Best Cow Ever

After a year abroad in Austria, I came back home to my family's farm in May 2008 and fell in love with one beautiful Jersey gal.  This one perfect animal had her first calf in December 2007 and had freeze damage to her teats.  Because of the damage to her teats, this first calf heifer was not the friendliest to milk in our 62-stall stanchion barn.  

The story continues as my Brother and Dad used all of their energy each morning and night to milk this new girl and care for her precious damaged teats.  This gal also had loads of personality and made every milking an experience for everyone involved. 

After many months of caring for and putting up with this difficult to handle beauty, she eventually mellowed out.  By the time I arrived back home in May, she was the friendliest, sweetest, funniest, most beautiful Jersey on the farm.  This was of course not the opinion of everyone at home.

That first summer milking together was an absolute treat.  This wonderful cow always had a special way of doing things, most of the time that just meant her way or no way.  Miss beautiful would always come into the barn and head straight for her special stall, two stalls from the north door on the west side of the barn.  She came right in and would lie down in her stall...backwards.  When it was time to milk her, I'd tell her to jump up and she'd get up and turn around, or just stay standing as she was.  I loved putting the milker on her when she was standing backwards.  I thought it was so sweet.  Dad didn't so much!

Time went by and my new favorite cow continued to by the sweetest in the bunch.  She would always look up when I called her name.  She would also stand still and endure my overbearing hugging and petting of her.  She'd patiently lie there or stand wherever as I wrapped my arms around her large middle behind her front legs and over her back to squeeze her tight. 

Not only was this cow such a great friend to me, but she was a great asset to the herd as well.  Contrary to what my Brother and Dad may say, she always pulled her weight.  She bred back every year within months of calving and would calve the next fall between September and November.  She would average above 60 lbs of milk/day right up until the end of the lactation.  She was a great mom, a super milker, and she even scored in the upper 80's as well-this beauty had it all! 

When we moved into our new freestall and parlor in 2008, my favorite baby took it all in stride.  She was still up to her way or no way and continued to have a special spot in the parlor where she wanted to be milked.  It usually didn't matter if she got milked at the beginning of her pen or at the end, but she more times than not was the first girl in on one of the sides.  If she didn't want to get milked at the beginning of her pen, she'd just hang out by the gate and watch the other cows go through until she decided it was time to get milked and she'd start her side out first. 

Never wanting to be last in line or the bottom of the totem pole, this fantastic lady kept everyone on her toes.  From fooling around in the stall barn to always deciding to calve on holidays or important dates, this girl was always there! 

If you haven't guess it yet, you don't know me very well.  The best cow ever is no other than NIMBLE!  Beautiful, sweet, and such a great cow, Nimble will always be my favorite. 

It is still hard to come to terms, but after calving last Wednesday, Nimble endured some complications and is no longer with us.  Her beautiful and feisty new baby, Nantucket, will continue to grow and become another part of the herd-always to be known as a part of Nimble.

Nimble. You are the best cow ever.