Farming Matters: Tense moments during pregnancy testing

Pregnancy diagnosing is obviously helpful, and this year it was made easier by the recent work my husband has completed on his cattle handling facilities.

This enabled the cows to be tested quickly and efficiently.

It’s always a tense moment finding out which cows are pregnant, and fortunately this year our stock bull Max did a good job again with the main herd.

The maiden heifers (who are Max’s daughters) are kept part from the main herd.

Most years we hire in a second bull to serve them, but this year we tried artifical insemination.

This involves buying in semen from a chosen bull to be inseminated when the heifers are at the right time in their cycle.

Unfortunately this didn’t work quite so well and only half the heifers are in calf, so that was disappointing.

Within a few weeks the busy period of calving will begin and it’s always a lovely time of year.

Our calves are so gorgeous, fluffy little things with fantastic chunky rumps and cute faces.

Let’s hope it all goes smoothly without a hitch.