the flesh of the plants they were growing because they only needed the seeds. By developing unique fruit, herb, and vegetable popsicles from what they had been wasting they turned it into profit. They market the Flare Pops cool treats at grocers and community events.
Another, Fresh Roots Farm, was growing seeds for watermelons, carrots, strawberries and herbs. They were wasting the flesh of the plants they were growing because they only needed the seeds. By developing unique fruit, herb, and vegetable popsicles from what they had been wasting they turned it into profit. They market the Flare Pops cool treats at grocers and community events.
| And, we saw a farm raising pork, chicken, and produce that they then sold as charcuterie or meals from a food truck. They made more profit by creating gourmet sandwiches and soups than by selling the meat and produce directly. They were in the process of building a USDA custom butchering facility and commercial kitchen, allowing them to cut out the middleman. |  |
 | Portable chicken shelters called Tractors were common on the farms. The shepherd we visited was using two pigs in a shed to till deeper into the soil while fertilizing with manure. The sheep grazed rotationally inside electric mesh fences. Using their sheep, pigs and chickens they rejuvenated their pastures.  |
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One of the most fascinating things to us were the miles of canals. The farms have water rights to draw from ditches and the canals for irrigation. Several farms had underground and above ground irrigation pipes they had cost-shared with NRCS. Water is so critical for livestock and gardening. It can make or break an operation.
Debt was another big conversation we had with many of the farmers. The farmer that spoke of his large-scale chicken operation made it clear he couldn't operate without a heavy debt load. We were encouraged to avoid debt but to utilize it when necessary to expand. It's a calculated risk that they were all very familiar with.
Although a good portion of the materials were specific to Montana we did learn a lot about farming as a business. We left seriously discussing whether we wanted to take our homestead to the next level or take a step back to hobby status.
More to come soon!
Lorinda
Debt was another big conversation we had with many of the farmers. The farmer that spoke of his large-scale chicken operation made it clear he couldn't operate without a heavy debt load. We were encouraged to avoid debt but to utilize it when necessary to expand. It's a calculated risk that they were all very familiar with.
Although a good portion of the materials were specific to Montana we did learn a lot about farming as a business. We left seriously discussing whether we wanted to take our homestead to the next level or take a step back to hobby status.
More to come soon!
Lorinda
We work hard to maintain biosecurity and are getting better at it all the time. As part of our measures we have "spot tested" annually for six years. Most of the concerns are highly contagious so completely testing at least one cow is a fair way to determine if all the cows are infected. This year we tested Betsy. She was a good candidate because she has been with us for a full year and she was in milk. It's easy to collect milk to mail to the lab. We're happy to announce Betsy, and therefore our herd, is Negative for BVD/Johne's/BLV.
Merck Vet Manual website explains them well. Click on the embedded links below to learn why we test for these diseases and work hard to maintain a clean herd.
BVD, Bovine viral diarrhea, is most common in young cattle (6–24 mo old). The clinical presentation can range from inapparent or subclinical infection to acute and severe enteric disease to the highly fatal mucosal disease complex characterized by profuse enteritis in association with typical mucosal lesions.
In pregnant cattle, BVDV may cross the placental barrier and infect the fetus. The consequences of fetal infection usually are seen several weeks to months after infection of the dam and depend on the stage of fetal development and on the strain of BVDV. Infection of the dam near the time of fertilization may result in reduced conception rates. Infection during the first 4 mo of fetal development may lead to embryonic resorption, abortion, growth retardation, or persistent infection. Congenital malformations of the eye and CNS result from fetal infections that occur between months 4–6 of development. Fetal mummification, premature birth, stillbirth, and birth of weak calves also are seen after fetal infection.
