On April 15, 2012 Olivia had her third unassisted birth. This heifer has a pure breed Jersey dame. The sire was Patty’s (Georgia’s) adopted calf from Gort’s Gouda Cheese Farm. He was a Brown Swiss Shorthorn cross. The calf looks more like a Jersey but will benefit from the grass-fed genetics from Gort’s Gouda.
Olivia was two weeks overdue and we had a busman’s holiday booked that could not be changed. The day after we left, Olivia had her calf. We were very lucky to have a neighbor watching her for us and a friend willing to come and milk for a few days. Having a supportive community is very important for any urban homestead.
What a treat to come home to a beautiful heifer that will make a wonderful family cow for someone. I enjoyed my first colostrum shake of the year. My girls went wild over colostrum shakes, experimenting with different frozen fruit flavors.