These are the feed bunks where the haylage and silage are kept:
Haylage and silage are feeds that you would not give to horses because they have already started fermenting. I guess because cows have 4 stomachs and because they ferment feed in their stomachs too, it doesn’t matter. Some of the feeds also have alfalfa hay and wheat straw, some have molasses, and the feed for the cows that are within a month or so of calving has extra minerals and soy protein.These are the smaller bunks, 4 in all, with alfalfa hay, wheat straw, and 2 types of grain:
We dropped the first batch of feed around 6 am and finished that barn around 8 am. We had a break then, which was good because I was getting really drowsy from the thrumming of the big truck and front-end loader engines plus the heat. We finished completely around 10 am. After that, I had my first lessons in the Skid-steer (baby bulldozer) and the front-end loader! I actually liked the loader better because it steers with a steering wheel and has pedals for your feet, like a car.The cafeteria was open today (it hasn’t been since I got here because of Memorial Day). Lunch was delicious, in part because I was so hungry. After lunch I immediately went back to my room and slept for 3 hours. It’s going to be really important not to nap too much when I have feeding for the whole week, because otherwise I won’t be able to fall asleep early enough.
I don't have any pictures of the feed truck or what it's like waking up at 3 am, but here are some just of the farm:
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