Long leg calf, short leg mama

[Cloverbell]

Short story - new calf, 24 hours old, very large, overdue, mama is carrier with very, very full and low-hanging udder, older, not her first calf, (remember Magda in Something About Mary? you get the picture)

Have not yet actually seen him nurse but he is full of himself running around (even with lame foot) 24 hours after birth. I would look for his telltale first poop but I cannot get in the corral area without his very over-protective mama charging me. (This is typical for her the first few days after birth and she will calm down in about a week).

Her udder, is so full and misshapen that I cannot see if a quarter has been nursed down.

AND, he is so big and her udder is so low to the ground.

So my question is - how long could a calf go without getting milk after birth and should I assume that if he's got the energy he does he's been nursing?

I've been out there staring at him a dozen times and if he's not running around, he's asleep. And, mama is hating me more each time so I'm trying to give them peace. I have the binoculars out even but since they're lying inside the barn they're no use.

Farm man says he wouldn't be running around if he hadn't eaten.

What say y'all?

[liz]

If I don't catch the calf sucking or see the meconium pass, I usually feel the tummy. It is quite sunken if they haven't been sucking and obviously firmer and full if they have been. They say the quicker the better for the colostrum but definately within the first 12 hours. The farmer is probably right though, he wouldn't have that much energy if he didn't drink. Don't we agonize ...at least I do! L