As you know, yesterday I started weaning Dudley. For the last 36 hours, Dudley has bawled. Dudley refuses to eat any food in front of me, so I leave his hay, grain and bucket of milk for him to eat alone. This afternoon, I went in to check on him and as soon as I opened the door, he stopped bawling. He looked at me and started chewing his cud. (Cattle chew their cud in front of humans when they feel comfortable.) I stood there and watched him chew his cud for a few minutes and then I went out. I could hear him begin to knock his buckets around the stall, definitely very upset with me for not letting him out to get some milk from his momma!
Momma was not in a good mood either. This morning when we milked her, she would not let down. A cow is very capable of holding their milk for their baby. Although it was obvious that she still had a lot of milk, she would not let it down. For two months since she calved, Mayfield has been coming into the stanchion, eating her grain, letting us milk her and then politely leaving the milking area before doing her business. Since yesterday morning, when I took Dudley off of her, she has been showing her disapproval by holding up her milk, and right before leaving the milking area, pooping all over the place. I have been coming in from milking with splattered pooh up the back of my legs, all over my clothes and even in my hair! I have no doubt that she plans this out and waits for me to relax my guard and lean way up underneath of her to reach her back left quarter before she lets go with a sloppy plop!
(Note: Picture of hummingbird taken late evening.)