Million Dollar Reward!

Calving Season 2011 has begun!  In fact, in began on Friday, when we were greeted (a couple days early) by our first calf, and happily, also a heifer calf.  You may wonder why we get more excited about heifer (girl) calves versus bull (boy) calves.  Well, to some it is obvious - to others not so much, but we produce milk on our farm.  In order to produce milk, one must first have a baby, like all mammals, and in order to have a baby, one must be female!  We sell the bull calves, and they are raised on other farms for beef.  Heifers are the future of our herd, and we get excited each and every time one is born. 

One of our barn cats thought they would help keep our new calf warm & toasty! :-)

One of the fun aspects of a new heifer calf is getting to name them.  Now, not all farmers name their calves, but many do.  While this calf will be #101 (first calf born in 2011), she will also have the name, Po-Cop Million Dollar Reward.  This may seem like an odd name, but naming on Holstein farms has an established theory.  All calves originating from our farm start with our prefix, "Po-Cop" (a combination of Pollard & Coppernoll - Brent's mom's maiden name).  That is followed by the bull's name (in this case "Million"), and then a name, which starts with the same letter as her dam's name (in this case, Dam/Mom is Radichio), and it is always enjoyable to come up with interesting names that we will remember.  Examples:  Christmas born on Christmas, Turducken born on Thanksgiving.  I remember before we were married that Brent would show me around the farm, and I still remember certain names of cows (Kennebunkport & Twink).  You have to be careful to not use names that are too close together.  It isn't any fun to try to sort cows & distinguish Karoline from Carolyn by the person on the other end of the barn. 

Here's hoping that we will see Calf #102 born happy & healthy.  Hopefully, they will wait to be born, as it sounds like next week will bring a blast of cold winter weather that will have us working hard to keep everything warm, dry & comfortable.