Post by cindy04 on May 28, 2008 21:25:35 GMT -5
Well, Clover was due to calf this coming Thursday but we had high hopes that she would go a day or two early with a heifer calf…Wrong, we would like to introduce “Pete” and “Repeat”. Just joking on the names – we are calling them baby A and baby B for right now.
Our neighbors (Genny & Red) and milk-helper friend (Jerry) have all been checking in for us several times a day while we go to work. Our cows of course never calve at night, but of course we check every hour on the hour all night. ::)Yawn.
This morning we check, Genny checks at 10am, Jerry at 12 –and something was up! He rushed home to get his 84 year old Mother settled and back to our place. Labor was in full swing at this point. He called us and we both left work on the run! First calf comes out nice and healthy with boy parts. Jerry and his son sit down to watch mom and baby and wait for our arrival. Jerry looks up and here comes another set of feet, with boy parts at the other end. They were born around 2pm, 15 minutes apart. And all this time we just thought that she was fat. ;D
We just can’t believe that we have twins! They are so darn cute.
Grace, our other cow who had the really bad case of milk fever last year, had her calf back in April, 8 days early and stillborn. It was a very loud/fancy red and white heifer calf, but also very deformed.(frozen joints) We were heartbroken. We really didn’t need 2 bull calves but they both appear healthy at this point and so does Clover and that of course is most important. If anyone out there is looking for a nice future herd sire you can reserve the pick of the litter! LOL Clover is a Topkick daughter and the twins sire is Nicholas. We will dehorn them within the next two weeks.
** I almost forgot—she came to the barn and into her stall to have the calves!! No out in the pasture and hiding for this girl.
Once the little guys were a couple of hours old and several wobble attempts at nursing (even with assistance) we milked a bit and gave them both a couple of pints of mommy’s colostrum in bottles. This really helped them with energy and one has started nursing with a vengeance and the other is trying much harder. We gave him a bit more from the bottle again after about 30 minutes. He will catch on pretty soon I’m sure, once he figures out to slow down and stand steady. We will check on them every hour or two throughout the night.
Whew – glad that’s over!
Twins—I just can’t believe it!! Now for the pics:
Our neighbors (Genny & Red) and milk-helper friend (Jerry) have all been checking in for us several times a day while we go to work. Our cows of course never calve at night, but of course we check every hour on the hour all night. ::)Yawn.
This morning we check, Genny checks at 10am, Jerry at 12 –and something was up! He rushed home to get his 84 year old Mother settled and back to our place. Labor was in full swing at this point. He called us and we both left work on the run! First calf comes out nice and healthy with boy parts. Jerry and his son sit down to watch mom and baby and wait for our arrival. Jerry looks up and here comes another set of feet, with boy parts at the other end. They were born around 2pm, 15 minutes apart. And all this time we just thought that she was fat. ;D
We just can’t believe that we have twins! They are so darn cute.
Grace, our other cow who had the really bad case of milk fever last year, had her calf back in April, 8 days early and stillborn. It was a very loud/fancy red and white heifer calf, but also very deformed.(frozen joints) We were heartbroken. We really didn’t need 2 bull calves but they both appear healthy at this point and so does Clover and that of course is most important. If anyone out there is looking for a nice future herd sire you can reserve the pick of the litter! LOL Clover is a Topkick daughter and the twins sire is Nicholas. We will dehorn them within the next two weeks.
** I almost forgot—she came to the barn and into her stall to have the calves!! No out in the pasture and hiding for this girl.
Once the little guys were a couple of hours old and several wobble attempts at nursing (even with assistance) we milked a bit and gave them both a couple of pints of mommy’s colostrum in bottles. This really helped them with energy and one has started nursing with a vengeance and the other is trying much harder. We gave him a bit more from the bottle again after about 30 minutes. He will catch on pretty soon I’m sure, once he figures out to slow down and stand steady. We will check on them every hour or two throughout the night.
Whew – glad that’s over!
Twins—I just can’t believe it!! Now for the pics: