I want to show you my heifer (pic heavy)
 

In 2009 I bought a little heifer out of pity (not from a sale barn, from someone who didn't seem to understand cattle and their needs). I'm not generally a sap when it comes to livestock, but something about her tugged at my heart. I paid very little for her and if she didn't survive, I wasn't going to be out much. I thought she deserved a chance. She was very weak, anemic, internal and external parasite loads. A sad, pot bellied, bony little thing. Dh said she was my charity case, so we ended up calling her Charity. I kept her in her own barn away from the other cattle all winter, until all her tests results came back negative and letting her grow strong and healthy. The poor calf was a pincushion for a while with all the vitamins, vaccines, wormers and other injections my vet gave her. She had free choice good hay, loose salt and minerals. Twice daily she was given goat milk and soaked beet pulp and alfalfa pellets with some kelp mixed in. Charity thrived on it.
Here she is a couple days after we brought her home, 3 months old.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...IMG_5082-1.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...IMG_5083-1.jpg

6 months old.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...s/IMG_5180.jpg

1 year old. Charity's name had morphed into Cherry, which seemed to fit her better.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...IMG_5964-2.jpg

18 months old. She's a little cow, so we bred her to a very nice, small, polled, red Dexter bull. The white spots are ring worm scars, the hair came back in white.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...s/IMG_7758.jpg

Today. Cherry had a darling heifer calf on Friday the 13th. She has been handled every day since I got her, and in intensive training in the milk stanchion for the past month. She was perfectly behaved for the first milking (I hand milk and got 1 3/4 gallons of colostrum). Stood like a rock and never moved, no fear, no agitation, no fidgeting, just trust.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...s/IMG_1232.jpg

I know this should be in the cattle forum, but I am just so proud of Cherry and what she overcame that I wanted to share with everyone. By the way, we named the heifer Friday.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13...s/IMG_1195.jpg

Looks to me like GOD blessed you for your kindness.
:cowboy:

Thanks for the nice picture story. This would make a delightful children's book. You really should consider getting a publisher.

Nice story. Made me smile. Great pics. What a kind heart you have.

Wonderful tale (tail???) I agree you could write this as a story for children. Great names for both I must say, and Friday is adorable (note I didn't say adorabull!) Thanks for sharing this story with us. I'm sure it has and will put a hundred smiles on faces before a week is through.

What a Beautiful story, made me tear up. Boy , you sure can see that baby shine with health gotten from her Momma.

What a story of what caring can do. Great photos, great story, and great looking Cherry and Friday (who is very cute).

Awww! A story with a happy ending. :)

Well, you got my Monday started with a good little cry. Thanks for sharing that wonderful happily ever after. I agree with another poster, your story would make a sweet children's story book.

Aww, thanks for the nice comments, everyone. Cherry's a good girl. She likes to be with my other cows, but if she sees me outside she follows me around and gets into whatever I'm doing. She makes me smile every day.

Adorable!

Not being raised on a farm I don't often think of cows as being cute - but those sure are.

Awesome story! Thanks for sharing a happy one!

Thanks your post made my day, love heartwarming stories.

Those are some purty gurls!

What a beautiful cow and her calf!!!

Thanks again, everyone. She'll never be a show winner, but I don't care about that. She's sweet, gentle, and gave me two gallons of creamy milk yesterday.

Aw, the power of love!! Thanks for sharing.

I hate to quote myself, but Chalk Creek, I'm very serious about this because there's a real need out there for good children's books that focus on the positive reality of animal care. It's great exactly the way you have it scripted and written. Send it to a publisher along with the photos. I want a copy when it gets published.

Nicely done. Congratulations.

Precious story, and awesome animals:)

If you have any experience with publishers and things, I'm game for a partner. I have many more pictures of her and stories about some of her antics (she's really good at getting into things).

What a beautiful story and pictures. I am not a cattle person, but I can tell by those first pictures how sick she was. And I can see by the later pictures how healthy she is. The pictures you captured of Friday are adorable.

I will be showing them to my 5 year-old after school. I would agree it would make a lovely little book. I don't know anything about how to make one, but I encourage you!

Thank you for taking the time to post it here where we can all see it this morning. I love it!

What a great story - not many people would put the time and expense into saving a wormy little calf. But look at the faithful friend she's become, and now a good mother and a good milker. I agree that this should be a children't book!

Oh lord, me neither. I'd love to be able to help, but it's completely out of my ballpark. In my ignorance you should just be able to mail it to Scholastic Books and get it published. Isn't there someone here on the forum that's an editor/publisher of some type? I'd love to have this as a published book for my 2 year old grandson who's a little man farmer in the making right now.

Hey, you're talking an entire series of books here!! That's great! There should be some publisher out there somewhere that recognizes a good thing when they see it. And I'm not talking about the money profit, although that never hurts, right?

This would make a great addition to any child's library. I'm an old retired teacher and I recognize quality children's books when I see them and this is that.

What a lucky " Charity " case ! She turned out beautiful and I hope you have many happy moments with her over the years. Friday is so pretty too!

She's beautiful...and clearly happy in a loving environment.

I'm sure your dh is proud of the work you've done with Cherry and the outcome. If he's anything like my dh he probably bragged on you. You did a marvelous job and she, in turn, did a marvelous job giving you such a beautiful calf.

awwww..love the pics..love the story! :)

You sure did turn her life around. She looks great, and the calf too. Glad the story has a happy ending!

good job...dont it make ya feel good to be able to nurse an animal back to health, especially when they look like the walking dead. just knowing that they finally feel good for a change.......i love it !!

samm

Thanks for sharing. Great story and pics to boot..!!

Maybe not a show winner, but definitely a winner! You did good by her. Thank you!

nice story! nice cow and little heifer!

Thank you! What a wonderful thing to see. You can adopt me anytime, lol. Great work!!

What an awesome story! I love the pictures :) Bravo to you and Cherry!! I agree...would make an awesome children's book!