Calf 13 - 60's

I had a new calf born around noon today.  Cow #60 had a male calf.  A big boy.

When I first checked on the calf to determine if it was a boy or girl, cow 60 was ok with me.  A short time later I came back to take a photo of the calf and cow 60 was not happy with me and charged at me.  She ended up stepping on her calf.  I tried a second time for a photo and cow 60 charged at me again.  Again stepping on her calf.  So I quit.  Cow 60 reminded me of my former cow, Mama, who would get aggressive after she had her calf.  Cow 60 is not as bad as Mama was, but she did remind me of Mama.

Cow 60 is the cow who last year I wonder if she had a calf.  I now think it was afterbirth I saw hanging out her back end after I moved the cattle from the middle pasture over to Ruth's pasture.  I never did find a calf, but it took me a few days before I realized she may have had a calf and looked for one.  Maybe that is why cow 60 is aggressive this year.  She doesn't want to lose a calf again.

Later when Donna came over to help me band and ear tag the calf, I worked at separating the cow and calf.  That was hard as the calf would stay right next to his mother.  Eventually I got the mother to go into the south corral and then quickly closed the gate before the calf could go through the gate to be with her mother.

The calf is big and has lots of energy.  It was a struggle for me to hold the calf down for the banding and ear tagging.  But it got done.  Then I let the calf and mother be together and kept away from them.

The mother charged me as I was taking photos of the calf.

Trying to separate the cow and the calf.

A very pretty calf.

Only one calf left to be born. Cow #10 is left to have a calf. She had a calf last year on July 17. So this year... June 17?   Cow #10 wants to be out in the north pasture with the rest of the cattle.  She spent much of the day standing along the fence and mooing at the other cattle.