Maggie's Baby!

Maggie is our two year old Jersey heifer whose due date was September 28th.  Several posts ago, I mentioned that according to the Farmer's Almanac, the full moon was on September 19th at 6:12 am.  I wondered if the full moon had anything to do with calving like the old timers say?  Well, yesterday, September 19th at 11 am, Magnolia (Maggie Mae) went into labor and delivered her calf.  Proof or anecdotal evidence?  Who knows?

What I do know is that it was a neat home school biology lesson for Benjamin in Home School yesterday! Enough of the chatter.  Let me show you some baby pictures.  Here is a newly born calf in the pasture with a new Momma standing over this wet thing on the ground as motherly instincts started to tell her what needed to be done.

A new baby on the farm

Pretty soon, Maggie started licking her baby and cleaning her up for the baby pictures.  What a shock it must be to fall out on the hard ground from three feet up!

Baby's first bath

The last three calves that have been born on Our Maker's Acres Family Farm have been bull calves and we have been praying for a heifer.  So the first thing Tricia did was to lift up the calf's leg to see what Maggie had produced for us.

IT'S A GIRL!!!

Yes, a little girl.  We're elated.  All of our cows on the farm since the matriarch of the herd, Mama Cow, died have been named after flowers.  We have Daisy, Rosie, Magnolia...  And now, Benjamin named the baby heifer, Lili.  I like that.  It is very feminine and pretty.

Tricia watched Maggie and Lili interact all day and although Lili stood up on shaky, long legs, she couldn't ever see the baby calf nurse on Maggie.  Maggie's bag was engorged and it is vitally important that Lili drink the first milk, or colostrum.  Colostrum is loaded with antibodies and other nutrients that baby calves need to give them a good head start on life.

Last night when I got home, Tricia and I headed out to the barn to see if we could help Lili find the "milk spigot."  We put Maggie in one of the milking stalls and clipped her so she couldn't back out.

A new mama

Cows are pretty messy in birthing.  Her back end was filthy.  Today it is raining (finally), so she should have a nice bath.  You can see how her bag is full.

Full of milk (colostrum)

I squirted a little bit of colostrum out and lifted little Lili to one of the teats.  Maggie kicked at first since it was the first time she's had a calf nursing on her, but she quickly settled down.  Lili latched on like a pro and nursed for a good while from each of the four teats.  I'm convinced that she got what she needs to give her a healthy start.

You can lead a calf to milk and you CAN make her drink!

After Lili was done I took several baby pictures.

Sticking out her tongue

She was fat and happy and full of milk and decided to sit down by the gate and rest.  Life is tough!

I think I'll rest now.  My belly is full.

I zoomed in for a closer shot.  She's a pretty light brown color.  She has a shiny coat and looonnnggg legs.

Lili (Born 9/19/2013)

Even Grandma Daisy showed up to check on her little grandbaby.

The nursery

Welcome to Our Maker's Acres Family Farm, Lili.  We'll take good care of you.