# Calf Watch



## Fairfarmhand (Dec 4, 2013)

My 4 yr old Jersey is due 12/25, but she looks like she could go any day. Thing is, we are supposed to leave town Friday night/Saturday morning and I REALLY don't want to have to find someone to milk for us while we are away. SOOOOO fingers crossed that Blossom doesn't go before Friday. If she births on Friday, she won't need to be milked till monday when we are back. 

I told her to hold off just a few more days!


----------



## havasu (Oct 11, 2013)

Too bad I wasn't closer to help you out. I've spent many nights waiting for horses to birth, and it is always great. I even had my kids spend a few nights to see the miracle of birth.


----------



## cattle (Sep 12, 2013)

Good luck! I hope thew time table works out for you.


----------



## Fairfarmhand (Dec 4, 2013)

No calf yet. If she can just hold off 2 more days.

Of course then I will be worrying about her calving here all by herself without me.  Blossoms' Last calving was perfect. We just woke up and there was a calf!


----------



## Fairfarmhand (Dec 4, 2013)

By the way, this article has a picture of Blossom at the bottom. She's not the spotted calf. She's the jersey at the bottom. That's my third daughter holding her rope.

http://www.cattleforum.com/entries/how-to-halter-break-a-cow.html


----------



## Fairfarmhand (Dec 4, 2013)

New calf born last night.


----------



## havasu (Oct 11, 2013)

OK, I have just seen the exact definition of beautiful!


----------



## GrumpyFarms (Nov 2, 2013)

That's a good looking calf. Congratulations.


----------



## Fairfarmhand (Dec 4, 2013)

So, here's the long story behind Blossom's calf.

I've been watching her for days. She's been getting more and more enormous, so I've been getting up in the middle of the night to check on her. So Thursday afternoon, she holes up in this gulley filled with briers. Scratched her udder all up. I kept checking on her all day, and around 3 I ran her out of the gulley and up to the high ground , where I could watch her from the kitchen window. While I was moving her, her water broke. So I was glad that soon we'd have a calf. 

Around 4:30, I checked her and she's passed more of the water bag, but didn't seem to be making more progress. I was starting to get a little worried, because she wasn't pushing much, and when she was, she didn't seem to be making any progress. There was also more blood than is in a normal birth. So I brought her up to the barn and put her in the calving pen.

5:15---still no progress, Call my dh and tell him my worries and he hops in the car for home. After watching her for awhile, still seeing an appalling lack of strong contractions/pushing, my girls and I get her in the head catch so I can check her. I've never done a thing like this in all my life. I've gotta put my hand in WHERE?

I put on some latex gloves (don't want that mess under my nails  ) And start checking her out. There's a foot, where's your head.....Found some teeth and then the calf was sucking on my fingers. Made me so happy because I knew then that I was working to save a live calf, not a dead one. Finally found the other foot and figured out that both feet were up under his head. Elbows were hung up on momma's pelvis. Gently extended the front feet, made sure that the head stayed lined up. (did you know that the inside of a cow is HOT?) 

About that time, dh showed up. He hollered from the house, "What you got?" I said, "2 feet and a head. He's big!"

He ran inside, threw off his shirt and pulled on coveralls (It was COLD outside) He came outside and we started pulling. The calf was massive. I would not have been able to pull him myself. Blossom's contractions and pushing were just not very effective at expelling this giant. Finally after about 15 minutes, we got his head and shoulders out. Then we let her out of the chute. As she walked forward, the calf dropped right into my dh's arms. 

That was one of the coolest things I have ever done on the farm.


----------



## GrumpyFarms (Nov 2, 2013)

That is an awesome story. Great ending to a nurse racking day. I can't wait to have the chance at telling story like yours. We have 2 more that will be joining our family around May or June. Hope you enjoyed your learning.


----------



## Fairfarmhand (Dec 4, 2013)

got up Sunday morning and SURPRISE! My cow Lady had given birth to a healthy, small (thank GOD!) heifer calf. I named her Holly.

Here are the two calves together for comparison. Holly is about 60 lbs, Fred, the bull calf is about 80.


I'm hoping my husband will be headed to the sale this week to pick up some bottle calves. I'm gonna be like Cleopatra soon with enough milk to bathe in.


----------



## BEEFandDAIRY (Dec 23, 2013)

Beautiful cow , congrats


----------



## GrumpyFarms (Nov 2, 2013)

Sad day at my neighbors farm. I came home yesterday to find that one of my neighbors cows walked onto the ice in his pond. She had broke thru the ice and on top of that must have been in labor with a calf that had its nose out but it's feet were not. We got the tractor and ropes tide to her but her had already died. The half had died as well.














I know its all in the circle of life, but it still suck to see this. I wish if been home in time to save them. If this upsets anyone let me know. I'll delete my post or ask Texas to do it for me. 
GrumpyFarms......


----------



## cattle (Sep 12, 2013)

I'm sorry to read that. It's tough losing anything, but a cow you put so much time and energy to is the worst.


----------



## Fairfarmhand (Dec 4, 2013)

awww...that stinks. We had a calf fall through the ice and drown a year or two back. Rotten all around.


----------

