Tuesday 10 April 2012

Just when you thought you could identify a Holstein cow.......


....along comes a brown and white one. We have several in fact.

Holsteins are like Friesians (who originated in the Netherlands) but they are on the whole larger and bonier - and their milk yield is better. But they do come in a lovely milk-chocolatey brown as well as black. We have one at the moment but she is rather shy, so this photograph took quite a bit of getting. Every time I pointed the camera at her, she pulled back out of sight.

Today's blog is a kind of displacement therapy as it is our year end and I am doing the company's books - not a job I enjoy but an essential one at this time of the year, and it does give me a certain satisfaction when I close the ledger for the last time. So I am just having a short break.

And while I am on my blog can I just say thank you to John Whiting, who I don't know at all, but who wrote to me via my e mail saying that he read my blog regularly and giving me some information about chocolate and dogs. It is interesting, so I thought I would pass it on to you all.
Apparently dogs do like chocolate (you can say that again) but it is not good for them as it brings on an alkaloid response from their digestive process. It seems therefore that it is important to keep chocolate as far away from dogs as possible.

Isn't blogland wonderful - what communication it generates. Today my son and his wife, who are in the Isle of Man on holiday, are meeting up with Tanya of Lovely Greens (see my side bar) for a coffee and a chat. And in a fortnight or so I am meeting Morning AJ(also on my side bar) in Kirkby Lonsdale for lunch one day when they are up there on holiday. It does go to make the world seem a smaller place.

Incidentally, on the terrier front, sheep poo seems to be the flavour of the month. Try as I may I cannot keep Tess away from the stuff. I did read somewhere that it does contain minerals which dogs find attractive - well each to his own I suppose.

14 comments:

Heather said...

The Holstein is very beautiful if shy.
Our labrador's favourite scent was fox poo and I was the lucky one who had to bath him each time he rolled in it!
We had a spaniel who stole chocolate and didn't seem to be harmed by eating it. We didn't then know it was dangerous to dogs.
A farmer neighbour would phone when he had a fresh batch of sheep dip and ask if we'd like him to dunk the dogs. They received this treatment annually for 4 or 5 years and were none the worse for it. Some people are horrified that we let them be dipped but again, we were ignorant of any danger.

Gwil W said...

I once had a dog which went in the left open fridge and stole a pound of mince beef complete with the plastic bag it was tied up in. Ate the lot. Didn't seem to do it any harm. Good job it wasn't a chocolate pudding ;)

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

OK, Tess can have the sheep poo and you can have the chocolate.

bea's blog said...

I live in Holstein and we indeed have beautiful cows!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beatrice from Germany

H said...

It could be worse. Tess could be attracted to Holstein poo; big rank splatty pancakes perfect for rolling in and...
Sorry. I'm going away now :)

izzy said...

Oh I have had many a Holstein but
never a chocolate and white! very cool- thanks for the photo too-

Irene said...

Being Dutch, I naturally have to prefer Frisians, of course. Although brown and whute cows do have their attractions. I do love milk and if the yield is good, then who am I to complain?

I'm sure my dog would love to roll in sheep doo also. He likes to roll in anything smelly.

Cloudia said...

poo is doggy chocolate one supposes-








Warm Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral

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angryparsnip said...

What a beautiful cow and I thought they were only black and white.

We are always warned here in the US about chocolate and dogs.
Years ago, one day Watson, who never has never ever gone into the garbage, dragged out a box that had a crumbs and frosting from the chocolate cake.
He ate it, licked it all clean. A call to the Emergency Vet and we were told what to watch for... and he was OK. Thank Goodness.

Dogs and poo what can you say.... so weird !

cheers, parsnip

Pondside said...

Blogging is great - I learn something every day.
Today it was about brown cows!

Unknown said...

I think I prefer the look of your brown Holstein to the black...she's gorgeous! In a childrens book she'd produce chocolate milk :)

I met up with your son and his wife at the Glue Pot pub in Castletown on Monday. We had a lovely chat and I heard all about their tour around the island so far. I hope they enjoy the rest of their trip, especially since the sun is popping out again!

Rachel Phillips said...

How now brown cow.


I am doing the farm end of year too. It drives me to type things like the above in order to keep sane.

The Weaver of Grass said...

I feel a distinct kinship with Rachel who is also doing the end of year books! Thanks for visiting.

Anonymous said...

Pretty cows! I was in Kirkby Lonsdale today and I thought of you.