Getting The Stink Eye

It’s tough to separate the twins from #7 and put them into their own pen for up to 5 hours at a time. Front and Back give me that look, the one that would melt the heart of any parent or guardian.

Some people call it the Stink Eye, or Skunk look, I just call it sad. The boys would be so happy to frolic in the small grass field that is next to the barn yard, but instead they are locked in time-out.

I do spend extra time with them while they are in this pen. They have access to water and they do munch on a spear of hay once and a while during their confinement. The do lay together during nap times and cavort around with each other. When I open the gate for the reunion with #7, they tear out of the pen in high gear and skid to a stop at her udder.

Usually, one twin goes left as the other goes right. With a calf on each side of her, #7 has no choice but to stand quietly and chew her cud while the two milking machines suck, slobber, slide and relieve her of her precious cargo.

Once finished with the supply of milk, the twins are returned to their segregation pen while #7 goes back out to the field for more grazing. We do this 4 times a day with the last feeding, well into the night, when we let the family all bed down together until early morning.