New Routines

Barn chores are taking less time each day as Tessie has finally gotten with the drying-up program.  From her all-time high of 500-600 squirts to her standard 350, she's now down to 60, and that will soon come to a stop.  Her udder is less full each morning and she'll soon stop milk production altogether.  It takes the girls only about five minutes to eat their bowl of chow, and Sheila is an easy, quick milker.  It used to take over an hour in the barn every day, now I'm in and out in thirty minutes.  We're set in our ways and I'll keep the routine of bringing each girl to the stand for breakfast.  It is my chance to give them attention, brushing their coat, checking for any injuries, and trimming their hooves as needed.  They are getting ready for winter as their coats are thicker now.

Either I missed the mass vulture migration at the end of September or there are not so many making the journey south anymore.  From the thirty-plus I had seen for awhile in the morning, they're back to the maybe 8-10 maintenance crew.  I'm not the only one in the area that has had a rat problem this year, and I hope people are not putting out poison for them or the ground squirrels.  There is a trickle-down effect with poison; carrion eaters like vultures and the natural predators will take advantage of an easy meal and also die a painful death.

Days are getting shorter and definitely cooler and nights are long.  Even with shorter barn time, I seem to get less and less done.  I'm geared to shut down at sunset; that's the end of my workday, period.