Nope, I'm not talking about the popular Meatloaf song by this name (Two out of Three Ain't Bad) released in 1977. I'm talking about the newest addition to our little animal family on Our Maker's Acres Family Farm. This year our Jersey cows have given us the following:
- Rosie gave us a little heifer we named Clarabelle,
- Daisy gave us a little heifer named Luna, and now...
- Amy gave us a little BULL named Chuck. (well, maybe this post is about Meatloaf after all!)
We always hope for heifers and this year we got two out of three - and that ain't bad. I was planting some turnips in the last three rows of our garden. The turnip greens and turnip roots mature in about 50 days and they will be fed to the cows during the coldest part of our winter here in south Louisiana. Anyway, while I was planting, I kept hearing the calves (Clarabelle & Luna) mooing. Finally, I looked up to see what all the racket was. I saw something beside Amy way out in the pasture. The curious heifers were mooing to welcome the newest arrival.
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| Three's company |
Amy must have just delivered the calf since it was wet and she had just commenced 'cleaning the calf up by licking.' Steam was rising off of the calf's little body.
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| Baby's first bath |
Well, let's check and see what the sex is - boy or girl? I lifted the leg (hoping for a heifer) and observed male body parts. Oh well, two out of three ain't bad. Notice how the hooves are white. They quickly turn black and harden up.
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| It's a... BOY. |
It is always amazing to us the way that motherly instincts kick in. This is Amy's first calf and she instinctively knows what to do without any guidance or help from her momma or other cows. She protectively watched every move I made as she licked her little boy down.
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| Gimme a kiss, momma |
Amy's bag was swollen and filled with colostrum. In fact, you can see the thick, yellow, antibody and nutrient-filled first milk dripping from her teats.
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| Colostrum leaking |
After a bit, Daisy arrived to see the new arrival along with her baby, Luna. There was plenty of excitement. I watched Luna and Clarabelle both lift their tails skyward and run around the pasture, unable to contain their joy. Daisy and Rosie? Well this wasn't their first rodeo. They were markedly more sedate about the whole thing.
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| Visiting the baby |
For such a scrawny little thing, the little bull had lots of energy. He wasn't 10 minutes on the ground before he began clumsily trying to stand on wobbly legs. He'd make progress and then fall. He was persistent though.
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| Baby it's cold outside... |
After only 30 minutes had passed, the little bull was on his feet. That sets a record for us easily. Most of our other calves have been very slow to get on their feet and even slower to nurse. This little fella began immediately to search for his supper - on the WRONG END like they always do!
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| Hey buddy, the other side! |
He finally smelled supper, I presume, and began trying to latch on. He was unsuccessful, though, and as his head hit the udder, it made the colostrum shoot out of Amy's teats in high-pressure streams. Amy was uninterested in her little boy's attempts as she ate some Dairy ration and alfalfa pellets that Tricia gave her.
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| Both animals trying to enjoy a meal |
Once Amy was finished with her supper, she become a more willing participant in helping the newborn learn to suckle. She gently nudged him backward with her head, getting him in the right position, mooing soft encouragement to her baby.
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| Back up a bit, fella! |
In no time flat, the little guy hit pay dirt, latching on and drinking the sustenance that will give him a great head start - nutrient and antibody-laden colostrum - Liquid Gold!
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| He found the milk spigot!! |
So with 3 1/2 weeks left to go in 2015, all our cows had successful deliveries - 2 heifers and 1 bull. We think we're going to name him "Chuck" or "Sir Loin," we're not sure yet We'll keep you posted on how he's growing and, most importantly, if Amy is going to be a good milker. She's definitely very gentle and a good momma to her first calf. Obviously, she's never been milked before, so we're anxious to see how that goes. We'll find out tonight!
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