simka2 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I have just found a baby calf in the woods cannot find mom anywhere. What do I do? It is laying down, blinking, but not trying to get away. Will she come back or has it been abandoned. Please advise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God IS Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 How big is it(great dane size....too large to get it to do what you want etc?)? Is it wet(just born)? If you can stand it up, look for an umbilcal remnant hanging. Does it look well groomed? If you can agitate it enough to moo, the momma might come back, but momma RARELY would leave a new born like that. BE AWARE!!! Mommy cows may hurt you in defending thier young. IF it were me, and I searched a bit for the momma...I would take it home and start contacting very nearby farmers to see if one of thier cows appears to have given birth recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Texican Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 My cousin had a cow ran away or stolen. We called the sheriff to help look for it. The owner might have called the Sherriff trying to look for it. Most places cows just can't be loose because it's a traffic hazard. If the calf is not inside a fence it's probably lost. JMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiegirl Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 I would just call around to nearby farmers and see if it belongs to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 Mama just came back from about a mile away. I didn't realize they would stray so far from the babies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 How big is it(great dane size....too large to get it to do what you want etc?)? Is it wet(just born)? If you can stand it up, look for an umbilcal remnant hanging. Does it look well groomed? If you can agitate it enough to moo, the momma might come back, but momma RARELY would leave a new born like that. BE AWARE!!! Mommy cows may hurt you in defending thier young. IF it were me, and I searched a bit for the momma...I would take it home and start contacting very nearby farmers to see if one of thier cows appears to have given birth recently. It was smaller than Great Dane size, but completely dry. We are on well over 300+ acres, now that I have discovered that the our property is open to the government land behind us. I normally try to avoid the cows when we walk and felt pretty safe on the back northwest corner, because the cows were on the southeast. Dh walked back to the house, to call the man who leases the land for the cows and ask if this was normal. I think in walking back he may have alerted the momma, because about 15 min later she did come charging across the pasture. I am just glad she came back. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Are those two the only two out there?? Usually one momma will stay with many babies while the others graze. We get a big kick out of watching the babysitting momma, sometimes it's even the bull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Mama cows will leave their babies to graze if they need to, especially quite young ones. The not moving is a fear response and is totally normal for calves. If you find one again, just keep an eye on it. If the mama hasn't shown up in a few hours, then I'd start calling people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I'm glad the mamma came back. I was going to suggest you call animal control. But, I just want to say, I am so impressed that you took your laptop into the woods with you! And then, in an emergency, the first place you thought to "call" was here! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Are those two the only two out there?? Usually one momma will stay with many babies while the others graze. We get a big kick out of watching the babysitting momma, sometimes it's even the bull. There is about 30 head out here. So far they have dropped 6 babies since we moved a couple weeks ago. There was no babysitter. In hindsight, they do bed down over on that side of the land. I think she put it "to bed" went off with the herd for a late afternoon meal, planning on returning to it towards evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 I'm glad the mamma came back. I was going to suggest you call animal control. But, I just want to say, I am so impressed that you took your laptop into the woods with you! And then, in an emergency, the first place you thought to "call" was here! :lol: I had a friend with me who had an iphone! We were quite the team ;) This is the only place that has ranchers and vets all in one location!!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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