ReluctantFarmer Journal

[RollingAcres]

We are known to be supportive jokesters that have your back and are here to help each other with a little enabler (or a lot) mixed in.

You got that right!

 

[ReluctantFarmer]

First calf of the year! A hungry little girl. Calf and cow both seem to be doing fine. Went out this morning and saw her in the field. Came from a good experienced cow. So glad there were no issues

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Congrats!!

 

[farmerjan]

That's great.....

 

[Latestarter]

How awesome is that?! Congrats!

 

[ReluctantFarmer]

Our second calf of the year, a hungry baby boy! He’s three days old here. Came from a very protective mature cow. Hope the next three are this easy

 

[farmerjan]

Congrats on your second calf. Great that you have experienced cows... it makes the first few calves alot easier to deal with. Just a note; do be careful of a protective momma cow with a new baby. They are only doing their job and are nervous with anyone that might get too close. Most will calm down after a week or two, but the first few days can be upsetting. The reason I say this is they might try to charge you to get you to keep your distance. The thing is, the calves can get hurt because the cow can "run right over them" while trying to protect them. I have had cows step on calves when they were being concerned and protective mommas. Once you get to know your cows, you will see their different personalities evolve. And most will calm down once the calf gets pretty mobile. I like a cow to be somewhat protective for the first couple of days. The heifers we have raised up mostly are very accepting of me but still, will want to take their baby off away from me when very new. They don't get aggressive towards me, but some of the older bought cows I would not turn my back on for a second.
Hope the next 3 go as well for you.

 

[ReluctantFarmer]

Thanks for the good advice @farmerjan. I do trust this one good enough, but I couldn’t get much closer cause she’d just take it off farther and farther away from me. She kept it far away from the herd for the first two days.

Luckily we’ve got a small enough herd that I’m getting to know them. I try to make a point to walk in amongst them calmly, just so they get comfortable with me. Now they have gotten to the point that when they see me coming, they come running

Today momma and baby were hanging with the rest of the herd, so I’m glad about that. The two new babys have started hanging out together, I’m sure in a month or three so they will be inseparable

 

[farmerjan]

Yep, that's what ours do. Usually pretty aloof for the first day or two. I think it is nature's way of them bonding so the calf will instinctively "know" it's momma. Then after a couple days they will be right back together. And the smiles and laughs you will have when the calves start running and playing together.... they have so much energy. Maybe not as "cute" as lambs or kids, but still, I love to watch calves on a nice sunny day just jump up and then start running around just because they can.
You will also find that once the calves start sticking more together, that the cows will often go off and graze and there will be one "babysitter" cow that will stick close. Kinda neat to see 3-5-8 babies all laying out flat sound asleep and one cow not far off keeping her protective eye on them as she munches away or just stands there dozing herself.

 

[RollingAcres]

Congrats on the calves @ReluctantFarmer !