Heifer #108

  During the small break between our two 'blizzards' in April, Heifer #108 had a calf.  However, something seemed to be wrong with this calf, whenever it sucked, milk ran out of it's nose.  We didn't know how to help the calf and eventually it died during a little snowstorm at the beginning of May.  Sometimes nature is cruel. 

  After the calf died last week, we brought the heifer home so we could graft another baby calf on the heifer.  Grafting means taking a calf off one cow and putting it on an another.  We do this to keep certain cows in our herd and then cull out other cows that we are planning on selling anyway.  We take baby calves off of the older cows or crippled cows and give the babies a better momma like a heifer. 

  To do this grafting right (or at least the easiest way), it's best to take a just born calf (not even licked by the momma that had it) and stick it a dark pen in a barn with it's new momma.  We put a substance on the calf's back from the top of it's poll all of the way to the tail head that we call Mother-Up ( I can not remember what the 'correct' name for it is), it's a magical potion that encourages a cow to lick a calf.  Then we leave the pair alone to become acquainted with each other, checking on them periodically and encouraging the calf to stand up if he doesn't on his own.  Usually, if everything goes good within 24 hours, we have a new pair that is ready to go out in the big, wide world. 

  However, Heifer #108 decided that even though she allowed her new calf to nurse her, she wasn't that fond of her new calf.  So, we kept them in the corral to make sure that she continued to nurse her baby and to help them start to bond without interference from other cows and calves.  Last night, I finally seen Heifer #108 lick her baby and 'moo' to him....Success at last!

Mr T inspecting our pair.

Such a sweet baby!

Mmmm....lunch!

My gate closer in training!

  Have a Blessed Day!  We are nearly 70 degrees at lunchtime so there is no complaining around here :)

~C~