Persistent infection is an important sequela of fetal infection with noncytopathic BVDV. Persistently infected calves may appear healthy and normal in size, or they may show stunted growth and be prone to respiratory or enteric ailments. They often have a short life span, and death before 2 yr of age is common. Persistently infected cows always give birth to persistently infected calves, but most calves sired by a persistently infected bull will not be infected with virus in utero. Lesions attributable to BVDV often are not seen in persistently infected cattle at necropsy. Antibody against BVD seldom is detected in persistently infected cattle in the absence of vaccination or superinfection with an antigenically heterologous BVDV. Persistently infected cattle exposed to BVDV that is antigenically different from their resident noncytopathic virus can produce antiviral antibody. Therefore, screening for persistent infection using serologic tests to identify animals that lack antiviral antibody may not detect some persistently infected cattle.
Johne's, Paratuberculosis, is a chronic, contagious granulomatous enteritis characterized in cattle by persistent diarrhea, progressive weight loss, infertility, debilitation, and eventually death.
BLV, Bovine lymphosarcoma, Leukemia, Malignant lymphoma., animals commonly show lesions in the central or peripheral lymph nodes, leading to lymphadenopathy. Lesions of the abomasum may lead to signs of cranial abdominal pain, melena, or abomasal outflow obstruction. Pelvic limb paresis progressing to paralysis can occur in animals with extradural spinal lesions. Retrobulbar lesions cause protrusion of the globe, resulting in exposure keratitis and eventually proptosis. Lesions of the right atrium may be mild and undetectable clinically, or may cause arrhythmias, murmurs, or heart failure. Uterine lesions may lead to reproductive failure or abortion. Lesions of the internal organs typically involve the spleen, liver, or kidneys and ureters. Lesions of the spleen are often initially asymptomatic but may result in rupture of the spleen and exsanguination into the peritoneal cavity. Lymphosarcoma of the liver is often asymptomatic but may lead to jaundice and liver failure. Disease of the kidney and ureter can lead to abdominal pain and the subsequent development of hydroureter or hydronephrosis and clinical signs associated with renal failure.
Additionally, two of our Jersey family milk cows are going to homes out of state. They're required to have a veterinarian physical inspection and Health Certificate to cross state borders. Both Buttercup and Munchkin were tested Negative for TB and Tuberculosis.
Our entire herd is compliant with the Idaho required vaccination program for BANGS Disease, Brucellosis. They are vaccinated by a veterinarian between 4-12 months, ear tagged with a serial number, and tattooed in the right ear.
We're so happy to know our cows have the best chance at a long, productive life. Any new animals joining our herd are screened by a vet before leaving their previous home, fully tested, and quarantined for a month of observation upon arrival. As we learn more, we implement additional protocols to protect our herd from these deadly infections.
All the best,
Lorinda
Merck Vet Manual website explains them well. Click on the embedded links below to learn why we test for these diseases and work hard to maintain a clean herd.
BVD, Bovine viral diarrhea, is most common in young cattle (6–24 mo old). The clinical presentation can range from inapparent or subclinical infection to acute and severe enteric disease to the highly fatal mucosal disease complex characterized by profuse enteritis in association with typical mucosal lesions.
In pregnant cattle, BVDV may cross the placental barrier and infect the fetus. The consequences of fetal infection usually are seen several weeks to months after infection of the dam and depend on the stage of fetal development and on the strain of BVDV. Infection of the dam near the time of fertilization may result in reduced conception rates. Infection during the first 4 mo of fetal development may lead to embryonic resorption, abortion, growth retardation, or persistent infection. Congenital malformations of the eye and CNS result from fetal infections that occur between months 4–6 of development. Fetal mummification, premature birth, stillbirth, and birth of weak calves also are seen after fetal infection.
