New Calf

[BrokenolMarine]

Tina's milk cow Molly was due tomorrow, the 25th. Yesterday, she looked about to explode, and had been dribbling for a day or so... Her bag had gotten so big she was having trouble walking around it. It wouldn't be long now.

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Tina had put fresh straw in the stall, and the dang Guineas had been having a field day scratching through it, Scratch, Scratch, Scatter, Scatter... Tina would rake it all back in place for Molly and the new calf due any day. That herd of Guineas would rush back in behind her and get back to work. Scratch, Scratch, Scatter, Scatter.. I found it funny. Miss Tina didn't see the humor. Tina got up several times last night before we went to bed and walked down to check on Molly. Nope. I heard the motion alarm outside the back door about 130 AM and knew. Yup, Miss Tina went down and checked on Miss Molly to make sure she was okay. Up again at 6 and out the door to check on Molly. It rained all night and into the morning, still raining. Molly was safe and dry in the stall and was having contractions all night, so Tina was sure this was the day.

At about 930am she came in to call the vet, the BAG had broken but NO feet were showing. (I was guessing this was a problem.) The vet said he would be on the way shortly. Tina said she had Chains as well as a nylon pull rope. (Hey, it's not snowing, but whatever.) She started grabbing gloves, lube, betadine, and a huge bucket of hot water and headed out the door to the barn. "Anything I can do?"
"Watch for the vet," she called over her shoulder.
I wasn't offended, I'm guns, knives, woodworking... she's livestock and sewing. I'm happy to stay in my lane.

Half hour later she's back in the door. "Bull."

She said she watched and waited and saw a hint of a toe, and gloved up and felt around. The head was out of position. She corrected that, and found the other foot. She pulled, applying steady pressure. Molly pushed... and Calf on the ground. "Bull" 1000 (ish)

Big Farmers don't get excited about calving, the cows do it by themselves. This is Tina's Milker and she takes good care of all her livestock....

Daddy was a huge Black Angus Bull, the baby looks like daddy....

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The calf was up and walking within the hour, and wandered out of the stall to the water trough. Mom followed, still licking and cleaning. He stuck his head over the edge of the trough, like he was going to get a drink, but Molly turned him around and herded him back into the warmth of the stall out of the rain.

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Once inside, he finally got breakfast, and MOM continued cleaning, for hours.... it's what mom's do.

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Who here never had mom wipe YOUR face with a spit dampened napkin?

[Sir Henry]

What’s the calf’s name?

[BrokenolMarine]

Last check she hadn't named it yet. I'll post it when she names it. I don't overstep. LOL.

[JEBar]

I wasn't offended, I'm guns, knives, woodworking... she's livestock and sewing. I'm happy to stay in my lane.

congrats and I'd be right there in your lane ..

[CT_Shooter]

She said she watched and waited and saw a hint of a toe, and gloved up and felt around. The head was out of position. She corrected that, and found the other foot. She pulled, applying steady pressure. Molly pushed... and Calf on the ground.

These are beautiful photographs and it's a wonderful description of events, Marine (always enjoy your writing). What a wholesome environment and lifestyle you several creatures enjoy together as evidenced by this latest post (and by so many others before). Thanks for sharing it with us.

[BrokenolMarine]

Okay Folks, It's Official. Molly's Last Calf was (Ham)Burger. We raised him for about 18 months and he sold at auction for a good price when he began to get aggressive, we didn't have any room in the freezer. This little fella has a name. He is "T-Bone." We'll call him "Tee" So we have T-Bone, Molly, Donkey and "Stormy".

[BrokenolMarine]

We once raised a bottle lamb for a farmer down the road in VA. Tina named him Gyro. The kids all loved the little fella, and they knew up front that he had to go back to the farmer when he got bigger. We had him six or eight months, then Miss T dropped him back off to her friend. (Who sold him when the time came to thin the herd and start over.) Until then every time we drove by all four kids would wave and yell, "Hey Gyro" and swear they saw him turn to look, in a field of 200+ sheep.

Years later, the middle daughter, was in the Air Force at the time, Stationed in Louisiana. She called her mom. "Gyro? Really Mom? Not freakin funny."
Click.... I guess she finally went to a Greek restaurant with friends from the base.

[BrokenolMarine]

Hey, next one... we can name "Stewie."
(Beef Stew.)


BA Dum Bump.

[Hatchdog]

Welcome to the world Tee. Hope you get to grace somebody’s dinner table one day.

[daytime dave]

Congrats on the calf. I hope that he tastes as good as he looks if he is destined for the freezer. Tee will enjoy life on your farm for sure.

[BrokenolMarine]

Drama This Morning....

About 6:15 this morning I heard Tina come in from the barn, in tears. I came into the living room to find her really upset.
"Molly is down, and she's been down all night." She said, "You can see where she has struggled to get up all night long."

She was fine about 11pm last night before we went to bed, Tina went down to check on her.
She called the Vet, and he said he was out the door in Five. About Five minutes later he called back and asked if we could have a bucket of hot water waiting to heat the Calcium IV when he arrived. Miss T was back down at the barn, working on the cow when the vet arrived... and they gave her two IVs of Calcium, magnesium, phosphate. She began to perk up a bit, but still wasn't able to get up. T-Bone was watching from the side. The vet gave her a couple more treatments and left. Tina kept working with the calf and cow all thru the morning and by noon Molly was finally back on her feet.

Not completely out of the woods yet.... but way better than where she was this morning. She was close to gone.
Miss T is still upset over the stress... but at least she didn't lose Molly... If she had, the Calf would have been lost as well.

I'll keep y'all posted.

