New Calf

[Dani]

We have been keeping an eye on our heifer lately since she was about to calf. Morning feeding she was standing off instead of right by the gate so figured that was going to be the day. . . Unfortunately, it was also my mom's wedding so asked the neighbor to keep an eye on her for us and call when she went into kabor. Picked up my MIL and was at the church when we got a call. . . I told hunny to go. Wanted someone there just in case since she had not calved beefore and she still needed out from where the bulls were. We had previously tried, but she refused to stay so it needed to be done last minute.
Hunny got all the girls (Ellie would not unless her momma went too and in turn mommas other baby had to go) into where my milk girls were. Ellie had a little healthy heifer calf but she had not nursed. I was back home by that time. So we mixed up some powdered colostrum for her to bottle feed yesterday and again first thing this morning.
After I got done with my feeding and garden work on Sunday, hunny and I went back out to start working with both baby and momma. Got Ellie tied to a tree and one leg tied up so we could try to get baby latched on. She took very little, so I went ahead and milked momma out just so I could have her milk on hand.
I've bottle fed calves before out of necessity but it is not something I want to do if momma is capable of doing it herself.
Well Ellie spotted the lariat and off she went, even jumping the fence into the goat pasture so happy I milked her out this morning when I had the chance. She went back in pretty easy after hunny put the rope up. Guess we'll try again tomorrow after I get off work but baby will continue getting bottle fed and see how it goes.I
Hunny was home to bottle feed the new calf today but after I got home we tried again to get baby to latch on and again was a fail. So once again we tied her and I milked her but today she got a little footsie on me and kicked the bucket before I could grab it and she did knock me over in the process. She did step in a row but no biggy. Poor hunny was all stirred up thinking she would step on me. Made me upset with her cause we were almost done and that baby sure could have used it. I just don't see us hearding this wild beef cow into my milking staunch though it would be nice.d
luckily hunny won't go into work till Fri so after I get off tomorrow, well it's a new day and we will try try again.

 

[Patchouli]

How often does the calf need to have sustenance? Poor little thing.

I'm clueless, but I like reading about adventures on the farm.

 

[Dani]

The first day was every three hour except at night. We continued that the next day. She would drink often but not much. This is now day three and since she is doing so well we have gone down to four times a day now. She is now drinking two quarts at each feeding.

 

[Patchouli]

I am relieved because I thought it didn't sound good that she wasn't able to latch on to Ellie. Pictures, we need pictures!

 

[Terri9630]

We have been keeping an eye on our heifer lately since she was about to calf. Morning feeding she was standing off instead of right by the gate so figured that was going to be the day. . . Unfortunately, it was also my mom's wedding so asked the neighbor to keep an eye on her for us and call when she went into kabor. Picked up my MIL and was at the church when we got a call. . . I told hunny to go. Wanted someone there just in case since she had not calved beefore and she still needed out from where the bulls were. We had previously tried, but she refused to stay so it needed to be done last minute.
Hunny got all the girls (Ellie would not unless her momma went too and in turn mommas other baby had to go) into where my milk girls were. Ellie had a little healthy heifer calf but she had not nursed. I was back home by that time. So we mixed up some powdered colostrum for her to bottle feed yesterday and again first thing this morning.
After I got done with my feeding and garden work on Sunday, hunny and I went back out to start working with both baby and momma. Got Ellie tied to a tree and one leg tied up so we could try to get baby latched on. She took very little, so I went ahead and milked momma out just so I could have her milk on hand.
I've bottle fed calves before out of necessity but it is not something I want to do if momma is capable of doing it herself.
Well Ellie spotted the lariat and off she went, even jumping the fence into the goat pasture so happy I milked her out this morning when I had the chance. She went back in pretty easy after hunny put the rope up. Guess we'll try again tomorrow after I get off work but baby will continue getting bottle fed and see how it goes.I
Hunny was home to bottle feed the new calf today but after I got home we tried again to get baby to latch on and again was a fail. So once again we tied her and I milked her but today she got a little footsie on me and kicked the bucket before I could grab it and she did knock me over in the process. She did step in a row but no biggy. Poor hunny was all stirred up thinking she would step on me. Made me upset with her cause we were almost done and that baby sure could have used it. I just don't see us hearding this wild beef cow into my milking staunch though it would be nice.d
luckily hunny won't go into work till Fri so after I get off tomorrow, well it's a new day and we will try try again.

Good luck. First time mommas can be a pain.

 

[Meerkat]

We have been keeping an eye on our heifer lately since she was about to calf. Morning feeding she was standing off instead of right by the gate so figured that was going to be the day. . . Unfortunately, it was also my mom's wedding so asked the neighbor to keep an eye on her for us and call when she went into kabor. Picked up my MIL and was at the church when we got a call. . . I told hunny to go. Wanted someone there just in case since she had not calved beefore and she still needed out from where the bulls were. We had previously tried, but she refused to stay so it needed to be done last minute.
Hunny got all the girls (Ellie would not unless her momma went too and in turn mommas other baby had to go) into where my milk girls were. Ellie had a little healthy heifer calf but she had not nursed. I was back home by that time. So we mixed up some powdered colostrum for her to bottle feed yesterday and again first thing this morning.
After I got done with my feeding and garden work on Sunday, hunny and I went back out to start working with both baby and momma. Got Ellie tied to a tree and one leg tied up so we could try to get baby latched on. She took very little, so I went ahead and milked momma out just so I could have her milk on hand.
I've bottle fed calves before out of necessity but it is not something I want to do if momma is capable of doing it herself.
Well Ellie spotted the lariat and off she went, even jumping the fence into the goat pasture so happy I milked her out this morning when I had the chance. She went back in pretty easy after hunny put the rope up. Guess we'll try again tomorrow after I get off work but baby will continue getting bottle fed and see how it goes.I
Hunny was home to bottle feed the new calf today but after I got home we tried again to get baby to latch on and again was a fail. So once again we tied her and I milked her but today she got a little footsie on me and kicked the bucket before I could grab it and she did knock me over in the process. She did step in a row but no biggy. Poor hunny was all stirred up thinking she would step on me. Made me upset with her cause we were almost done and that baby sure could have used it. I just don't see us hearding this wild beef cow into my milking staunch though it would be nice.d
luckily hunny won't go into work till Fri so after I get off tomorrow, well it's a new day and we will try try again.

Congrats on the new calf.