Post by Selden on Jan 28, 2008 17:20:10 GMT -5
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
No problems at all! I realized from Katika's somewhat concentrated expression this morning that today was the day. I had turned her out at 7:30 but brought her back in at 7:45, as she was gazing into space and ignoring the hay.
The calf was born at 9:35. I had left to arrange coverage for my second period history class and Katika obligingly waited until I returned. Just as I slid open the barn door, the calf slid out. Katika was lying down, panting, so I jumped in and ripped the sack off the calf's head. No early photos as they were sadly deleted by a faulty camera cord. But here are a few about twenty minutes in.
"Got the back ones up, but now how do I work the front?"
"Wow, these things aren't very steady!"
"Look, they move!"
(Notice steam in all the photos. It was 15° F and the warm wet calf and Katika's breath were both steaming in the cold!)
I was a little nervous getting between Katika and her calf this go-round, since she is now an experienced mom and more immediately tuned in, but she seemed happy to have me towel off the baby while she had a few buckets of water and some hay. At one point, I was straddling the calf, holding her on the teat, and Katika was reaching around between my legs to lick the calf's bottom, occasionally licking me. It felt very cozy.
After a milky snack, another bath. "Oh, Ma!"
Her name is Hope. This is coincidentally her mother's middle name.
Hugh Grant, stud muffin, waiting outside.
I have been playing musical stalls to keep the cows apart the past week. Joann was correct, though, about the craziness with the smell of hormones -- Hughie immediately began jumping Jiminy, my donkey! Much to Jim's horror.
Hope is about 75 lbs and 27.5" at the withers. I was able to milk out about 1.5 gallons of colostrum. Katika is hugely engorged and it took me about 45 minutes and lots of elbow grease to get that much. The back teats are swollen into stiff thimbles on the sides of a beach ball! She seemed happier after that was done.
Yahoo!
No problems at all! I realized from Katika's somewhat concentrated expression this morning that today was the day. I had turned her out at 7:30 but brought her back in at 7:45, as she was gazing into space and ignoring the hay.
The calf was born at 9:35. I had left to arrange coverage for my second period history class and Katika obligingly waited until I returned. Just as I slid open the barn door, the calf slid out. Katika was lying down, panting, so I jumped in and ripped the sack off the calf's head. No early photos as they were sadly deleted by a faulty camera cord. But here are a few about twenty minutes in.
"Got the back ones up, but now how do I work the front?"
"Wow, these things aren't very steady!"
"Look, they move!"
(Notice steam in all the photos. It was 15° F and the warm wet calf and Katika's breath were both steaming in the cold!)
I was a little nervous getting between Katika and her calf this go-round, since she is now an experienced mom and more immediately tuned in, but she seemed happy to have me towel off the baby while she had a few buckets of water and some hay. At one point, I was straddling the calf, holding her on the teat, and Katika was reaching around between my legs to lick the calf's bottom, occasionally licking me. It felt very cozy.
After a milky snack, another bath. "Oh, Ma!"
Her name is Hope. This is coincidentally her mother's middle name.
Hugh Grant, stud muffin, waiting outside.
I have been playing musical stalls to keep the cows apart the past week. Joann was correct, though, about the craziness with the smell of hormones -- Hughie immediately began jumping Jiminy, my donkey! Much to Jim's horror.
Hope is about 75 lbs and 27.5" at the withers. I was able to milk out about 1.5 gallons of colostrum. Katika is hugely engorged and it took me about 45 minutes and lots of elbow grease to get that much. The back teats are swollen into stiff thimbles on the sides of a beach ball! She seemed happier after that was done.
Yahoo!