A little suprise this morning.

Well, maybe not a little suprise but a suprise none the less. We have 48 cows in about 40 acres of corn stalks. I feed them every morning with the verical mixer. Today as nick opened the gate and I pulled in the field I looked out across the farm about 40 rod and saw a cow looking at a black spot on the ground. This was easy to see since we have about 6 inches of snow on the ground. My heart sank like a rock because I knew what she was looking at, or at least I thought I did. I headed over with the mixer while nick went and got one of the four wheelers. He got there first as I walked over towards him, the cow and calf he said "its alive!" I was shocked, it was about 20 degrees and windy last night. She had the calf out in that snowy field somewhere. As I got there and stood over the calf wondering what in the heck we were going to do he jumped up, ran to mom, and away they went across the farm. While feeding the cows I jumped out and grabbed the calf and then nick threw him over his lap on the four wheeler and headed to the sheds. We got him in and got him covered up and after a phone call with another friend decided to take him to the house and get him warmed up good.

Brought him in and put him on the floor in the mud room. Had him in for a couple hours. He never bothered a thing. I sat with him while dad came down to observe as well as cliff. We took him back to the other farm, brought mom up to the sheds and reunited them. He looked fantasic when we did chores tonight. They are bedded down in the shed for a day or so. Mom really did a nice job cleaning him up this afternoon. He was up chasing here around nursing while we were there. I worry about every calf, always do.


We named him "lucky".
bill

That's good to hear he is doing well.They are tougher than we think they are.How did Wrigley like the house guest? As always thanks for the pictures.

Vito

After they get a good drink of colostrum/milk they are pretty tough and can handle a lot of cold as long as their not soaking wet.

It's always great to see a little wonder in the world! Makes a guy warm to see those little guys take off like that. Thanks for sharing Bill.

Very cool, great job!

Looks like he has his mothers brown eyes?

L.

Sounds like you did a good job. Might have saved him any way. Never know about this weather this year. Up and down in cold here.

only thing i hate more than a warm beer is cow calving in rough weather, maybe the green bay packers or chicago white sox would be a close second

If he had nursed and was hard to catch you should have left him out with the cow and not brought it inside now when it goes back with the cow after being in the warm there is a good chance it'll catch pneumonia

Cute little bugger!!!

I really debated it just because of that but after watching him while mom was eating, the fact I walked over and just grabbed him and he wasnt totally dry I figured his chances were better bringing him in. If it had been a sunny calm day I might have done something a little different. Only time will tell now.
bill

Good looking calf. Looks like you where "lucky". I made a warming box years ago and it has helped save many early calves. It just is four sided 4"x 4" box with one side hinged. I put a big infer red heat lamp in the top of it. A calf will dry off in a matter of minutes. Then I get him back to Mom ASAP. Put them both up in a good bedded stall. My oldest barn still has the old milking stalls in it. they are about six feet wide and ten feet long just right for cow and calf.