It’s our Sunday for chores (which also means my week for cooking!). So this morning we spent some time with two cows in the barn whose babies were having some struggles learning to drink.
When this happens you normally have to give the baby calf some extra reassurance to get him or her sucking. Or in some cases you have to milk the cow down yourself. We did a little bit of both today.
My husband coaxed the calf into sucking on the first cow and she immediately went to town.
The second cow proved to be a bit more temperamental and her calf a little less sure of himself. Eventually we got him to suck a little bit and when he was worn out my husband milked out the cow and I gave the bottle of what was left to the baby. Eventually he will get it. Just like a new baby, he is still learning the tricks of what it means to latch on!
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| Please excuse my mess of hair. The new hair cut with bangs is super cute for a night out..bit of a pain for a day at the farm! |
After we spent some time with the new calves we tended to the rest of the cows. Which means giving them fresh hay for munching. And busting open some new bedding for resting. This is what I did while my husband cut the netting.
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| He’s pretty trusting right?? |
Next we tended to the other pasture of cows and were very surprised to see two new babies. We start looking for the mommas and realized they shared one!
It’s exciting when a cow has twins but it can also prove to be hard on the cow. Just like in humans twins, twin calves require extra attention. The births can be stressful and normally result in two tinier calves than normal. Sounds familiar to humans right?
These calves both had a very smooth birth. And the mother immediately took to both of them. She took turns licking them off and by the time we got back out to the pasture to bring them into the barn they were both standing up.
When a cow has twins the first concern is that she will reject one of the calves. Which means one baby isn’t getting the attention he or she needs. The next concern is the amount of milk the cow produces, just like humans she may not be able to produce enough for both calves.
We got the happy family into the barn with fresh straw, hay, and water. The twins will most likely need some extra TLC as the days goes on, something we are more than happy to give!
Take a look below to be introduced to our newest additions on the farm.
The twins are so cute! I just love calving season!!
I do too. It’s always great to see the little ones racing across the pasture!