# My very first calves!



## cchardwick (Sep 17, 2013)

I'm new to cattle, about two months in and so far I've been through some tough times and some good times.  I have three llamas and a bunch of chickens but never had any type of cow so I thought what the heck, the best way to learn is to just go out and buy a cow!  The one that caught my eye was a three week old Holstein heifer.  After I bought her I found out that she had a bad respiratory infection and I brought her to the vet several times for shots.  She still has a cough after 10 weeks but is getting big and strong.  When I bought her she was all skin and bones!  She has really put on some weight in the last couple weeks.  Perhaps my biggest disappointment was that I found out she was a sterile Freemartin.  I had never heard of that until I talked to my sister in law who works in a dairy and says that they usually only sell heifers if they are Freemartins, so I had the vet do the test and sure enough.  So I figured no calves, no milk, so I better get another cow.  So I bought a two week old Jersey heifer last Saturday!  

Here are some photos.  The black and white cow is a Holstein, her name is 'Daisy May Freemartin' (10 weeks old) and the other calf is 'Iris', a pure Jersey heifer (2 weeks old).  I was really nervous about getting them because I don't know anything about cows, but now that I've had them I can't imagine life without them!


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## Hardy&Healthy (Sep 18, 2013)

:bun  

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww, how overly too cute! (both)


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## Four Winds Ranch (Sep 18, 2013)

Beautiful calves!!!!!  
Welcome to the forum!!!!! Nice to have you aboard!!!


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## cchardwick (Sep 18, 2013)

I may actually try to breed my freemartin holstein at the same time I breed my Jersey just for kicks.  I read a post where a guy actually got a calf from a freemartin so you never know!


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## jhm47 (Sep 18, 2013)

cchardwick:  Your freemarten heifer will never cycle.  She has no ovaries or uterus.  Her reproductive tract ends at her urethra.  If you try to breed her artificially, you could possibly puncture her and cause a very nasty infection.  I find several of these each year as I breed heifers for my customers.  A claim that someone has gotten a calf from a freemarten is false.  It's impossible.  Do yourself and your heifer a favor and don't mess with her reproductive tract.  Focus on your Jersey and get nice calves from her.  Good luck!


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## cchardwick (Sep 18, 2013)

Good idea, the Jersey calfs bring in a lot more money anyway.  I was heartbroken when I found out my Holstein was a Freemartin.  I think I'll give her a good life for a few years and a nice retirement in my freezer!


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## Bossroo (Sep 19, 2013)

If I were in your shoes, I would give the Freemartin an early retirement to the freezer as a veal post haste, then purchase another heifer. This will save one lots of money in the long run.


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## california cowgirl (Oct 12, 2013)

What adorable pictures and cute calves.  Hope your adventure is a positive one.  Make sure you use and good quality ALL MILK PROTEIN milk replacer and avoid anything with SOY in it till they are much older.  I found out the hard way the soy in not digestable and it caused so many problems.  I have learned a lot and posted it on my page with my story.  And or the calf weaning and birthing page.  They look amazing and really healthy.  You must be doing it right.  Yes you have a lot of help here on this page.  We ranch in CA and yes freemartins do not breed.  Happens when a twin one is a bull and the other a heifer and the bull's hormones cancel out the heifers in the womb.  So I would not even try.  She is a pretty one for sure.  Raising cattle is a lot of work so read up and enjoy.


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