Calf 3 - 110's

This morning when I fed the cattle one cow was back under a tree in the middle of the pasture while all the rest of the cattle were in the corral waiting for me to unload the hay.  I could see a calf under a tree near the mother.  Once I started to unload the hay the mother came to the corral, leaving her calf behind.

After unloading the hay I walked out and checked on the calf.  It was a heifer and was all black.

A few hours later, after I had made an ear tag and the ink had dried, Donna and I walked out to tag the calf's ear.  The cows and bull were laying just outside the corral.  The mother cow was laying under a tree mid pasture.  We walked out and the cow stood up.  No calf.  The cow looked off to the back side of the pasture.  I checked where I last seen the calf.  No calf.  The calf was not under all of the trees mid pasture.  I walked through the snow to the back trees near the river.  There I found the calf laying next to/under a large uprooted tree stump.

I saw some blood on the ear I was about to tag.  As I touched her ear to get a better look at the blood the calf jumped up and began to run.  I had to grab on to her and hold tight.  The calf started to bawl and her mother came running.  I was able to put the tag in the calf's ear and I released her to her mother.  The mother started to push the calf away with her head.  The calf tried to get close to her mother but the mother started to push the calf harder and harder and pushed her into a tree trunk.  The calf was stunned and the mother walked away.

The mother walked all the way back to the cows outside the corral.  I had to pick up and carry the calf to the corral.  The calf was feisty and didn't like to be carried and would squirm and try to kick.  Once I got to the corral I carried the calf into the loading ramp part of the corral.  I herded her mother also into the loading ramp area.  The calf wanted to drink but the mother would hit it hard with her head.  So, with some effort, I put the mother into the middle of the loading ramp and blocked so she couldn't go forward or backward.  Then we put the calf in next to her mother.  The calf wanted to drink but couldn't figure out how to.  Donna had to position the calf's head next to her mother's udder and show the calf how to grab a nipple and suck on it.  After a bit the calf finally learned and drank and drank.  The mother just stood there.

This is the third calf for this mother.  The mother is one of the dumb ones.  When she, #120, and Rose were all heifers, only Rose understood that the bull was her answer to being in heat.  When Rose gave birth she knew what to do.  Both #120 and this one - #110 - had to be put in the loading ramp so they would let their calf drink.  Once that happened both let their calves drink without a fuss.  Last year #120 let her calf drink from the start.  #110 had to be put into the loading ramp to let the calf drink the first time.  After that no problems.  And no head butting last year.

And this year?  The dumb cow is at it again.  Unlike the other years she is now ramming her calf with her head.

Once the calf drank its fill we let the calf and her mother in the entire loading ramp area.  There was a lot of snow in the loading ramp area and I shoveled it out of there so the cow and calf had some place to lay.  I wanted to keep them there for a while to see if the cow would now be nice to her calf and let her drink.  Later I saw the cow push the calf away.  I couldn't find the molasses Donna and I had put on Buster the Holstein last year to get Red to take to him.  Donna got another jar while I did other work.  She poured some molasses on the calf and the mother licked it off.  But she didn't want the calf to drink from her.  The calf was hesitant and I moved it near the udder.  The mother kicked the calf.  We ran the mother back into the middle of the loading ramp but the calf showed no interest in drinking.

So I put a container of water and a container of hay in the loading ramp area for the mother and laid a board over part of the loading ramp to protect the calf in case it rains tonight.  I have part of the ramp blocked to where the calf can go but the mother cannot.  In case the mother continues to be mean.  Tomorrow morning I will see if the calf has drunk from the mother or if she still needs help.

Seriously!  This is the cow's third calf.  She should know how it all works by now.

Once I had the calf in the loading corral I noticed her other ear had a wound.  Mostly likely from her mother abusing her.

Molasses on the calf.

Mom... you're not going to hit me again, are you?

The meanie stuffing her face.