Time to get pregnant.......again

No not me, but our cows! AI (artificial Insemination) started last week, and every morning we have the technician arrive at the cowshed around 7.15am to inseminate the cows that we have noticed are cycling, and are ready to get back in calf. There are several ways that we can tell if a cow is cycling - bulling or riding each other; the tail pain has been rubbed off (by the cow riding her) or they may just even withhold their milk.

Now, I'm no expert at explaining how all this works, but I will try. This photo shows the AI technician with his hand up the cows rectum, feeling for the cows cervix, and when he has that, he inserts the straw, correctly positions it, and lets the semen go - and bravo, nature hopefully does the rest!

I have a busy day today. Alarm went of at 4.25am, milked, home for breakfast and to get kids to school, washing, housework, get evening meal ready, pay bills and get in post, quick lunch, then two bulls are going up to our lease block to enable them to become friends with some cows and hopefully get them pregnant, back home, pick up boys from school, milk, have tea, and get to a Board Meeting (I'm on the local school's Board of Trustees) by 7pm. Phew! It's gonna be a long day.