Clarabelle Calved!

Clarabelle was due last week.  We were watching her closely.  We were hoping for a little heifer as we've had five little bulls in a row.  Time for a heifer!  Tricia happened to be home on Saturday afternoon when things started happening.  Clarabelle was way out in the front when a hoof poked out.  It seemed to be pointed the right way.

Then the hoof disappeared.  Clarabelle started walking all the way to the barn.  Tricia figured she wanted some privacy.  Once in the barn, things started progressing again.  Two legs, a nose, a pink tongue.  Tricia noticed that the calf was breathing.

Contractions continued and Clarabelle soon had the calf's shoulders out.

And in no time at all, the baby, in all its slimy glory, was out on the barn floor.

Clarabelle began cleaning the calf up with a complete 'lick-down.'

Here is a "post-lick" baby portrait.  Cute.  But I regret to inform you that IT IS ANOTHER LITTLE BULL!!!  Six bulls in a row.  Unbelievable.

Clarabelle made a big mess in the barn with all the after-birth.  After a few hours she had him mostly cleaned up, but when he would move around, he would get all dirty again.

Then Clarabelle began the task that is instinctive.  She began to eat the placenta.

Clarabelle's little bull is weak.  After four and a half hours, he still hadn't stood up and hadn't drank any colostrum.  We worked with him for a while, but he was just too awkward and weak to stand.  We figured we would get some colostrum in him one way or another, so I milked out a quart of colostrum into a big baby bottle.  Tricia gave him the bottle, and he quickly drained it, so we milked more out and gave him another.

By Sunday, the little bull was able to stand up, but still wasn't drinking on his own.  We milked more into the milk bottle and gave more to him to give him more strength and vigor.  We tried to direct him to Clarabelle's udder, but when he would get close, Clarabelle would kick him away.  We put the "Kow Kan't Kick" device on Clarabelle and urged him to try to nurse, but it was a no go. 

The little bull has gotten stronger and is standing now.  He has the nursing instinct as he is walking around Clarabelle "bumping" into her to try to find milk, but hasn't been successful yet.  We're making sure he is getting colostrum in him as that is so very important.

We made some good progress today.  Hopefully we'll have some good news to report tomorrow.