Our Babies

This morning while I was finishing up feeding calves I noticed a small black and white spot across the farm. I got excited because I was pretty sure this meant we had a new baby last night. After sneaking past Parker (our pain in the ass bull who is still in the dry lot) I found that momma and baby were doing fine.

There has been a cow we have been watching closely for the last 2 weeks because something has seemed different about her attitude while dry. She has been off by herself a lot, unmotivated to get up and eat some days and appeared to be very "uncomfortable". Really though, who is 39 weeks pregnant and comfortable in July anyway? Well she is pregnant no longer and delivered a heifer calf. A super cute heifer calf who I feel inclined to call Dew. 

The routine with our calves varies by situation; it is very hot outside, the mother doesn't seem to have much strength and we don't want to put the added stress of moving on her or the calf. We have made a small pen in the dry lot and we have carried buckets of water and cow feed to her. The calf has been able to nurse so we are leaving them together for the day. Sometimes the calves are unable to nurse, and in those situations we would feed it the colostrum by bottle.

When we move the cow and calf they are both transported by cattle trailer together, the mother is moved into the free stall barn and the calf is moved into a hutch. At the cows first milking in the parlor we put red Velcro bands on each rear ankle so that whoever is milking knows to keep her milk separate from the milk we sell. Her milk will go directly to her calf for the first few days. Our hutches are cleaned and sanitized before each calf moves in and periodically over the two months they are in it. Our hutches are big enough for the calf to be covered inside and each includes a fenced in area for them to be outside. Once Dew is in her hutch she is given milk twice a day and water and grain are always available. She has three little visitors daily (my little ones) who give great head rubs and tell the best stories. She is given an ear tag that tells us her number #208, her date of birth 7.23.16 and her mother #86.

As a mother I can appreciate the concern people feel towards the cow and calf about separation. As a farmer all I can do is try to reassure you that both animals are well cared for and loved by the farmer...by me <3

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