Saturday afternoon cow 110 had a calf. Cow 110 is the cow that initially rejects her calf each time. I have to put 110 and her calf in part of the loading corral so 110 doesn't run away or headbutt her calf. Last year when I replaced four cows I planned on replacing 110 as I was tired of 110 initially rejecting her calf. But then Speckles had the vaginal prolapse and I replaced her instead. I didn't count on this Spring being cold and with lots of snow still.
Saturday afternoon I was sleepy and slept from 4 pm until a quarter to six. Then I went outside to check on the cows. As I approached the hay feeder in the north pasture I saw a new calf. Then I discovered the calf was trying to drink from Haynes the bull. Haynes was eating from the feeder and was fine with the calf brushing against his testicles. Okay... All but one cow was eating at the feeder. I found 110 a distance away under a tree. And I could see some afterbirth coming out her back end. The new calf was hers.
I went and got the plastic sled. I tried to bring the calf to the corral but the calf would not lay down. Before I could start to pull the sled the calf got up and out. Over and over and over we went at it. I could not keep the calf from standing up. I went and herded 110 over to her calf. 110 sniffed her calf, pushed it with her head and walked away. I tried again to have the calf lay in the sled but it would not. 110 came over, sniffed and walked away again. 110 went way to the east end of the pasture, close to the corral. I tried again the bring the calf in the sled. No luck. All this effort and I made it only a quarter of the way. The calf insisted on standing.
I doubt the calf had drunk milk already. And I'm sure it was born over an hour ago and it still had strength to fight and stand up. The calf is a heifer. Female calves are tougher than male calves. And females don't like to be told what to do. This one certainly didn't.
Donna arrived. Since 110 was closer to the corral we tried to herd 110 into the corral. 110 refused to go to the corral and eventually ran off. So Donna and I hauled the calf to the corral. Donna pulled the sled and I held one of the calf's front legs. Even so, several times I had to reload the calf onto the sled and she would twist and turn until she fell out of the sled. In the end I gave up and carried the calf the rest of the way to the corral. That was tiring. The calf is another heavy calf.
Once the calf was in the loading part of the corral Donna and I walked all the way to the west end of the pasture and herded 110 to the corral. This time 110 got close to the corral. But then she saw the calf in the corral and wanted to go elsewhere. We were able to herd 110 into the corral.
We had to put 110 in the short section of the loading corral and then back her calf in next to her. We tried and tried to have the calf suck on 110. But she wouldn't. She just stood there. I tried to milk 110 a little to get milk on my hands and on the calf. But I couldn't milk her. Donna had to do it. And she did it easily. I don't know why I couldn't milk 110. Still the calf wouldn't suck. Finally I got a small plastic bottle and Donna got milk into the bottle. I had to hold the bottle. Doing all this was work as there wasn't much room for both of us next to 110 in this small narrow area. We had a quarter of the bottle full.
We got the calf to drink this milk. Both of us had to work on getting the calf to drink milk from the bottle. Then Donna and I got milk from the cow again. This time on the left side of the cow. We filled the bottle. The calf drank half the bottle and didn't want anymore. We also dried the calf off using blanket so it wouldn't get cold overnight.
Well... 110 and the calf will have to stay in the loading area overnight. I got boards and built a roof in one corner of the loading corral. Then I got straw for a dry bed. This was for the calf to lay and sleep, and not 110. I got hay for 110 to eat. I put some water in a large blue plastic tub that had originally contained the mineral lick other years.
Donna and I were finally done by 8:30 pm.
At midnight I called Donna and woke her up and she came to help me feed the calf again. We finished off the rest of the milk in the bottle. Instead of filling the bottle again we put 110 and the calf in the narrow section of the loading corral and this time the calf drank from 110's udder. That made it easier for us.
6:30 am Donna called me and woke me up so I could go out and feed the calf again. It was just me this time. The calf drank and drank and drank. Then I went back to bed.
At noon and 5 pm I had the calf drink again. The calf gets better and better at drinking from 110. 110 licks the calf a few times and lays next to her. But when the calf tried to drink, 110 walks away. I went out at 10 pm but the calf wanted to lay on the straw and 110 wanted to eat hay. I will go out later. Tomorrow I hope they will be on a normal routine, and I don't have to help the calf anymore.
Noon-time drinking.
Video of the calf drinking from 110 at noon: https://youtu.be/Gy76vYtj5H4
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