Persistent infection is an important sequela of fetal infection with noncytopathic BVDV. Persistently infected calves may appear healthy and normal in size, or they may show stunted growth and be prone to respiratory or enteric ailments. They often have a short life span, and death before 2 yr of age is common. Persistently infected cows always give birth to persistently infected calves, but most calves sired by a persistently infected bull will not be infected with virus in utero. Lesions attributable to BVDV often are not seen in persistently infected cattle at necropsy. Antibody against BVD seldom is detected in persistently infected cattle in the absence of vaccination or superinfection with an antigenically heterologous BVDV. Persistently infected cattle exposed to BVDV that is antigenically different from their resident noncytopathic virus can produce antiviral antibody. Therefore, screening for persistent infection using serologic tests to identify animals that lack antiviral antibody may not detect some persistently infected cattle.
Johne's, Paratuberculosis, is a chronic, contagious granulomatous enteritis characterized in cattle by persistent diarrhea, progressive weight loss, infertility, debilitation, and eventually death.
BLV, Bovine lymphosarcoma, Leukemia, Malignant lymphoma., animals commonly show lesions in the central or peripheral lymph nodes, leading to lymphadenopathy. Lesions of the abomasum may lead to signs of cranial abdominal pain, melena, or abomasal outflow obstruction. Pelvic limb paresis progressing to paralysis can occur in animals with extradural spinal lesions. Retrobulbar lesions cause protrusion of the globe, resulting in exposure keratitis and eventually proptosis. Lesions of the right atrium may be mild and undetectable clinically, or may cause arrhythmias, murmurs, or heart failure. Uterine lesions may lead to reproductive failure or abortion. Lesions of the internal organs typically involve the spleen, liver, or kidneys and ureters. Lesions of the spleen are often initially asymptomatic but may result in rupture of the spleen and exsanguination into the peritoneal cavity. Lymphosarcoma of the liver is often asymptomatic but may lead to jaundice and liver failure. Disease of the kidney and ureter can lead to abdominal pain and the subsequent development of hydroureter or hydronephrosis and clinical signs associated with renal failure.
Additionally, two of our Jersey family milk cows are going to homes out of state. They're required to have a veterinarian physical inspection and Health Certificate to cross state borders. Both Buttercup and Munchkin were tested Negative for TB and Tuberculosis.
Our entire herd is compliant with the Idaho required vaccination program for BANGS Disease, Brucellosis. They are vaccinated by a veterinarian between 4-12 months, ear tagged with a serial number, and tattooed in the right ear.
We're so happy to know our cows have the best chance at a long, productive life. Any new animals joining our herd are screened by a vet before leaving their previous home, fully tested, and quarantined for a month of observation upon arrival. As we learn more, we implement additional protocols to protect our herd from these deadly infections.
All the best,
Lorinda
| We have just been awarded permission by the Farmer Veterans Coalition to label some of our homestead products as "Homegrown by Heroes" in recognition of Lance's time in the military. Our cattle, Timothy hay, orchard fruits, Jersey milk soaps, and eggs are all produced in part by my favorite Veteran. Supporting our small farm is also supporting an American Veteran owned business. |  |
We have procured several large pieces of equipment needed to harvest our own hay for the first time. After years of doing it on shares, 50/50 split with the harvesting farmer, we will be baling our own small square hay bales. We hope to have some extra to sell to cover costs and turn a little profit. Earning an income for our efforts, while providing for ourselves and neighbors, has always been the goal. We're SO close!
These new milestones excite us for the direction we're headed and the future of our homestead. For the past few years we've done so much dreaming. Then, it almost seems like overnight we're making huge strides to have a self-sustaining homestead!
Have a great Spring!
Lorinda
Have a great Spring!
Lorinda
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From the moment we arrived in Idaho we were in a race to meet Winter head on. We had footers for the foundation but needed a home with a heat source and insulation against the negative temperatures we'd face. We needed shelters for the animals, ways to keep their water thawed, and the feed dry.
Some of our lumber was milled by my husband's step-father on his personal mill. He also helped us frame the house. That's our daughter, Amber, on our beams with our house dog, Lacey.
