WAITING…
Waiting for the expected birth of calves always is difficult. And, it feels like we waited an eternity for the arrival of this precious little heifer! Due on July 22nd, the sixth calf of Mocha (and the sixth heifer), she finally made her arrival in the predawn hours of July 24th with a full moon illuminating the dark sky and the earth below!
As is my practice, at the first sign of the impending birth, I usually put the mama in the barn with fresh straw and clean water, with lots of hay, to ensure the new arrival has a fresh place to be born. I saw the first sign (mucus strand) of the impending birth of Mocha’s new calf on the morning of July 21. Although Mocha is usually uncannily “on time” with her deliveries, I didn’t want to take any chances that this calf might come early, so I put Mocha in the barn. Much to my disappointment, the 21st came and went with no calf. She really wanted to be back in the pasture with Jersey, so we put them in a pasture in the back near the barn so that in case her calf was born during the night, we wouldn’t have far to get them to the barn.
TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK!
On the morning of her due date, she was SLOWLY progressing, so I put her back in the barn for the day. I checked on her several times throughout the day…running errands and running back home to check on her several times!
The night of the 22nd, I set my alarm and checked on Mocha every couple of hours. STILL NOTHING! The day came and went with no baby! That night, again, I set multiple alarms and checked on Mocha every couple of hours, just feeling for sure that the calf would arrive in the wee hours. But, NOPE!
Duplicate the previous paragraph for the 23rd! Checking on her every couple of hours…still thinking the birth was imminent! The night of the 23rd was also a duplicate of the previous night. Alarms were set every couple of hours and I went out to the barn, half asleep, hoping to find her in full, active labor. But no! Each time I was disappointed.
More than a little bit discouraged, and totally exhausted, I hit “snooze” on that last alarm…just for a few more minutes. However, at 4:30 am, I threw on my clothes and made which seemed like my hundredth trip to the barn. But, my heart quickened as I got closer to the barn! I knew halfway there that she had made her arrival.
She’s Finally Here!
Mocha (and I guess other mama cows do too) has this “sweet lowing” sound she makes for her calf (read my first book My Name is Mocha). It is how she communicates love, care and instructions to her calf. I heard it before I was even halfway to the barn…and as I did, my steps quickened. I KNEW she was here!
And, yes! sure enough, there she was, standing by her mama with milk bubbles on her mouth indicating she had already had her first drink of the the nutritious colostrum. Newborn calves need about five percent of their body weight in their first six hours in order to get the necessary antibodies and nutrients to avoid scours and respiratory problems. This is one reason I typically leave mama and new calf in the barn for the first couple of days…to monitor milk intake and to verify first the first bowel movement (an indication of their gut health and that they are getting enough milk.
“Mama Time”
As with each previous calf, when Mocha feels the calf is stabilized, and all is well, she lets me know she is ready to have some time away from her calf…which means time in the pasture eating the fresh grass. She was ready for her “mama time” last night after chores. Daisy was contented and I led Mocha to the pasture.
She had her head down eating grass for nearly two hours. I kept an eye on her, knowing that she was finished and ready to return to her baby, she would come and stand by the gate. She did and I led her back to the barn.
Daisy was still in the same place, same position as she had been when Mocha left the barn, totally unconcerned that her mama was gone for awhile. This is another indication of a healthy calf. (We have had calves that literally mooed the entire time them moms were away from them.)
As Mocha reentered the barn, she spoke to Daisy with her sweet “lowing” voice and she must have told her to get up and have a drink…because Daisy did just that! Witnessing the instinct that the Creator gave these amazing animals to care and provide for their young is and amazing and wonderful gift!
Healthy Calf
Another sign of a healthy calf is that not only does she eat regularly, but she eats plenty when she eats. This morning, after I gave Mocha her “snack” consisting of oats, barley, molasses, etc. which is the routine before milking, Daisy decided to have her own breakfast. She went and lay down in her favorite spot in the corner of the stall, out of the way. I tied Mocha up to milk whatever was left and there wasn’t even one-half cup to be milked out! She is an efficient drinker…which gives her an excellent chance of staying healthy.
Calves — The Icing on the Cake
If you know me or if you’ve read my books https://dianeorrauthor.com/590-2/ you know how much I love my cows, and the other critters here on the farm…but to me, the calves are so sweet, they are just the icing on the cake! I love the hands on time I get with them in their first four months before they are weaned!
New Book?
I have been asked if Daisy will have her own book. My answer was “Yeah, probably!” Our last calf, Elsie, was included in the last book at the calves We Are Mocha’s Family. There are some special things about Daisy’s birth here on the farm: she is the TENTH calf to be born here; she is the first not to be either Jersey or Jersey/Angus mix (her breed is Jersey/Limousin, check out this link to see what her daddy may have looked like: https://www.thecattlesite.com/breeds/beef/39/limousin/.
I am eager to see what her personality is. So far, she reminds me of Hazel and of Herbie, who were both very contented and even-keeled! So watch for news. SUBSCRIBE to stay updated on lots of topics!
