[Carol K]

congratulations on the new calf and glad you got some milk into her. Did you check the field to see if the placenta was there? It may not be, but that doesn't mean she didn't expel it either, she may have eaten it. My cow had some awful discharge for over a week and I knew she expelled her placenta, but it is possible a little got left behind, she may discharge for a while just cleaning out, but keep a good eye on her, watch her temperature and don't be afraid to call the vet-it's cheaper than losing the cow. If the discharge is smelling, I'd call the vet in.

Carol

 

[Carol K]

I would think the calf is nursing, do you ever see one teat a little shiny and maybe not as full looking as the others? If that calf is not nursing, it will go downhill pretty quickly, is the calf getting up and moving around? It should be dancing all over the place at times, they start to run around very early.
The calf probably will not need all the milk that the cow has at the moment, so you must milk her out twice a day, and keep on milking her until she has no milk left or she could get mastitis, it will make your hands ache but you have to do it.freeze the milk or give it to the chickens if you have them, or try bottleing the calf. Keep a good eye on the both of them, make sure the cows udder is not hot. Do you have a good book on cows? I'm pretty new to this also but I liked The Family Cow by Dirk Van Loon. By the way, what sort of cows do you have?

Carol