Some of our lumber was milled by my husband's step-father on his personal mill. He also helped us frame the house. That's our daughter, Amber, on our beams with our house dog, Lacey.
| Lance's dad spent several months with us last Summer. It was so nice to have his knowledge and hear his stories. We've missed these experiences since the Army kept us away for most of Lance's career. I have no construction ability so I focused on the finishes, designed the spaces, ordered or tracked-down the materials. I sanded, polished, painted, and cooked. In May we brought home an AJCA Registered Full Size Jersey, Goodsell Andy Betsy. She had been bred by Artificial Insemination with sexed semen that increases the chances of a female. She calved Nov 7 with a perfect heifer we named Joe Brook Shoun; Joe, after her sire, Faria Brothers Prop Joe, Brook, after the little creek that runs through our acreage, and Shoun, after the brothers who had a dairy here on this property in the 1950's and 1960's. |   |
The north 40 acres were cleared from the forest by the Shouns to create hay ground and grazing for the dairy. We don't have all the equipment needed to hay it so we did shares with a local farmer. That left us just enough for our cows for the Winter. We'll be working on acquiring the machinery to hay for ourselves and our neighbors. The first step was to get this big 55HP Belarus tractor.
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   | It was stressful trying to build a whole house and set up a homestead in about six months. One of the hardest things we had to deal with was the loss of Athena, one of our Livestock Guardian Dogs. We moved the cows and dogs into a new pasture. There is a very large boulder there that we expected the dogs would enjoy playing on. In the early Sept heat the dogs had started putting on Winter coats. To cool herself Athena dug deep, deep under the rock until it shifted. We're not sure why she wasn't under the trees on the cool moss floor. She may have been trying to stay cool where she could still guard the cows. That morning the rock was on solid ground. By the afternoon we were all searching for hours, only to accidently find the 6" of her tail left visible. Athena was the sister of the two other females in our pack, but the only one that showed breeding potential. We lost a very sweet girl and our hopes of a future litter. She's buried near the house in our sadly christened new Pet Cemetery. She is missed. We all dug her grave then stacked the rocks. Our son, Ryan, made the cross. Lance's dad, Doug, chiseled the head stone. The flowers were from my mother-in-law, Phyllis, whose birthday party was postponed because we were out searching for Athena. |
We threw ourselves into more work, building a quick run-in shed, hoop shelter, and feed bunk. We put up some extra alfalfa and straw then fortified the 2-horse trailer to house the chickens. We moved into our new home on Nov 13, our 23rd Wedding Anniversary. This Winter is proving to be a challenge without a barn but we plan to fix that this Summer. Yes! We have another big building project planned for our homestead.
Praise God for His many blessings and thank you all for your prayers and support.
Blessings,
Lorinda
Praise God for His many blessings and thank you all for your prayers and support.
Blessings,
Lorinda
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We left Kansas at the end of April in blistering hot weather. Both of us were sunburned by the time the animals and trucks were loaded. We drove until we reached Cheyenne, WY, and stopped to sleep in our trucks. We woke up to snow, sleet, and hail!
Unfortunately, my lack of experience towing a trailer in the snow landed me in the ditch. My insurance sent a tow truck and we recouped for the night in a hotel. The cows and Livestock Guardian Dogs were boarded at the Cheyenne Stockyard. JR and Alan checked on them through the night. They gave them individual attention and we felt very relieved to have professionals looking after our animals in our absence.
Everyone had a chance to dry off, fully rehydrate, and stretch their legs. They had gotten wet and started to shiver. That had us very worried! By morning they were ready to roll.
We spent a few more nights in our trucks. The drive wasn't only long, the road conditions were treacherous in spots. At one point a wasp crawled up my steering column and flew around in my face! I'm allergic so this experience had me hysterical. I drove for days assuming it flew out. Then, as we made the final turn onto our drive in Idaho, he buzzed me again! I haven't seen him since. Good riddance!
