Post by Lannie on Sept 30, 2012 13:03:43 GMT -5
Yesterday, I was taking a walk across the wasteland formerly known as "our pasture," and Baby Helen ran up to me so I could give her a scratch under the chin, then I continued on up the hill to the corner of the property. (I was looking for our Pyrs, who have escaped again... ) Helen pranced along behind me and I was thinking what a GREAT little heifer she is, and how much I love her, and then Bandit mooed at her and she scampered back down the hill.
As I was coming back down the hill, I saw the three of them together and Helen had her nose under Cricket's belly. I could see she wasn't at her udder, but I thought it was strange, then as I got closer the little snot worked her way back and started sucking on Cricket! And Cricket WAS LETTING HER!!!!!!
The last time Bandit had a calf (Taz the Monster) he would get confused a lot because Bandit and Cricket are basically the same color, and every time he tried to nuzzle up to Cricket's udder, she'd thump him upside the head hard enough to make him wobble. So why on EARTH is she letting Helen nurse now?
I hurried over as fast as I could and slapped Helen's nose REALLY hard (oh, that broke my heart, but I had to), then pointed her at Bandit's udder. She gave one teat a lick, then turned around and grabbed one of Cricket's again. ANOTHER slap! The slaps only deterred her for a matter of a few seconds, though. I looked at Cricket's teats and none of them still have the wax plug, so that little sh*t has been nursing all four quarters. She hardly has anything in her udder, though, and Bandit has GALLONS in there, so I don't get it!
Well, so now Cricket is banished to the cow pen until she calves. I HATE to do that, but it's either that or lock Bandit and Helen up in the pen. I can't even put a weaning ring on Helen because she's still nursing Bandit.
GAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!! I'm just venting. This was SO not in my plan.
I guess I know that if I wanted to put a foster on Cricket, though, I could. Once she calves, I don't care who nurses whom, but man, oh, man, I don't need her taking all Cricket's colostrum. She's still somewhere between 3 and 5 weeks before calving - I think she'll be OK colostrum-wise. Am I right? (Poor Cricket, I can't imagine her being locked in that pen for so long... )
~Lannie
As I was coming back down the hill, I saw the three of them together and Helen had her nose under Cricket's belly. I could see she wasn't at her udder, but I thought it was strange, then as I got closer the little snot worked her way back and started sucking on Cricket! And Cricket WAS LETTING HER!!!!!!
The last time Bandit had a calf (Taz the Monster) he would get confused a lot because Bandit and Cricket are basically the same color, and every time he tried to nuzzle up to Cricket's udder, she'd thump him upside the head hard enough to make him wobble. So why on EARTH is she letting Helen nurse now?
I hurried over as fast as I could and slapped Helen's nose REALLY hard (oh, that broke my heart, but I had to), then pointed her at Bandit's udder. She gave one teat a lick, then turned around and grabbed one of Cricket's again. ANOTHER slap! The slaps only deterred her for a matter of a few seconds, though. I looked at Cricket's teats and none of them still have the wax plug, so that little sh*t has been nursing all four quarters. She hardly has anything in her udder, though, and Bandit has GALLONS in there, so I don't get it!
Well, so now Cricket is banished to the cow pen until she calves. I HATE to do that, but it's either that or lock Bandit and Helen up in the pen. I can't even put a weaning ring on Helen because she's still nursing Bandit.
GAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!! I'm just venting. This was SO not in my plan.
I guess I know that if I wanted to put a foster on Cricket, though, I could. Once she calves, I don't care who nurses whom, but man, oh, man, I don't need her taking all Cricket's colostrum. She's still somewhere between 3 and 5 weeks before calving - I think she'll be OK colostrum-wise. Am I right? (Poor Cricket, I can't imagine her being locked in that pen for so long... )
~Lannie