Speed demon 2 day old calf sprints into the woods

[ny_grass]

Hi all,

Out tonight opening a new paddock up for the cows I stumbled upon a new calf (born yesterday afternoon). I haven't yet looked him over or tagged him so I went over and started to inspect him when he stood up and bolted, top speed, to the east (the herd were all to the west), through the fence, across a road, abd into my neighbor's horse pasture. They, of course, immediately gave chase; the calf was smart enough to head north out of the pasture, into that neighbors front yard where their dog immediately took after him and chased him into the woods (the dog gave up even before the calf had left the yard). These woods are only, as the crow flies, about 50-75 yards from where the herd is but there's lots of vegetation (and a road, some hills) between them.

I had obligations that took me away from home shortly thereafter so I didn't go looking for it, hoping that it would settle down, hear his mom and get on home.

Do you think this is likely? I've come to believe that there's almost nothing dummer than a newborn calf so I'm a little concerned that he might, even only being a couple hundred yard away (I'm not sure when he stopped running), not be able to find his way home.

On a positive note: if he makes it home I've got my contestant in this year's cattle olympics. I had no idea a 24 hour old calf could run like that!

JR

 

[nagwag]

Calves have the Fight or Flight instinct. You saw the flight. A couple of years ago, I tagged a newborn calf and give him his selenium shot. When I let him go he ran through 4 different fences, across a main road and into a cornfield. I finally caught him with a rope and only let him go when his mother was right next to him. Hopefully the calf's mother will be able to call it to her from the woods when it gets hungry. It may just stay put waiting for momma to come get it. If the calf isn't with it's mother this afternoon, I would be inclined to go look for it. Too many coyotes around for an unprotected calf.

 

[ny_grass]

Calves have the Fight or Flight instinct. You saw the flight. A couple of years ago, I tagged a newborn calf and give him his selenium shot. When I let him go he ran through 4 different fences, across a main road and into a cornfield. I finally caught him with a rope and only let him go when his mother was right next to him. Hopefully the calf's mother will be able to call it to her from the woods when it gets hungry. It may just stay put waiting for momma to come get it. If the calf isn't with it's mother this afternoon, I would be inclined to go look for it. Too many coyotes around for an unprotected calf.

When I went out this morning the herd was up all peacefully laying down EXCEPT the mother of the missing calf (who, strangely, had covered her head with mud - a mourning mask! ;-) I went looking for it; found it after about an hour of trudging around. Like you say above, it appears that it was just waiting for mama to come and get it.

Everything worked out well.