UPDATE: Anyone know anything about Cows

**KKCondrey** · 04-15-2005, 10:56 AM

Okey.... the night before last I heard the loudest mooing since we moved here. Well there is a pasture behind us and all the cows were in a huddle around something that evening and yesterday morning early. Anyway's I looked outside and there was a baby cow just laying there and it didn't appear to be moving to much (every now and then it moved its head a little) and the momma wasn't grazing to far from it and when other cows approached she would charge them.

Anyway's from the first time I saw it, it's since moved maybe 20 feet or so but it's was still laying down. (I had the blinds open and was watching it off and on all day). First thing this morning I looked out again and it was still laying down but had been moved again.

I was wondering.......Is this normal. How long does it usually take for them to "get their legs" so to speak. Joe and I figured at least one of the times we looked out all day yesterday and this morning we would at least see it trying to stand (we have yet to notice it nursing also)

**paelthom** · 04-15-2005, 11:16 AM

Poor baby cow.

**Missy** · 04-15-2005, 11:22 AM

i don't hold out much hope for this little calf. from what i have little knowledge of, they try to stand shortly after birth once mom has pulled off all the ...gunk. She will protect it untill it passes away, but if she isn't trying to nurse it, there's generally a reason.

I could be totally wrong, please correct me if i am.

**KKCondrey** · 04-15-2005, 11:34 AM

my neighboor has been watching it as well, and she knows the farmer that owns them. She said that she had his number dialed in her cell phone but right before she hit send it lifted its head and looked like it was trying to get up so she didn't call. I just looked out and its gone as are all the other cows. At this point we don't know if she (the mom) moved/dragged it off somewhere, if it finally started walking after 2 days, or if the farmer came after it.

Our video camera has a 16x zoom so that is what I was using to keep a look out on it yesterday. But then again all I saw it do was raise its head a time or two and not attempt to do much else.

last night when I was outside covering the garden, I shined the flashlight into the pasture and it lit up to pairs of eye's (moms & baby's) and it was still laying down.

**Heather** · 04-15-2005, 11:50 AM

Missy, you are right they generally get up right away and immediately nurse. If there is a problem with nursing the farmer will bottle feed. We did that many times at home. When cows are calving the farmers usually keep a close eye on them.........I would give him a call Kat just so he's aware.

That's very sweet of you to keep an eye on the baby.

**crdurham** · 04-15-2005, 12:08 PM

I would ask the neighbor to call the farmer and just let him know....this is not normal...the baby needs to be bottle fed if the mother is not going to nurse. The calf should have tryed to stand by now.

**Chea** · 04-15-2005, 12:38 PM

awww....poor baby cow. Thats a lucky farmer to have some thoughtful neighbors looking out for him though.

**KKCondrey** · 04-15-2005, 12:56 PM

Its in the back yard, and I saw it up and walking and nursing

of course by the time I got the camera it was laying back down but here s/he is:

**jlxian** · 04-15-2005, 01:51 PM

Great pic! And how green things are! Glad to see that things seem to be okay.

The calves are appearing in the fields near us, too. My son thinks they are so great -- someday we will have to get him a calf. I heard someone describe finding calves in the pasture just like finding easter eggs -- they are all different colors like easter eggs. I really like that description.