rips…

…and other disturbances…

internet access…

Yes, we're still working hard to get one that actually works, and on the surface not much have changed from last month. Doesn't mean nothing is happening though.

We have been given an “all clear” to go ahead with planning and preparing ground for the fiber-optic connection I've been hoping for. The company behind it have agreed to provide all the hardware and whatever, if we who live here provide a troublefree and cost-efficient route.

The existing routes with poles for power lines and phone are no good, as the companies that own those want a ridicuously high economic compensation for the right to use them. So, we'll have to dig the new connections into the ground, sink them into lakes and riverbeds, and erect our own poles – all to keep the cost down.

It is all quite silly, really, because once we have a new connection in place there will be no need for phone lines in these hills so they can be taken down. With a bit more cooperation between authorities and the companies involved, we could have had a new, future-proof, connection in place a year ago at a much lower cost for all parties.

Anyway: if all goes well and all involved land-, home- and business-owners can agree and cooperate, we may all have fiber-optic connections up and running with proper internet access, phones and cable TV some time late this year.

accidents do happen on a farm…

For a couple of weeks now we've been treating a nine month old heifer for severe cuts in a leg. A 10 cm strip of skin were ripped off low on the backside of her right hind leg, and she was bleeding heavily – really pumping blood with each heartbeat, when we found her.

How, and where, it happened we don't know. She might have gotten her leg caught in a hole between sharp rocks, and caused the damage while struggling to get it loose.

She limped back to the barn on her own when we found her late at night, and we patched her up the best we could until we could get hold of the veterinary the next morning. After examination, establishing that the leg muscles were not damaged, we decided to go for full treatment. The alternative would have been emergency-slaughter on basis of animal welfare.

Not easy to treat a heifer's legs when she's in pain, so she had to be sedated for proper treatment first time around. After that we have replaced bandages every two-three days, and she has been cooperating well during these procedures. Would have been nearly impossible otherwise, as a nine month old NRF heifer is heavy and strong enough to kick a man to death.

Still not easy to get it right every time though, so we had to call the veterinary one more time after 2 weeks to make sure the patching-up worked as intended and that the healing process went well. Our black heifer is doing well all things concidered, and we expect her to be able to return to the pastures in a week or so – with a bandaged leg.

We know the healing process will speed up out in the open, but the chance for complications will also rise if she's not ready. Before letting her out we have to make sure she can walk well enough to follow the herd around and that she's not in pain. Timing also depends a bit on which pastures are in use, as some are easier than others to get around on for a wounded animal.

business as usual:

Apart from a little extra work related to our wounded heifer, things are “pretty normal” around here. We have started delivering milk to the factory again after a nearly three months break to avoid overproduction-penalties. Four producing cows late in lactation don't deliver much, but it is high quality milk. A couple of months left to start of calving season and higher production levels.

The snow has all but disappeared from the pastures, and the animals are feeling the spring coming and are acting accordingly. Time to look over and fix fences so they don't wander too far – our neighbors may not like it.

This year we have great help in the lead cow, an experienced, stubborn but well-behaving Jersey cow that took over the lead position last autumn. She's in complete control of our small herd now, and she doesn't walk off anywhere without a very good reason. Besides: even if she and the herd should walk off, she will lead them back to the barn-area around milking time. She knows all farm-routines probably better than we do.

sincerely 

Hageland 22.mar.2009
last rev: 23.mar.2009