Calf "Sunday" and momma #12810
Well its has been wet to say the least. We had not had any rain for several weeks and needed some badly. Then it came, and kept on coming. Of course my beaver buddies have been working overtime to make sure that the pastures and road would flood, and that they did. Pesky flattails! I worked in a light rain all day saturday setting fence posts, then it started to come down so hard I headed home.
I knew that heifer 12810 was going to calf any day, so we had been watching her closely. On sunday I worked around the house cleaning the pool and lanai. I kicked around the idea of going and checking the cows but it started pouring. Ami would be checking them when she fed the horses, so I relaxed in my easy chair.
Ami called and said the road and pasture the cows were in was flooded, and that 12810 had her calf. A little heifer calf. 12810 had found a dry spot under some tree cover to give birth. Of course I took off to make sure everything was OK. I asked Ami if the calf was nursing and she said yes. It is crucial that the calf nurse immediately, as the colostrum contains all the antibodies that the calf needs for immunity against disease. The newborn calf must receive the colostrum with six hours for maximum benefit.
I think we will name this little calf....Sunday.
When I got to the bridge at the south pasture, the water was a six inches deep and a foot deep where you open the gate. I checked on the cows and did not see the calf. Momma was grazing, so I started walking around. Momma then led me to the baby, still under some tree cover. I watched her nurse, then left to work on busting up some of the beaver dam.
We need some consecutive dry days so I can get the north hayfield cut and baled. Hopefully this saturday I can start. I am expecting a lot of hay.
Update on the wild turkey nest - it looks like the eggs were taken by a preditor. No sign of eggs, hatching, shell pieces or anything. It could be that they hatched and then the shell pieces were eaten. My guess would be a fox, I have seen a very large one, but who knows.
(pictures by Ami)
I knew that heifer 12810 was going to calf any day, so we had been watching her closely. On sunday I worked around the house cleaning the pool and lanai. I kicked around the idea of going and checking the cows but it started pouring. Ami would be checking them when she fed the horses, so I relaxed in my easy chair.
Ami called and said the road and pasture the cows were in was flooded, and that 12810 had her calf. A little heifer calf. 12810 had found a dry spot under some tree cover to give birth. Of course I took off to make sure everything was OK. I asked Ami if the calf was nursing and she said yes. It is crucial that the calf nurse immediately, as the colostrum contains all the antibodies that the calf needs for immunity against disease. The newborn calf must receive the colostrum with six hours for maximum benefit.
I think we will name this little calf....Sunday.
When I got to the bridge at the south pasture, the water was a six inches deep and a foot deep where you open the gate. I checked on the cows and did not see the calf. Momma was grazing, so I started walking around. Momma then led me to the baby, still under some tree cover. I watched her nurse, then left to work on busting up some of the beaver dam.
We need some consecutive dry days so I can get the north hayfield cut and baled. Hopefully this saturday I can start. I am expecting a lot of hay.
Update on the wild turkey nest - it looks like the eggs were taken by a preditor. No sign of eggs, hatching, shell pieces or anything. It could be that they hatched and then the shell pieces were eaten. My guess would be a fox, I have seen a very large one, but who knows.
(pictures by Ami)
This is the Bridge road over the creek. In this pic it is the creek.
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