[Hatchdog]

When I read your title “drama this morning” I expected the sick one to be the calf. Best to Molly and Tee also. Hoping to hear some good news.

[JEBar]

I'll keep y'all posted.

please do ..

[BrokenolMarine]

When I read your title “drama this morning” I expected the sick one to be the calf. Best to Molly and Tee also. Hoping to hear some good news.

Well, it's been a long 24 hours plus. The vet was out and Miss T spent the rest of the time in follow up care including trips to Tractor Supply for ... well, supplies. She was back down at the barn off and on every couple hours to treat Miss Molly, and it was touch and go for a while, but she gave her a second dose of Calcium paste around noon, then another dose at midnight. In addition there were a few other tricks thrown in.

Then, Tee got sick as well... "Scours" Miss T called it. Basically it's severe diarrhea, but it can be fatal in young calves under the age of one month. At just two days old, Tee was certainly at risk. With Treatment, both he and his mother were up and about this morning and looking pretty good. Miss Molly still can't eat her hay as her face and mouth are badly bruised from her thrashing attempts at getting up when she originally went down but vet said that this should pass.

Oh, one of the magic elixirs given to Molly over the last 24 hours? Monster Energy Drink. Yup, turns out they are full of vitamins and goodies that help Cows and Goats recover if they go down following a birth and vets have begun to recommend them. Tina added a can to a gallon bucket of water and Molly drank it down yesterday afternoon. Then two cans to her large water bucket this morning and that water is all gone. When she bought a few groceries yesterday, Tina bought two four packs of Monster to keep in the barn fridge just in case.

Who'd have thunk it?

A long 24+ hours but Miss T was smiling when the chores were done this morning.... Glad to see it again.
She takes good care of all her animals... and feels it when they are in pain.

[daytime dave]

Monster energy drinks huh? I wonder if that company has any idea?

[220]

Good job getting her back on her feet. Milk fever?
Thankfully it isnt very common in beef cattle although I usually keep a IV on hand at calving time just in case.
Sheep occasionally get it, had one last lambing, I am not very proficient at inserting IV's so just get what I can into them subcutaneously. They are slower to respond but it usually works.
I do get a bit of pregnancy toxemia is sheep, it is pretty much just low glucose levels, usually I just give the glucose syrup or honey will keep the Monster in mind as it would probably work equally well.

My calves are getting old enough they are quite happy to just hang out together while the cows feed. Found around 30 of them on their own yesterday afternoon with not a cow in sight.

[BrokenolMarine]

The way it was explained to me was that the Milk Production drains the calcium down so low they become too weak to recover... unless you get calium into them. She got two bottles of Calcium IV, on top of the Calcium Gel that Miss T gave her early that morning. I'm guessing it's more common in Milk Cow breeds, since they produce so much MORE milk. Note the size of that bag in the first picture in this thread. Tina didn't have this problem with the last delivery because she feed Straight Alfalfa hay for the last six weeks or so Molly carried the calf, which is very high in calcium. This time she didn't because that can cause HIGH milk production and Molly is prone to Mastitis. Guess you are damned if you do and ...

Miss T went and picked up three hundred pound bales of Alfalfa yesterday and put some in the hay rack in the stall. Once her face stops hurting, I'm sure Molly will do a number on the hay in the rack. We don't plan to breed her anymore... once she stops producing after this cycle, she'll be retired and just grace the field and enjoy her life.

[220]

Hypocalcaemia commonly called milk fever her in Aus.

A bit of information on cause, treatment and prevention

https://www.mla.com.au/research-and-dev ... ilk-fever/

[BrokenolMarine]

Thanks for the information, most all of it is in agreement with that which we have received from the VET and from two sources heavily into the Dairy business. (one of which offered the Monster trick.)

The injuries to the left side of Molly's face, and body may indicate she actually had a seizure that caused her fall and contributed to her weakened state and inability to rise after going down. The constant rubbing on the stall floor rubbed raw spots in several locations which Miss T is treating with antibiotic lotions to prevent infection and lessen the discomfort for the cow. In the future, we'll move a camera in to cover the stall interior during calving ... at this time the cameras cover the outside of the barn on the lookout for predators.

I'll save the link for future reference and send it to my daughter as well.

[BrokenolMarine]

Tina was concerned about Miss Molly again this morning. She is up and eating but her breathing was off, raspy and labored. Tina suspected Pneumonia. She called the vet and and said he would rather run out and check her... he did and confirmed Miss T's diagnosis. Two shots and said they were good for four days... if she isn't better in four days let him know and he'll repeat the treatment. Miss Tina told him that she suspected the cow aspirated dust or dirt during her seizure, and the vet agreed.

T-Bone is bouncing around the paddock like the energizer bunny... and having a grand time. Eating (okay, sucking...) well. Molly is eating and drinking well and other than the Pneumonia, looks MUCH better. Hopefully she is out of the woods.

For entertainment value... Here are some pics of the family:
Stormy, is seven months and T-bone's "Sister" a Baldy Faced Angus....

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Princess Fiona is his Other Sissy... and I think she's four, and spoiled Rotten. She was down there right after he was born and nose to nose with him.

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Here is T-bone at two days old after a romp in the paddock and his belly full.

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Last but not least, this is Donkey, (Say it with a Scottish accent.) He is the protector of the herd, with a true hatred of Coyotes and all things Canine. He'll dance on their heads. He is often seen "Standing Guard" outside the stalls while Molly and Stormy sleep at night. He'll graze a bit with the gals during the day but will often stand and doze while they graze in the daytime. He pops alert at the slightest noise. He can be kind of an A$$. Haw Haw Haw....

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