Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Calves

First of all, a couple of pictures:  


George and Gracie had a head-butting contest this morning.  


Gracie spent some time getting acquainted with a horse.  

I've been keeping an eye on Babe and her calf because Babe acts so strangely.  We've had beef cows before, and of course they aren't tame like the cows I milk, but I've never seen one keep its calf hidden three days after it's born.  I have been wondering whether Babe has enough milk for the calf, since I haven't seen it kicking up its heels and playing.  Maybe the reason Babe doesn't go anywhere is because the calf has no energy?  Or maybe I'm just a worry-wort, but I learned a long time ago not to take anything for granted.  So I check on them, morning and evening.  Yesterday and today both, I noticed the calf kept on nursing long after there would have been any milk left in Babe's udder, butting it and switching teats as though it wanted more.  But then, my bottle calves are always hungry and wanting more, too; if you gave them as much as they want, they'd develop scours from too much milk.  In fact, a hungry calf is a healthy calf.  
Finally this morning Cliff and I saw the Annie following her mother at an energetic pace, having no problems keeping up.  I felt better about the whole situation, but I will still keep my eyes open.  
As far as Babe hiding out all the time, she might just be avoiding the horses, who have a tendency to chase any new cow or calf on the place.  Normally by the time a calf is three days old, it's mom will have rejoined the herd.  
There's nothing earth-shaking going on around here.  I have not forgotten the arrowhead giveaway, I just keep procrastinating.    

2 comments:

  1. It's amazing how nature takes it course. You see more of it than most of us do with all the animals around there. I just put my 2 yr old grand son down for a nap. 2 year olds are a different bread all together.

    ReplyDelete
  2. THE BABIES ARE SO CUTE.

    BUT TALKING ABOUT COWS EATING.
    I WAS READING THIS MORNING THAT SOME FARMERS ARE FEEDING THERE COWS CANDY INSTEAD OF CORN DUE TO DROUGHT CONDITIONS DRIVING THE PRICES UP ON FEED. CHECK IT OUT.
    http://healthyliving.msn.com/blogs/daily-apple-blog-post?post=bdb849dd-ad6c-4868-b3c6-22c6e1817a08

    SOME HOW I CAN'T SEE THIS BEING A GOOD THING..

    ReplyDelete

I love comments!