Post by chaparra72 on Sept 21, 2008 13:53:30 GMT -5
Well, I thought I would give a more detailed account of what happened yesterday.
As you all know, I have been waiting and waiting for things to happen, as we all are. The past few days, she had shown a lot of changes. In fact, I had felt sure that she was going to calve the night before last, and have been exhausted from lack of sleep, and then not much sleeping at all the night before she calved. I had made an early breakfast yesterday morning, then checked Belinda. When I came in, I told my husband that it looked like it would be soon, as her pins were looking WAY different (though not like the photos from Midge), so I hoped it would be in the next day or two. Well, Belinda had kind of been walking around with her tail up occasionally, not really high, but just slightly. I kind of figured they were because she was contracting, but I just figured it would still be a few days. My husband had gone to town to buy feed, and got home around 11 AM. I was going to take a shower before he got home, but I just couldn't pull myself away from checking on Belinda. My daughter and I would watch her for a bit, she was pooping a lot, holding her tail out. I finally decided she was in labor, so the shower was out of the question for the time being. The kids were so glad to be home from school to see everything, and my husband too. She never stopped eating. She also pooped with nearly every contraction, so that is why I wasn't sure at first if it was labor or not. Then, after watching her do this for awhile, she all of a sudden acted like she wanted to lay down, so I went to the house for the camera. I had to also put some clothes in the dryer, and post here that she was in labor, took a few minutes. By the time I got back outside, she was down and pushing. She never got up and then laid back down again. she was up untill about 25 minutes or so before he was born, then down for the remainder. She also chewed her cud through everything but his actual decent through the canal. She was so good and calm. Of course, this being her first calf, it took a bit to actually deliver him, but probably not more than 8 minutes, once his hooves were out. It took her a few minutes to realize what happened, and to get up and start cleaning him, but the minute she realized, it was love at first sight She talks to him constantly, and is always cleaning him, and sometimes he seems to get those looks that say "mom! enough already!!!" ;D We bottlefed him over half a gallon of colostrum yesterday, and he nursed too. I was feeling extremely tired and exhausted by this time. I was feeling pretty lousy durring the day, but thought it was because I was so tired. Come to find out, I was actually getting sick, I don't know if it is the flu or what, but I feel pretty sick. It is 12:40, and after getting up early, taking care of the cows and milk, cooking the custard, and ccoking to feed everyone, I am ready for a nap ;D Momma has done well with us handling him so far, though we are watchful and mindful. We milked a gallon this morning, and will do the same tonight. She did try often to brush us off, but never any outright kicking, she did well. We were going to bottlefeed more colostrum, but he already had a bellyful from momma, and didn't want anymore. I froze the remainder of yesterdays colostrum, and will freeze some more today.
Oh, BTW, I made some custard this morning with some of the colostrum, and it was DELICIOUS!!!
Belinda and her boy, we haven't picked a name yet:
Her bag, after we cleaned her and milked her this morning:
My custard:
Oh, I thought I would mention that belindas teats never really got cone shaped. They were pretty turgid, and would spring back into place if you tried to fold the teat, and then let it go. She never leaked colostrum, and they never got waxy either. Like I said, her pins did not look like the photos Midge posted, but then I really never expected them to look as sunk in as a lot of cows get, she just isn't as bony in the hip area. But there definately was a difference.
As you all know, I have been waiting and waiting for things to happen, as we all are. The past few days, she had shown a lot of changes. In fact, I had felt sure that she was going to calve the night before last, and have been exhausted from lack of sleep, and then not much sleeping at all the night before she calved. I had made an early breakfast yesterday morning, then checked Belinda. When I came in, I told my husband that it looked like it would be soon, as her pins were looking WAY different (though not like the photos from Midge), so I hoped it would be in the next day or two. Well, Belinda had kind of been walking around with her tail up occasionally, not really high, but just slightly. I kind of figured they were because she was contracting, but I just figured it would still be a few days. My husband had gone to town to buy feed, and got home around 11 AM. I was going to take a shower before he got home, but I just couldn't pull myself away from checking on Belinda. My daughter and I would watch her for a bit, she was pooping a lot, holding her tail out. I finally decided she was in labor, so the shower was out of the question for the time being. The kids were so glad to be home from school to see everything, and my husband too. She never stopped eating. She also pooped with nearly every contraction, so that is why I wasn't sure at first if it was labor or not. Then, after watching her do this for awhile, she all of a sudden acted like she wanted to lay down, so I went to the house for the camera. I had to also put some clothes in the dryer, and post here that she was in labor, took a few minutes. By the time I got back outside, she was down and pushing. She never got up and then laid back down again. she was up untill about 25 minutes or so before he was born, then down for the remainder. She also chewed her cud through everything but his actual decent through the canal. She was so good and calm. Of course, this being her first calf, it took a bit to actually deliver him, but probably not more than 8 minutes, once his hooves were out. It took her a few minutes to realize what happened, and to get up and start cleaning him, but the minute she realized, it was love at first sight She talks to him constantly, and is always cleaning him, and sometimes he seems to get those looks that say "mom! enough already!!!" ;D We bottlefed him over half a gallon of colostrum yesterday, and he nursed too. I was feeling extremely tired and exhausted by this time. I was feeling pretty lousy durring the day, but thought it was because I was so tired. Come to find out, I was actually getting sick, I don't know if it is the flu or what, but I feel pretty sick. It is 12:40, and after getting up early, taking care of the cows and milk, cooking the custard, and ccoking to feed everyone, I am ready for a nap ;D Momma has done well with us handling him so far, though we are watchful and mindful. We milked a gallon this morning, and will do the same tonight. She did try often to brush us off, but never any outright kicking, she did well. We were going to bottlefeed more colostrum, but he already had a bellyful from momma, and didn't want anymore. I froze the remainder of yesterdays colostrum, and will freeze some more today.
Oh, BTW, I made some custard this morning with some of the colostrum, and it was DELICIOUS!!!
Belinda and her boy, we haven't picked a name yet:
Her bag, after we cleaned her and milked her this morning:
My custard:
Oh, I thought I would mention that belindas teats never really got cone shaped. They were pretty turgid, and would spring back into place if you tried to fold the teat, and then let it go. She never leaked colostrum, and they never got waxy either. Like I said, her pins did not look like the photos Midge posted, but then I really never expected them to look as sunk in as a lot of cows get, she just isn't as bony in the hip area. But there definately was a difference.