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Breeding / Calving Issues
...just getting a little antsy...
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<blockquote data-quote="WalnutCrest" data-source="post: 1100131" data-attributes="member: 21715"><p>As posted on another thread ---</p><p></p><p>Today:</p><p></p><p>Convinced myself that my cow surely wouldn't calve on what was the coldest night of the winter. I was wrong. Calf in the snow at 8-ish AM and was REALLY cold. Hauled her 1/4 mile (alternatively by carrying and by dragging on an old decrepit sled) through 18" drifts to the house. Mama did a great job cleaning her up ... but she just couldn't get dry. Negative 20-30 windchills and gobs of snow will do that to a newborn. We got her warmed by the fire (hairdryers on low, wool blankets, etc). Once warm, she gulped down a 24oz of colostrum. She got a nap or three. After one of them, I decided it was time she stand. She held her posture while I threw out my back. Lovely. Once she finally dropped down to her knees (after a good 30 seconds or so), we carried her down the front stairs to a big blue tarp -- we made her into a taco of sorts and hauled her back out to mama to see if she'd perk up and get going. Mama took her right back -- sniffing, licking, talking to her. Well, she didn't nurse right away -- still too warn out from the crazy cold I think -- so, we left her out there to see what she could do with mom (and to give my back a rest) in hopes that she'd start to nurse. It got dark and we ate dinner. At about 9pm, we went out to check on baby and mama. Well, mama and two other cows were doing a good job of shielding and protecting her from the elements, but she was still cold (apparently, -20 to -30 windchills aren't any fun for newborn calves on their first day on the planet). So, we brought her back in (dragging her for the third time today 1/4 mile by hand through these huge drifts), warmed her up by the fire ... and this time she stood to drink almost two liters of colostrum. She's resting comfortably on some straw in our garage that we got all the way up to the balmy-like temperature of 40 degrees.</p><p></p><p>We're going to bed. We're planning to give her another round of colostrum early, then haul her back to mama when the temperature starts to turn mid-morning and hope that she nurses. Mama still wants her and doesn't want us taking her little girl (but, in the end, she lets us do what's needed) ... she needs to drain her, though. Here's hoping it happens right when we take her out tomorrow AM.</p><p></p><p>She's precious. My back is killing me. Pictures later. I'm exhausted.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="WalnutCrest, post: 1100131, member: 21715"] As posted on another thread --- Today: Convinced myself that my cow surely wouldn't calve on what was the coldest night of the winter. I was wrong. Calf in the snow at 8-ish AM and was REALLY cold. Hauled her 1/4 mile (alternatively by carrying and by dragging on an old decrepit sled) through 18" drifts to the house. Mama did a great job cleaning her up ... but she just couldn't get dry. Negative 20-30 windchills and gobs of snow will do that to a newborn. We got her warmed by the fire (hairdryers on low, wool blankets, etc). Once warm, she gulped down a 24oz of colostrum. She got a nap or three. After one of them, I decided it was time she stand. She held her posture while I threw out my back. Lovely. Once she finally dropped down to her knees (after a good 30 seconds or so), we carried her down the front stairs to a big blue tarp -- we made her into a taco of sorts and hauled her back out to mama to see if she'd perk up and get going. Mama took her right back -- sniffing, licking, talking to her. Well, she didn't nurse right away -- still too warn out from the crazy cold I think -- so, we left her out there to see what she could do with mom (and to give my back a rest) in hopes that she'd start to nurse. It got dark and we ate dinner. At about 9pm, we went out to check on baby and mama. Well, mama and two other cows were doing a good job of shielding and protecting her from the elements, but she was still cold (apparently, -20 to -30 windchills aren't any fun for newborn calves on their first day on the planet). So, we brought her back in (dragging her for the third time today 1/4 mile by hand through these huge drifts), warmed her up by the fire ... and this time she stood to drink almost two liters of colostrum. She's resting comfortably on some straw in our garage that we got all the way up to the balmy-like temperature of 40 degrees. We're going to bed. We're planning to give her another round of colostrum early, then haul her back to mama when the temperature starts to turn mid-morning and hope that she nurses. Mama still wants her and doesn't want us taking her little girl (but, in the end, she lets us do what's needed) ... she needs to drain her, though. Here's hoping it happens right when we take her out tomorrow AM. She's precious. My back is killing me. Pictures later. I'm exhausted. [/QUOTE]
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