With winter finally here, the ladies had to spend a couple days forgoing their scheduled turn-out time due to some icey conditions in the loaf area where they go to play while their stalls are being cleaned. This morning, however, was one of the first (pleasant) snowfalls of the season, and all the gals were finally granted permission to go play in it since the turn-out was not longer slippery.
Burning off some residual cabin fever, everyone merrily headbutted each other and stomped around in the fresh snow while watching the sun rise over the now dormant corn fields. JAGUAR was especially happy, and spent her entire recess chasing her neighbor, ELLA.
With the sun rising pink and orange, and the snow falling gently over the fields and trees and the backs and polls of the herd, I realized how full my life is. I may be covered in manure and iodine teat dip, I may be scheduled to milk on Christmas, and I'm sure that the hoof ELSIE sunk into my shin will not be my last, but in all truth, this is when I am the happiest.
The holidays are about being with the ones that you love, and I feel blessed to be able to spend half of Christmas with my human family and half with my Holstein family.
Happy Holidays from our herd to yours!