We were so relieved to have made it safely with all the animals. Several of the mountain passes were wet and steep, with dropping temperatures after dark making them slick. We're sure the prayers of our friends and family kept us well protected and we're forever grateful.
I'll catch you up soon on all that's been happening since we arrived.
Later,
Milkmaid Lorinda
Unfortunately, my lack of experience towing a trailer in the snow landed me in the ditch. My insurance sent a tow truck and we recouped for the night in a hotel. The cows and Livestock Guardian Dogs were boarded at the Cheyenne Stockyard. JR and Alan checked on them through the night. They gave them individual attention and we felt very relieved to have professionals looking after our animals in our absence.
Everyone had a chance to dry off, fully rehydrate, and stretch their legs. They had gotten wet and started to shiver. That had us very worried! By morning they were ready to roll.
We spent a few more nights in our trucks. The drive wasn't only long, the road conditions were treacherous in spots. At one point a wasp crawled up my steering column and flew around in my face! I'm allergic so this experience had me hysterical. I drove for days assuming it flew out. Then, as we made the final turn onto our drive in Idaho, he buzzed me again! I haven't seen him since. Good riddance!
We were so relieved to have made it safely with all the animals. Several of the mountain passes were wet and steep, with dropping temperatures after dark making them slick. We're sure the prayers of our friends and family kept us well protected and we're forever grateful.
I'll catch you up soon on all that's been happening since we arrived.
Later,
Milkmaid Lorinda
 One hour old Buttercup was bred in the pasture to Toro and had a due date anytime from December 14, 2015, to February 2, 2016. We watched her close and thought we'd have a New Year's baby. She had me up a couple times a night for all of January. But, Buttercup had other plans! She decided to deliver at the last possible moment, about 11:30PM on February 2nd. I think she was just enjoying the extra attention and didn't want it to end. |  One day old Snowflake with Buttercup |
 Snowflake Flurry, ten days old | Our son checked on her at 10:40PM and I went out about 90 minutes later. When I got out to the barn, just after midnight the morning of Feb 3rd, I found Buttercup chewing the placenta. The vitamins and minerals in it are a huge boost after labor and delivery and most species of mammals eat it. I called my husband to come out to see the calf. It was tucked behind Buttercup in the fluffy warm straw. I gently reached under to see if we had a bull or heifer... |
A HEIFER!!
She had already nursed and Buttercup was softly mooing at her. Snowflake is our sixth heifer in a row. Actually, we've only had heifers born on our farm since 2012!
She's the last calf to be born to us in the Midwest. We're doing a Wizard of Oz theme to honor the Kansas roots of our farm. Snowflake Flurry is named for the snow that falls on Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow as they cross the poppy field and approach the Emerald City in the movie. The snow breaks the sleeping curse by the Wicked Witch. A flurry of light snow was blowing around as Snowflake was born. She even has an delicate white star on her forehead shaped like a snowflake!
Her registered name will be North Woods Snowflake Flurry. We call her Snowflake. A registered name has a breeder signifier that tells the farm that pared the cattle for breeding. Our signifier in the registry is NW. This tells everyone we're responsible for the quality of that cow. Our reputation is on the line with every cow we breed.
Take care!
Milkmaid Lorinda
A HEIFER!!
She had already nursed and Buttercup was softly mooing at her. Snowflake is our sixth heifer in a row. Actually, we've only had heifers born on our farm since 2012!
She's the last calf to be born to us in the Midwest. We're doing a Wizard of Oz theme to honor the Kansas roots of our farm. Snowflake Flurry is named for the snow that falls on Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow as they cross the poppy field and approach the Emerald City in the movie. The snow breaks the sleeping curse by the Wicked Witch. A flurry of light snow was blowing around as Snowflake was born. She even has an delicate white star on her forehead shaped like a snowflake!
Her registered name will be North Woods Snowflake Flurry. We call her Snowflake. A registered name has a breeder signifier that tells the farm that pared the cattle for breeding. Our signifier in the registry is NW. This tells everyone we're responsible for the quality of that cow. Our reputation is on the line with every cow we breed.
