Spring heifer update

Looking forward to warmer and dryer weather around the farm.  The wet doesn't stop the chores, and the few nice days we do have are filled to the brim.

Our almost yearling heifers have been going through their socialization classes, lol!  Aka, get them in a smaller paddock, work with them, and decide who makes the next cut for potential breeding stock.  A few will join the beef crew, a few will be retained, and we are faced with the decision of who will be offered for sale.

Make sure to follow our farm's FB page for the most up to date information on potential animals for sale.  We will be making an announcement in the next few weeks.

Farm pictures and happenings

The grass is growing faster then the cows can keep up.

The new chicks are getting big, and all the chickens are anxious to get out into their new run.  They've been cooped up for too long. 

We've created a new chicken/calf weaning paddock that's almost ready. The new grass is growing, and we just have to add a bit of chicken fencing to the gates so that they don't escape where our dog can play with them​. The chickens have a small door from their coop that opens up into a barn stall attached to the new pasture. 

Mama cow Agnes is enjoying the barn and fresh grass with her girls.  Fiona was born last month, and Emma was born in 2016. We decided to keep Emma as a replacement heifer and replace our bull this year. She has great potential, and her coat coloring is beautiful.

Friendly cows and coat colors

This is Bridgette, our friendliest cow.  Most of our cattle are friendly, but she takes the cake (or cow patty).  I was trying to take a picture of the calf in the background when she photo bombed the picture.  If you walk into the pasture she thinks she needs your full attention.  She loves to be scratched.  She joined our fold when she was about 8 months old.  She will be 3 later this spring and is expecting her first calf.  

Bridgette is beautifully brindled and our bull also has some brindling, so I'm very excited to see what coloring the calf will have.  If it is brindled it won't show up until it's older.  The website Bairnsley Highlands has several articles on coat colors of highlands.  Here is their article on the basic coat colors, but they have lots of other interesting articles on their site worth checking out including in-depth coat color genetics and calf colors.