Some black bovines.

[andybob]

Some of the dairy herd, due to be turned out to grass this weekend.

One of the massagers!

A view of the feeding passage

Weaned calves, not eligable for CAB but we get a premium through the farm shop anyway.

A new Buffalo calf.

Just thought this might be interesting, a little different from the usual (which is normal for me!)

 

[dun]

Almost sort of look like Carabao (asian water buffalo) but the horns aren;t quite the same

 

[KNERSIE]

Interesting, how are they for temperament?

 

[andybob]

Dun, they are one of the Asian strain milking Buffalo, we have the Mozzarella factory on site next to the abattoir and shop.
Knersie, they are very quet and handle very well, the exeption being of course, when they calve, then taking the calves away is literally dangerous, one stockman was hospitalised before I came here two years ago.

 

[plumber_greg]

Thanks for that. Pretty interesting. Were they like wild buffalo originally? What's an abattoir? gs

 

[andybob]

Thanks for that. Pretty interesting. Were they like wild buffalo originally? What's an abattoir? gs

The Asian Buffalo has been domesticated for thousands of years, but there are still wild strains throughout Asia which are related to the domesticated ones, but not as docile, an abattoir is a slaughterhouse.

 

[piedmontese]

very interesting! how well do they milk compared to the usual dairy breeds? what is a typical mature weight and do u A.I. or use a bull? please post more pics if u can.thanx.

 

[andybob]

very interesting! how well do they milk compared to the usual dairy breeds? what is a typical mature weight and do u A.I. or use a bull? please post more pics if u can.thanx.

The Buffalo milk is very rich and high in fat, which makes it ideal for the Mozzarella cheese for which a premium is paid, they milk about half the volume of an average commercial cow, and milk more slowly.
Our cows are about 1300 lbs, but some strains are only about 600 lbs, the bossman imported the heavier strain for dual purpose use.
As heats are not obvious, we run bulls to breed them. I can take some pictures of them outside this week, and possibly some of them swimming in the pond behind my house, they never have foot problems, heat tolerant and do well in wet conditions, all the available strains are represented in the USA, there are some being ranched in Arkansas, but I have no specific details on this herd.