Take care!
Milkmaid Lorinda
Moving is hard! We've moved many times but this is the first time to move a herd of Jerseys, five dogs, seven cats, and us. Just thinking about it makes my head hurt! We're getting all the Health Certificates and shots needed to safely and legally import our animals into Idaho. Some of that is easier typed than actually done.
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HOW does one transport all these animals? Well, we bought a livestock trailer with a center divider gate to move the cows and cats. It was pretty badly rusted and very, very ugly. We sanded, welded, primed, painted, replaced wiring, lights, hubs, bearings, brakes, and tires. Then, we had to get a title, register with the new color, and license it. It's legal and road-worthy now. We're pretty proud of how it turned out. What do you think of the silver and black?
We bought a smaller two-horse trailer to transport the four big Livestock Guardian Dogs. It's possible that Buttercup's tiny calf will ride with the dogs so it's not squished by a bigger cow. She's calving much closer to moving than anticipated. We think this smaller trailer is the fix for that situation. (I'm checking Buttercup every two hours at this point. She's looking very ready to calve and I don't want to miss it!)
We have tried to reduce the numbers of animals moving with us. The chickens and a standard size bull are traveling in a small upright freezer. (We processed them for meat, silly!) The cats are mousers and will be needed there as much as they have been here. The four LGDs were bought here in Kansas to give them time to grow big enough to go to work in Idaho protecting us all from bears, wolves, eagles, cougars... They are all going. The house dog, Lacey, is going for sure! We placed all the cows I can bear to part with.
So many changes and still so much to move to the Homestead. Please say a prayer nothing major happens and everyone arrives safely. If you see us on the highway wave but please don't honk and scare the animals. Or, more likely, keep driving and pretend you don't know those crazy people moving an entire farm across country!!
Catch you soon!
Milkmaid Lorinda
So many changes and still so much to move to the Homestead. Please say a prayer nothing major happens and everyone arrives safely. If you see us on the highway wave but please don't honk and scare the animals. Or, more likely, keep driving and pretend you don't know those crazy people moving an entire farm across country!!
Catch you soon!
Milkmaid Lorinda
We started the year 2015 off on calving watch. Buttercup was bred to a Mini bull named Todd. We didn't have to wait long! On a clear warm Winter day she decided to calve in the back run-in barn. We were all present, including Spartan, our Livestock Guardian Dog. Lance was the first to touch the calf and Buttercup, this being her first calf, was eager for the help. It's a girl! We named her Munchkin in honor of our herd's roots in KS. Lorinda is also a huge Wizard of Oz fan and managed the OZ Museum's Gift Shop when we lived near Wamego, KS.
The next cow we eagerly awaited to calve was our Lead Cow, Buttermilk. She was bred to Toro, the first little bull she adopted to nurse. They produced a gorgeous, tiny, fawn heifer. Yes! Another girl! In keeping with the Oz theme, Lorinda named her Emerald. It was perfect since she was born on lush Spring green pasture behind the back barn on April 29th.
Creme Caramel was the second calf ever born on our farm. She was also expecting a Toro calf. The vet said she wasn't due until late July. Lance and I took the opportunity in late May to go to Idaho until late June. You can read about that trip in an earlier Blog.
While we were away Caramel surprised our kids by showing up with a tiny wet calf about 30 minutes after they had done an afternoon check on water troughs. Another heifer!!
(Do you see the theme? I hate to mention it or we might jinx ourselves as we wait for one last calf before we make the BIG move to Idaho.)
We named this sweet auburn and fawn colored girl Ruby. She was born on June 16th on the side of the front barn. The side that isn't visible from the farmhouse or troughs!
Bye for now!
Lorinda
While we were away Caramel surprised our kids by showing up with a tiny wet calf about 30 minutes after they had done an afternoon check on water troughs. Another heifer!!
