Along with Sugar, Little Red also had a calf born Friday afternoon. Again, another bull calf. Six calves born this year; all are bull calves. I plan to keep a few more of Toby's calves as replacement heifers so I would like heifers to be born this year. I have six chances left for replacement heifers.
After I got the cows and calves into the corral Dona helped me band and tag the calf. I drove the pickup into the corral. The calf was laying quietly and didn't move when I approached. Once I lifted him off the ground he began to squirm. He was not a light calf. I partially sat on him in the pickup bed to hold him down as Donna attempted to band him as I held the calves back legs apart and to stop them from kicking Donna. The calf was a squirmer. He wouldn't stay still, and it was hard to hold him. The calf peed and soaked my knees. What made it even harder was Little Red came over and was putting her face in our business and was trying to sniff and lick her calf. First on one side then the other.
Last year Little Red's bull calf didn't want to drop both his balls and it took us a week to band that calf. We were concerned we have this problem this year. It took a little effort but Donna was finally able to get both balls down and banded. After ear tagging the calf I struggled to get off him and out of the pickup without letting the calf stand in the pickup bed. Between Donna and my actions we finally and safely got the calf back down to the ground.
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| Mama! Wait for me! |
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| Where did Mama go? |
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| Why did you band and ear tag me? |
Little Red's calf is a Mama's boy. If not near his mother the calf cries out for her.
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