Tracy in Ky Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 (edited) As requested, I am posting the birth pictures on here, because the other link requires registration. They are not gross, but it is a birth. Do not scroll down unless you want to see a calf being born. Okay? They are coming right up. Here she is, from start to finish, lol. He is like his mom--you can definitely see the Jersey in his head, and the rest of him looks like a Guernsey. I guess he is 1/4 Jersey and 3/4 Guernsey. This first picture is of her having a contraction. In the above picture, his two front feet are out. I was happy to see them turned the right way. If something else had presented, or if the feet were turned the other way, we would have run to get help fast. The calf hung there for maybe 3-5 minutes--or more. I was about to lose my mind. Dh helped him get on his feet. Isn't it cute! Edited March 15, 2009 by Tracy in Ky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 I had to run and get my girls to see. They've always wanted to see a calf born. He's so cute. Thanks. Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnetteB Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Thank you for sharing! He is a cutie :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Cool! My dc said Ewwwww, then it changed to awwwwwww! Very cute. Congrats "Grandma"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Very. Cool. :D Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithseed Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Thanks for sharing!! Time for milk and cheese, huh? Ahhhhhh, springtime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepy Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Wow! :D She looks like a good mama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretchen in NJ Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Ouch. So very cool. Thank you for sharing.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Beautiful momma and baby!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Too cool! I called my wife (a doula) over to see. :D Congratulations!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessed2fosteradopt Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 We all loved it here! Thank you for sharing and congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*anj* Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Very cool, and very cute! Congratulations, Grandma!! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 That was so cool! I called over my older two children to come see. DH was unimpressed; he grew upon a farm and helped birth calves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macrina Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 I request nursing photos next!!!!!:) thanks for sharing the pics!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 The tags on this thread are hysterical! lol. "Who needs an epidural" That is great! I'll try to get a nursing photo. It really is cute, although it wasn't cute last night. Little mister couldn't figure out how to nurse, and it is critical that they get colostrum within 2-3 hours of birth. I called my dairy friend, and he told me that is what they call a "dumb calf." Poor little thing. So dh and I had to go to the pasture, and while I held the light, he had to milk out colostrum so we could bottle feed the baby. I was scared that Sweetheart, in her protective new mother mode would plow dh over. But she didn't. That was stressful. (I had a whopper of a headache by evening.) By morning the baby had figured it out and had been nursing.. God is good :) I really didn't want to bottle feed another calf right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 The tags on this thread are hysterical! lol. "Who needs an epidural" That is great! I'll try to get a nursing photo. It really is cute, although it wasn't cute last night. Little mister couldn't figure out how to nurse, and it is critical that they get colostrum within 2-3 hours of birth. I called my dairy friend, and he told me that is what they call a "dumb calf." Poor little thing. So dh and I had to go to the pasture, and while I held the light, he had to milk out colostrum so we could bottle feed the baby. I was scared that Sweetheart, in her protective new mother mode would plow dh over. But she didn't. That was stressful. (I had a whopper of a headache by evening.) By morning the baby had figured it out and had been nursing.. God is good :) I really didn't want to bottle feed another calf right now! Just out of curiosity, how much colostrum does a cow have at first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Just a question -- if he's 'kinda dumb', does his mother have sufficient access to selenium? We've found that a lot of times the 'dumb' calves are selenium deficient. We don't see many anymore since we treat all the cows with a selenium injection in the last month of pregnancy. Of course, some of them still are just dumb ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 I'm really not sure how much is in there. Maybe a gallon per quarter? We milked out almost two quarts of colostrum tonight--just to relieve some pressure from one side. There is more than the calf needs, because she is a dairy breed. The calf takes probably 2 quarts per feeding or so. When her milk comes in in a couple of days, she'll probably be giving about 5 gallons a day to start. Thatsalotofmilk!!!! :w00t: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 Just a question -- if he's 'kinda dumb', does his mother have sufficient access to selenium? We've found that a lot of times the 'dumb' calves are selenium deficient. We don't see many anymore since we treat all the cows with a selenium injection in the last month of pregnancy. Of course, some of them still are just dumb ;) I'm pretty sure our area is not selenium deficient--I think I remember checking into that. He has caught on now though; he was just slow to start. lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Alfred Academy Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Very cool! We city folk don't get to see that too often. Thanks! :001_smile: Glad mom and baby are doing good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Once Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Thanks for posting! My kids found it really interesting. So did I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macrina Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Just out of curiosity, how much colostrum does a cow have at first? "As a general rule of thumb, a calf should receive 5 to 6 percent of the its body weight as colostrum within the first six hours of life. That same amount should be fed again when the calf is about 12 hours old. For an 80-pound calf, this equates to approximately 2 quarts of colostrum per feeding," http://www.ext.nodak.edu/county/rolette/colostrum.html As a CLC I am a lactation junkie- humans or animals, it doesn't matter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 "As a general rule of thumb, a calf should receive 5 to 6 percent of the its body weight as colostrum within the first six hours of life. That same amount should be fed again when the calf is about 12 hours old. For an 80-pound calf, this equates to approximately 2 quarts of colostrum per feeding," http://www.ext.nodak.edu/county/rolette/colostrum.html As a CLC I am a lactation junkie- humans or animals, it doesn't matter! Lol--well there you go! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 SO amazing! And he's one adorable boy. I especially love the hens, just peckin' around in the background-- Laa-dee--dah! Thanks for sharing! astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imeverywoman Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Awesome pictures. I love the one with the chicken looking on (where the calf is just hanging). It's like the chicken is saying, "What the heck is THAT? Man, am I glad I lay eggs!!!" Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 I thought the chickens hanging around was funny too :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 OH, wow! That's just amazing! Congrats to all. How is Sweetheart this morning? Ria (who has serious cow envy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexandra Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 markings but I think he has a map outline of the lower 48 states...? Really neat pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Thanks for sharing the pictures! My kids enjoyed them, too. Last night I dreamed that we were birthing calves in the living room. :001_huh: Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 Thanks for sharing the pictures! My kids enjoyed them, too. Last night I dreamed that we were birthing calves in the living room. :001_huh: Jennifer That is hysterical. I wouldn't recommend it. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 My dd wants to know what the calf's name is. She suggests Sweetieboy, but that might get him beaten up by the other calves during recess. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted March 16, 2009 Author Share Posted March 16, 2009 My dd wants to know what the calf's name is. She suggests Sweetieboy, but that might get him beaten up by the other calves during recess. :lol: Lol--well, we aren't naming him, because we are going to raise him for beef. The children are instructed to pour out their calf love on Izzy, who is more than happy to receive it. lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Our first beef calf was named Hamburger King. We also had Steak, Ribsy, T-bone and YumYum. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in IN Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Awesome pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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