On watch for our first 2010 calf

[Euchee Creek Farm]

Looks like it could be anytime soon for our cow Gypsy to have her calf, this will be her second calf. Hoping for a heifer of course and all goes well.
I do not know her due date, I wish I did. Was told she is due in January when we bought her so January still as a ways to go.
Does everyone get this nervous at calving time?

[copperhead]

I don't get nervous, but.....I do like to put them up in case they need some help. I"ve had to help out twice, last season, one was upside down and one was just a really big baby for a first calf heifer. I think it pays to be a little nervous, keeps you on alert !! Good luck with her,

[midhilldexters]

I just had a bull calf (again!) this morning, it was 7 degrees when I got up. I was nervous for this one as her first calf got pushed under the fence and she abandoned it, so this was like her first calf. She did great, she's up there making motherly mooing sounds to him. He was up and nursing once he got his land legs and all is good at Midhill Farm!
Good luck to you, hope it goes well and enjoy the experience.

Carol K

[legendrockranch]

I still get nervous during calving season. We also bring our cows in for calving just in case someone needs any help. KNOCK ON WOOD with almost 60 calves born here, no one required any assistance. Well......except for me!

Congratulations midhill, so tell us more, color or polled?
Are you going to be milking?

Barb

[Euchee Creek Farm]

I too bring the soon to be mamas up and put them in a small pasture that I can monitor from the house. Save alot of trips to the back woods looking for mama.
Several years ago, before I learned better, one of my trips to the back woods really surprised me. It was a very pleasant surprise, two cows calved in the same place at the same time. I guess they knew which calf was theirs as there was never a problem.

[lrininger]

Barb,

Proud Grandma had to call & fill me in on the new comer. He is black & probably out of Yukie. Mom is doing a good job this time around. Looks like he is going to be a tall one, got really long legs now, had to duck to get breakfast.

Linda

[legendrockranch]

Thanks for the update Linda. Hopefully the next cow thats due for Midhill is a heifer, I think she's had her run of bull calves.

Barb

[dexterfan]

Hoping you have a heifer, Barb! Keep us posted on Gypsy.

[Euchee Creek Farm]

Well, still no calf but with the icy snowy weather that is a good thing. But this morning as I was setting at my computer that has a view of the pasture that Gypsy is in with two yearling heifers... what do I see but one of heifers nursing on her! She was protesting a little but not enough to stop her. Now I do not know how long this has been going on, I just have not seen it before. The heifer is not her heifer but I have seen Gypsy licking her lately. I have seperated the cow from the heifers but now wonder if this is going to be a problem with Gypsy having colostrum for her new calf. As I said before she is due this month and she looks ready but don't have a due date for sure.

[copperhead]

It shouldn't be a problem, I've had that happen several times. It doesn't seem to affect the colostrum, but it will be a problem after the calf gets here. I had one go down last year with milk fever because she had 3 and 4 calves nursing her, and not one of them was hers.......so, you better plan on keeping the little "thief" away for a while.

[Euchee Creek Farm]

Thanks Copperhead and Genebo for the information, I will stop worrying and get on with waiting for the new calf.

[copperhead]

Waiting for a new baby seems to be a full time job..............At least she waited till the blizzard was over.

[Euchee Creek Farm]

Gypsy finally calved on the most beautiful day of the year so far, it was in the upper 50's and sunny. I belive that was sun it has been so long since I have seem it. She had a little heifer, thank you, that was up and looking for a meal as if she could not wait.
Isn't it just amazing to see those little babies still wet trying so hard to stand, fall and then try again until they get it right. And then know just what to do... find their first meal.

Well, bright and sunny yesterday has turned to snowy, wet and cold as well as windy today but it was nice while it lasted.

[lrininger]

Congrats on your little girl, Sheila. I went out to a little black bull calf this mornring, but it was a cross, so didn't really matter, he is meal time anyway. She had it in the snow, during the night, & he was up & running around already. But when I brought them inside to check them out, sent them to "the playground" he seemed to get cold, so I put him & Mom back inside. That made #8 in last couple of weeks, so it is a playground, when you put them all together.

[Euchee Creek Farm]

Thanks, it is always exciting having those new calves no matter what kind they are and not just calves but all the different babies. We are expecting lambs to start arriving in a few weeks and will be just as excited to see what they will look like.
How nice to have many babies to watch play together I am afraid that is the last calf for us until June.
Congradulations on your new addition, is he a Dexter cross?