December 2012: We are pleased to report that, now our cattle from the southern states have had time to adjust to the Queensland climate, they are all doing really well in the heat. Temperatures nearer to 40 degrees than we'd like today, meant the cattle spent more time under the trees than usual, but they were not visibly stressed.
November 2012: We have had several full blood calves born in the last few weeks. If you would like to see them go to our: GOLD CREEK Stud website.
Strangely enough we found ourselves wanting it to rain and it did - a much needed 20ml. The cattle got a bit of a rainwater rinse but we still need more rain if they are to regain their clean white coats. Two white paddock pet calves have been added to the herd, a heifer and a bull. Two black full blood calves have also been added to the herd - one heifer and one bull calf. I will get photos online shortly. New cameras and new computers have caused all sorts of difficulties so things are a bit behind in that department.
October 2012: Dry sunny days. Cows with calves, cows having calves and all calves having fun. Most of the herd is shedding at the moment so there is a lot of scratching and rubbing going on in the paddocks. When we brush the cows the hair is coming off in white clumps. With no real rain for weeks on end, our white herd is actually looking a bit grubby (OK a lot grubby - more beige than white).
September 2012: Things go Totally Wild at Mount Eerwah Park. The Channel Ten crew from Totally Wild came to do a segment on our cute cattle. It was an interesting morning and a real education for us all. We certainly discovered a lot about the hard work that makes television presentation look glamorous.
We hope we managed to get the message across that these little cattle are as environmentally friendly as cattle can get. They have a big role to play in the future of sustainable farming (of course this is all apart from the fact that our cattle are too cute for words!)
A little one year old heifer munching away on the grass - oblivious to all the fuss.
Maddy, Dusty (the cow), Suzanne and Pip at the end of a very busy morning in front of the camera.
We hope the program shows the cattle 'lookin' good' when the it goes to air. This probably won't be screened for a few weeks yet. We are certainly looking forward to seeing the results.
August 2012: These sunny, dry Winter days are so wonderful. The calves love laying out in the middle of the paddock snoozing in the sun - what a good life.
Winter in Queensland is heavenly. The cows still seek out a bit of shade in the middle of the day and life is easy. The calves are becoming more independent. The growth rate of the pasture has slowed down now, so we get to relax and enjoy the cattle a little more than in other months.
The older two calves were up to mischief but they gave me the 'who me?' look.
21 May 2012: Anna one of our small white paddock pets has just had a perfect little white bull calf. Nonchalantly eating grass at 10:00am Anna had him clean and resting when I went back over at 12:30pm... so I missed all the action. I will wander over and take a photo later.
Anna's cute bull calf Benny. Ready for another drink now.
April 2012: We are all learning as we go. The smaller our calves get the greater the risk is that they could be lost to paralysis ticks. Down in Wingham they have put dog tick collars of their two new little mates - there are only so many expensive trips to the vet the budget can tolerate. We are thinking we might do the same.
March 2012: The 2012 calving fun has just begun at Mount Eerwah Park. Dimity, our smallest paddock pet, had a little heifer calf during the night. When we went over to check we found a very clean little white bundle in the grass next to Mum. It had rained heavily during the night, so the little one was very, very clean.
This cute little heifer calf had a rainwater rinse. Dixie is so tiny and lively.
Dimity's second heifer calf for us. Dimity is such a good little 'Mum'.