Surprise Calves
tnranger
Member Posts: 455 ✭✭✭✭
Just back from south central Texas after spending a few days with my older daughter. We had planned fun things to do for her birthday, but these little ones had other ideas. The only longhorn in the little herd was expected to calve, but was thought to be maybe a couple weeks out. We were about to head into town when the SIL made a final check and found the little girl in the first picture. Since we were uncertain how long she had been there, we thought it prudent to postpone our plans until we saw her standing and nursing. After several hours, that still hadn't happened, and she would try to stand, but her front legs would collapse - so she couldn't nurse. About dusk, we knew we'd better do something, or else. My daughter distracted mama longhorn, who was none too happy with our presence, while the SIL and I loaded the calf into the pickup and headed to the pole barn/corral. Mom followed/ half herded. I made the run into Bastrop for some formula and colostrum which was eagerly downed. By then, it was 9:00 pm. By morning, she was standing shakily and nursing. 4 days later she's still a little shaky - I think she was born a little premature. The blaze on her forehead looks like a W, so she is named Winona.
The 2nd calf was born 2 days later to a cow that was expected to calve weeks earlier, but they had decided must be a false pregnancy. He was frolicking around almost from the start.
Comments
Aww, congrats. They are great looking.
Sorry you had to do the nursemaid thing with Winona but I'm glad you got her up and suckling. It's always a good feeling to see them up and slurpin' milk!
Good job on recognizing she needed help. My experience is limited but the first one I had dropped on my place was at 1:30 am me and my nephew that happened to be visiting watched by flash lite he was only about 15 and he got a little grossed out but eventually thought it was cool, that baby got up after about 45 minutes on the ground, but momma wasn't having none of it, (her first) but about the time the sun cane up he connected and she did good after that, he grew up to become a tasty beef 18 months later. It was a long night but you do what you gotta do if you have stock. Good job on you folks.
Great, I can remember those kind of days like it was yesterday. Glad everybody's up and eating.