Residential Ruminants Trip

As part of our Ruminants block we have a three day trip to the uni farm

We stay over in the dorms so we can get up bright and early to do work, then spend the evenings drinking in the local.

We got to do Repro, doing rectal examinations for pregnancy detection or parturition problems like retained placenta, metritis/endometritis

At the end of the day before we headed back we stopped at the calving shed to see if anything was going on, luckily there was...

A heifer was having some problems calving so we had a feel and found her calf had his head back which needed correcting and he was really big. At first we thought we might need to do a c-section but after correcting his position we managed to pull him out.

It’s always been on my bucket list so I’m really glad we got the chance to help.

Milk Hygiene; Dairy Visit

This afternoon, straight after our Physiology exam, we went on a field trip to the University Dairy farm.

It's a 45min drive outside of Kosice and although the bus was something out of the 1950's the view was really nice.

They have 410 dairy cows in lactation so a decent sized farm.

They made us put on lab coats, wellies and hair nets (not typical dairy farmer attire) and showed us around the farm, the parlour and the milk room.

I was impressed with the parlour but the milk room could have done with several improvements... It wasn't the cleanest and the floor was broken etc but that's why we were there, to 'inspect' the hygiene of the place.

Afterwards they took us to see the young calves...

Very cute!

Apparently we'll be back again to see the other animals with different modules and might have to come back to stay over for calving which would be really good!

Dairy Placement in Aberystwyth

I thought I needed to do some more work experience in Aber this year.
I've started helping to back and break in 2 young horses and thought Milking would be a really good idea.
Lambing in great and love doing it but its only 6-8 weeks of the year so thought we could do Milking a couple of days a week before or after lectures so would be good experience and doesn't get in the way of Uni work like Lambing can.

Now the hard part was finding a placement!
Uni built a new Rotary Dairy parlour near Trawscoed last year but when I asked we didn't get very far trying to get a placement there. I don't know any local dairy farmers so asked around and didn't really find anyone so went back to the Uni farm...

After a few emails and speaking to the Farms Manager they decided they were looking for relief milkers and stockmen. To apply for the job we needed to hand in a CV and fill out a 10 page application form!

Anyway, I handed it in yesterday and now we wait!

Dairy photos

Got some photos on the Dairy Farm so thought I'd pop them on here!

Calves nomming on my hand...


Sid! My favourite calf :)

 Little red calf


 Lesbanim calves kissing each other


 Inside the milking parlour...


 Cow being milked


 Clusters / Milking unit on a cows udder


 Cow on antibiotics being milked out into a dump bucket


 Milked out mastitic milk

And last but not least!

Me with my arm up a cow...

Third day at the Dairy farm this week and like it!

I scraped out the yard with this little old Case tractor! :))

Told Michael I couldn't reverse but he said would be fine and I was :P I did down along the cubicles and didn't crash... he did have to do between the cubicles nearest the parlour 'cos it was fiddly but only 'cos we were in a rush.

Dairy - Been milking!

Been milkin' today! :D
Got there at 9 and had to scrape out and then bed down (sawdust + straw) all the beds (for 80+ cows).
Then bedded down some more and moved some heifers out, bulls over and moved some calves :)

Went out in the Tractor with Michael to give cows out in the fields some straw. "Have you ever driven a tractor?" Nope "Ahh, you'll be fine!" ... didn't today but they'z said I might be scraping out :) - will warn them I hate reversing ;)

Did some jetwashing + then home for lunch 'cos its only round the corner.

More jetwashing then prepped + washed 4 calves with Anna ready for a show at Stoneleigh!

Got the cows into the yard + into the dairy and started milking! The parlour is all mechanised and has sensors, 2 walkways either side with 4 bays. A gate opens to let cows in + then out after too.
They all have numbered collars on so you put that into the machine and put the milking clusters on - have to check they're not on antib's or have mastitis, they get milked into a dump bucket, not the bulk tank.
Fed some calves their milk in buckets and had my hand nommed and clothes sucked!

Washed all the clusters + all the floors in the parlour and that was us for the day! :D

Going Milking!

I decided a while ago that I wanted to get some Dairy and Calving work experience.
I applied years ago to a place round the corner but got turned down 'cos I was too young for insurance - think I was 16 or 17 at the time.

I wrote a letter explaining what I'm doing at Uni and what experience I already have and took it to a local dairy farm. I spoke to a lady there, the farmers daughter and she rang me a couple days later, I can go next Monday! :))

Have experience with most farm animals now but hardly any with cows so am looking forward to it.
Start at 9am which I thought seemed quite late for milking but we'll see!