(Do you see the theme? I hate to mention it or we might jinx ourselves as we wait for one last calf before we make the BIG move to Idaho.)
We named this sweet auburn and fawn colored girl Ruby. She was born on June 16th on the side of the front barn. The side that isn't visible from the farmhouse or troughs!
Bye for now!
Lorinda
While Lance was still in the Army we daydreamed of the place we would settle when he retired. Being from Washington State originally we both wanted green trees and four seasons. He dreamed of land to raise a couple cows. I wanted to be hidden in the trees where I couldn't see a single neighbor and they couldn't see us. These were lofty dreams from our small government apartment on a military installation!
We considered several areas, looking at land prices, homeschooling laws, gun laws, property and income taxes, and benefits for retired military like VA offices and Commissary shopping. Western Texas and northern Idaho were at the top of our list. Idaho was closer to our families so my in-laws started looking for us. They had never lived outside of Washington. They fell in love with Idaho and we both put in offers of adjoining large country acreage lots.
We chose a lot with almost half tall pines and half acreage, a year-around stream, and mountain views. They chose a stream and a creek and nestled at the foothills of a mountain. At the time there were no roads in but it had been logged a bit previously so there were some clearings. We're building our home inside one of those logged clearings.
We chose a lot with almost half tall pines and half acreage, a year-around stream, and mountain views. They chose a stream and a creek and nestled at the foothills of a mountain. At the time there were no roads in but it had been logged a bit previously so there were some clearings. We're building our home inside one of those logged clearings.
 Lance & Lorinda on the sire of the future home | We've been working for nearly six years to obtain permits, install a long compacted gravel driveway, run power from the road, install a well with sand trap and pump, put the septic tank and drainage in place, pour foundation footers and fill it with densely compressed small gravel. I'm sure I'm forgetting something. It's been a long few years to get this far but we've done it without any debt and I'm really proud of that. |
See ya soon!
Lorinda
Lorinda
We needed to fence the perimeter of our acreage to contain our cows when we arrive next Spring. Our county is Open Range so the neighbors can turn out their herd to graze wherever they like, including our property. Our cows are much smaller than average and a breeding to a beef breed bull would likely kill them. A strong fence is very important for our herd! While we were there, Lance and my father-in-law put in the footers for the foundation of the house. We also needed to run water and power to the future farmhouse and barn locations. My dad and Lance installed a huge mailbox way up on the road before the gate to our looong gravel driveway.
I actually thought installing the fencing was pretty fun! Don't the round corner posts just scream "homestead"? We laughed and worked so hard that we slept like logs all night. Nothing brings a couple closer than working on a common goal.
My in-laws have a nice barn with a stall I can use next Summer to milk and for the calves to be locked in at night. We also plan to install a couple quick three-sided pole barns as shelter from sun, wind, rain, and snow. Jerseys grow a thick coat in Winter and shed for the hot Summer temps. But, even with my best coat on cold can cut to the bone. We want them to be happy so shelters will go up, meanwhile, they have the tall pines to rest under.
Now, to get a slab poured and house built before Winter 2016 or else we'll be sleeping in the barn too!
Until later,
Lorinda
I actually thought installing the fencing was pretty fun! Don't the round corner posts just scream "homestead"? We laughed and worked so hard that we slept like logs all night. Nothing brings a couple closer than working on a common goal.
My in-laws have a nice barn with a stall I can use next Summer to milk and for the calves to be locked in at night. We also plan to install a couple quick three-sided pole barns as shelter from sun, wind, rain, and snow. Jerseys grow a thick coat in Winter and shed for the hot Summer temps. But, even with my best coat on cold can cut to the bone. We want them to be happy so shelters will go up, meanwhile, they have the tall pines to rest under.
Now, to get a slab poured and house built before Winter 2016 or else we'll be sleeping in the barn too!
Until later,
Lorinda