A Poor Little Calf Who Had Lost Her Way....

Much like last year's calving season, this year started out with another splash down in the creek.  Unlike last year, I wasn't there to see it.  And, unlike last year, I didn't think that Jasmine was even remotely close to calving.  We check the girls every day as we head into the weeks leading up to calving.  No clue that Jasmine was going to deliver a calf the next morning.  Her bag was a little fuller, but then so are several of the other girls and we know they aren't due for at least another week or two.  No swelling or floppy back end that would have set our "imminent birth" alarm going.

So, I'm making coffee and thinking that Jazzy is scratching on the trees because I can see her moving up and back from the creek amongst the fallen tree trunks.  Apparently what I was watching was her trying to figure out how the get her calf out of the water at the edge of the creek.  Commenting to Chris that she was acting unusual, I picked up the binoculars just as Chris said "she has a calf!" 

It was a bitterly cold morning with strong winds.....  Baby is submerged up to her shoulders in the water and barely moving.  Jazz was amazing - she didn't attack as we lifted baby from the water, put her in the ATV and headed for the house.  We tried drying her out with the hairdryer, fluffing her with towels and blankets and still couldn't get her to stop shivering.  We couldn't get her dry either. 

The big ranch next door didn't have the calf warmer locally (we'd borrowed it once before), so we figured a hot bath was the only other way to get her warm - not dry - just warm.   In we go -- complete with audience!

 



Chris headed to town to buy a calf warmer while little miss and I turned into very warm prunes.  We were able to get a warm bottle of colostrum into her and by the time Chris got back, she'd quit shivering and seemed to gain more strength.

At this point, we were just hopeful that we were doing all the right stuff.  She was just too adorable to lose.

Into the new calf warmer parked in the living room where she got warm, dry and very strong!  She got a shot of LA200, her navel was painted with iodine, then she got rubbed all over with nasty placenta (so she would smell right).  Back to mom by mid-afternoon.

 

 



The meeting was successful.  Momma Jasmine licked her and recognized her, but wouldn't let her eat.  She moved away every time little miss tried.  We left them to bond, but the wind and cold got the best of our new little girl again.  By the time we went back out to get her, her mouth was cold, she was shivering again and mom had lost interest in her.  Back to the warmer and another warm bottle.  We decided to keep her in overnight and feed her a few more times in anticipation of a better day in the morning.

This morning, a totally different heifer greeted me in the laundry room.  She was up, mooing at me and ready to go! 

Today was a better day!  We moved Jazzy into the stalls, put down lots of fluffy bedding and brought a very fiesty little girl back out to meet her mom.  Our hope was that they'd have to bond because they were in such tight quarters.  No worries.  Miss fiesty girl went right to work (after doing the cutest happy dance I've ever seen!).  They are happily mother and daughter tonight. 

Meet High Pines Acqua Di - the daugher of Jasmine and Glenn Land Mr. Toney.  She's polled, red and sassy!  And darn lucky to be here today.