Wowsers–I’ve been milking for 13 months straight; ever since late September 2013. It’s time for the cows and I to both have a much needed break.
The plan now is to dry up the cows this coming Sunday. How do I know they’re ready to dry up?
*Their milk production has dropped. I’m now getting just over 1/2 a gallon a day (from both cows together).
*The grass has dried up completely, which means the cows are now eating hay exclusively. They aren’t taking in as many calories.
*If my breeding plan went according to schedule, they are going to have babies in 4 months (mid March-early April). That means they need time to rest. Normally you only dry up cows three months before calving, but since they’ve been milking for so long, I thought an extended break would be beneficial.
So…there are only a few days left in my 2013-2014 milking cycle. It’s kind of a bittersweet feeling. I’ll really miss the milk.
But…I am definitely looking forward to sleeping in a bit longer each morning, and getting a little extra rest before our new baby joins us!
