We did it ! Bambi, and the 3 calves, were waiting for me today ! She stepped up into the milking parlour eagerly, but went under the side rail instead of in from the end. Couldn't turn herself around, so walked out and then came back in correctly. Yippee. I attached her to the wall, washed her teats, dipped and stripped her, and attached the milker. then gave the calves some grain in the aloaca feeder. I wait until Bambi is secured before feeding the 2 calves otherwise she pushes them away and guzzles it all.
Mabel came up to stand with mama, but lifted her tail so I shoo'd her out. Bambi didn't poop or pee in the parlour, but did both in the lower barn so I still had lots of clean-up.
She only gave 1 1/2 gallons of milk but I was so pleased with her for getting it all right.
DH told me that he saw one of the cats using the 10,000 lbs of barley as a litter box this morning. So, had to change locations for them, shutting them out of the barn completely. Difficult. Every time I open one of the doors, at least 1 dashes in. Also have to keep the trap door down to the milk parlour shut. Put their food in the garage, then had to go back to the barn to catch them, only to find that Anni had eaten their food instead of her own. Damn animals ! It's going to take a few days to retrain them.
Beautiful Autumn day here, but I'm getting swollen glands in my neck. Wonder who I came into contact with who was sick. Or maybe it's a side effect from the wasp stings ?
Went and collected a whole truck-load of reclaimed wood this afternoon. Must start my green-house and put up the stanchions in the milk parlour. Also want to build individual pens in the lower barn for mamas' and new babies, sick beasties, separation for shearing etc.