With a Moo Moo Here & a Moo Moo There...We Have Calves Everywhere!

On April 18th at 12:55 our Belted Galloway, Cleopatra, had her heifer calf, which we named Honey. She weighed 82 pounds and was born out in the pasture on a warm, but windy day. I was lucky enough to sit out in the field and take pictures of Cleo and her new baby. So far this spring, this was our 5th calf. Since then, 2 more have been born, leaving us waiting on one more! Since I have been home from school, I have had more time to check on the cows and watch them for signs that they are going to calve soon. Although my grandma sometimes jokes "they have them whenever they have them", due to their occasional unpredictability, it is important to know the signs that your cow is going to give birth soon and what you need to watch for afterwards. One of the most obvious signs is the filling of their udder, which shows they are producing milk for the soon to come calf; however, their udders can start expanding way before parturition, but you should notice the udder getting bigger, faster than before. Additionally, you may notice your cow's vulva appearing more relaxed as she prepares to give birth. Along with that, you may notice mucus hanging down from your cow's rear end, which might hint that she is close. Another typical tendency of cows before they calve is isolating themselves. Cows may try to separate themselves from the rest of the herd in order to ensure that another cow does not try to claim their baby and to allow for them to bond after birth. Other strange behaviors include holding their tail up and restlessness. You should watch your cow if she seems isolated and is laying down, especially if her head is down as well. If you see the amniotic sac, the birth should be complete 2 hours from then. After she gives birth you want to make sure she begins immediately licking her baby and eating off the excess membrane. This is especially important because the thin membrane can suffocate the calf if the mother does not lick it off of her baby. Lastly, its important that she passes her afterbirth 30 minutes - 8 hours after she gives birth to avoid a complication known as retained fetal membrane. These signs alerted me that Cleopatra was going to calve soon, and after I had gone out to watch her, she had her baby 30 minutes later! Cleo was a great mom and took care of her new baby. Soon after, Honey was on her feet and began nursing! I hope someday Honey is a great mother as well and provides us with more healthy calves.