Baby watch !!

scholtefamily · #21 01/21/11, 01:04 PM

Congratulations!

Callieslamb · #22 01/21/11, 01:44 PM

Beautiful! Congratulations. Glad it all went well.

springvalley · #23 01/21/11, 08:18 PM

Hope was a bit chilly this morning so we put a calf coat on her and she is doing just fine. I will try and get another pic of her with her coat on. She is allready a character, she is bounceing around all ready. I thought the name HOPE was a good choice for her as we are looking for hope for a better year. She is an AI calf out of a bull named Rebel. > Thanks Marc

MO_cows · #24 01/21/11, 10:17 PM

Great looking pair! Looks like good quality and good care came together.

Skip · #25 01/21/11, 10:36 PM

I would love to see Hope in her winter attire if you are able to post a picture. The first picture of her looking into the camera is just lovely. We are suppose to get -24F for two nights.

AverageJo · #26 01/22/11, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momagoat61

SWEET ! Congradulations on a healthly heifer calf. Marc with Maddie having that beautiful full udder I would be inclined to milk and save some of the first day or so of the colostrum for future needs. The calve will not need all the colostrum by no means. You never know when you might need it in a pinch or someone eles like a neighbor or friend might need it for a calve. You can freeze it for up to over a year and its will be as good as the day Maddie freashed. But thats just me. We have over 50 brood beef cows and we keep powdered colostrum on hand just for an emergency. Trying to milk a beef cow is a whole different story then a maiden dairy cow thats use to being handled. Sandy

Springvalley's been a farmer for .... well .... forever! He grew up on the family farm.

But this is great information to get out there for others to read. Something to keep in mind, too, is NOT to milk out a freshened cow to the point of dry the first few times. Draining the udder can be a cause of milk fever. Milk out some of her colostrum and freeze it for future needs though. She'll have colostrum for about 3-4 days and then her milk will come in clear. Remember that once you start milking, you need to continue milking, milking a bit more thoroughly each time. Sorry, springvalley, didn't mean to derail your thread, but MomaGoat started it!!

Back to your previously programmed thread...

springvalley · #27 01/22/11, 09:39 PM

This is a picture of Hope with her calf coat that DW made for her. I took it off her today as it got above freezing in the barn again, so I didn't think it was necessary. The coat is made from a felted sweater that was cut up and then sewn back together.

Baby watch !! - Cattle

Skip · #28 01/22/11, 11:07 PM

She's too cute. I'm going to try fashioning some out of thick bath towels for my two girls if they appear cold tomorrow. The temp is suppose to go down to -22f (-42 with the windchill) for the next two nights. Today they appeared comfortable, but I cannot imagine any living being except arctic dwellers being comfortable with those temps. At what age do you expect or do jersey calves ever put on baby fat?

Cheribelle · #29 01/23/11, 04:04 AM

AWE! Great news. She is adorable, and I'll go along with that Hope for a better new year.

myersfarm · #30 01/23/11, 10:43 AM

A human womens vest work great for calf blankets....I buy at thrift stores all colors for 50 cents to $2

springvalley · #31 01/24/11, 08:23 PM

I went in the barn to do chores tonight, stopped in to look at HOPE and she was eating hay, what a little sweet heart. She is doing great, and liking the somewhat warmer weather. I will take a picture again in a few days, to let you all see her again. Thanks for all the kind comments, she is such a blessing. > Thanks Marc

Jennifer L. · #32 01/26/11, 06:29 PM

Nice looking calf! I had a cow that had bagged a whole lot and really cold weather was coming. Got down to -20ºF the other night and I was sure I'd find a popsicle calf that morning, but nope! She held on to it! The next day,when it was well into the 20º's, she freshened with a nice heifer. I felt pretty lucky about that!

Jennifer

BlackWillowFarm · #33 01/26/11, 09:34 PM

Great little heifer, Marc! Hope is a perfect name for her too. Congrats!

I'm "hoping" for two little heifers come springtime.

springvalley · #34 01/26/11, 10:27 PM

Thanks Carla, I got Maddie in the barn to milk her this morning, and little Hope found her mommy and was so happy. > Thanks Marc

springvalley · #35 01/26/11, 10:29 PM

Congrats Jennifer L on your heifer, and may all of you that read this thread be blessed with heifers this year. > Thanks Marc

Shades of Gray · #36 01/27/11, 10:33 PM

She is so so cute!! I just love little calves in clothes!

springvalley · #37 02/16/11, 03:08 PM

Just thought I'd pop in another picture of Little Hope. She's almost a month old now. No problems and doing well.

Baby watch !! - Cattle

Here's a picture of her mother, standing in the barn ready to get milked.

Baby watch !! - Cattle

BlackWillowFarm · #38 02/16/11, 03:32 PM

Very cute heifer, Marc! Mom looks nice too. Is that a recent picture of the cow? I ask because she doesn't have much of a winter coat. Mine are woolly bears right now.

springvalley · #39 02/16/11, 03:45 PM

Yep, this is a picture from yesterday, all my cows are this slick, spring is around the corner. > Thanks Marc

topside1 · #40 02/16/11, 04:02 PM

That's one healthy calf...thanks for the pic...Marc.