April 27, 2003

Child support


I spotted this driving near Killala a couple of weeks ago and had to stop. The cow in the picture was not destined for the knackers yard. Three days after having a calf, she was too weak to stand on her own, so the farmer used a JCB and a harness to lift her. The harness is needed to milk her. A cow that produces milk that is not consumed soon develops mastitis that is bad news for bovines. She is also producing beestings - highly nutritious milk that the cow produces for a week or so after calving - which must be fed to the calf.


Making babies for the modern cow is not all flowers and chocolates. In fact, it is all too often a man arriving in a van with a very long rubber glove. The arrival of the AI man (Artificial Insemination) allows the farmer to ensure that his cows all produce calves at the same time. It also allows the farmer to choose the breed of calf. A dairy farmer must put his cows in calf every year so that they will produce milk. Mostly, the calves will be sold off for beef production. So a Friesian cow (a good milk-producing cow) may be inseminated with Hereford or Charolais sperm, since those breeds are more suitable for beef. However, calves of those breeds tend to be big, and a Friesian cow is not necessary engineered to bear such a calf easily. Hence the trauma and exhaustion at birth.


Posted by Monasette at April 27, 2003 11:25 PM
Comments

where was this photo taken i know it says killala but killala where.What county or even country

Posted by: p.l at October 14, 2003 04:23 PM

Killala is a village in the north of Mayo, in the west of Ireland. It's best known as the place where a French invasion fleet landed in 1798 to assist an Irish rebellion agaisnt British rule. Rosserk Friary (gallery on the main page) overlooks the bay.

Regards,
John

Posted by: John at October 14, 2003 10:01 PM