Hereford calved a heifer on September 11th, the same day Olpe was born. Because she had little tips of white hair on her ears that looked like a coating of frost, Bill named her “Frosty.”
Sticking out their tongues at the camera…like mother, like daughter?
Farm Paparazza's Note: In my two best pictures of Hereford and Frosty I caught Hereford with her tongue out in both and Frosty's out in one. Mama's anticipating that I have range cubes stashed in my pocket for her. I have no idea why Frosty has hers out unless it's genetic!
Hereford’s almost eleven years old and has been a member of our herd for over nine years. She’s gentle, the epitome of motherhood and always has a more than ample supply of milk. So, when Bill checked on the pair three days after the birth and found Frosty looking thin and bawling like she was hungry, he was concerned. He brought the pair to the pasture near the house and fixed a bottle of milk replacer for Frosty. Once he got her trapped between his legs and forced the nipple into her mouth, she gulped it right down. Within a couple of days all we had to do was go in the pasture, call her name and she would come running! OK, maybe she didn’t really know her name, but she knew our voices and those were her breakfast and dinner bells! After she drained the bottle, she went back to her mama and tried to suck out a little dessert.
Despite not having much milk, Hereford was still an exemplary mama. Motherhood was her life’s calling and she took it seriously. She closely supervised the bottle-feedings, like when my sister, Lila, visited and helped feed Frosty. Hereford crowded right in and nuzzled Frosty while she ate.
Hereford’s almost eleven years old and has been a member of our herd for over nine years. She’s gentle, the epitome of motherhood and always has a more than ample supply of milk. So, when Bill checked on the pair three days after the birth and found Frosty looking thin and bawling like she was hungry, he was concerned. He brought the pair to the pasture near the house and fixed a bottle of milk replacer for Frosty. Once he got her trapped between his legs and forced the nipple into her mouth, she gulped it right down. Within a couple of days all we had to do was go in the pasture, call her name and she would come running! OK, maybe she didn’t really know her name, but she knew our voices and those were her breakfast and dinner bells! After she drained the bottle, she went back to her mama and tried to suck out a little dessert.
Despite not having much milk, Hereford was still an exemplary mama. Motherhood was her life’s calling and she took it seriously. She closely supervised the bottle-feedings, like when my sister, Lila, visited and helped feed Frosty. Hereford crowded right in and nuzzled Frosty while she ate.
Because the mother/daughter bond was so strong and Frosty was easy to feed, we didn’t put her in the Romper Room with Olpe and Miracle. But, separation at some point was inevitable. Hereford was one of our oldest cows and no longer had milk.
In November, after most of the calving was complete, we worked the cows and calves and transported them to the ranch for the winter. Bill decided the time had come to start culling the herd. The operation now totaled over 70 pairs. We’d lost a couple of older cows to anaplasmosis.
Anaplasmosis 101 - An infectious disease of cattle that causes destruction of red blood cells. The disease is caused by a minute parasite, Anaplasma marginale, found in the red blood cells of infected cattle. Older cows are more susceptible.
A couple of neighbors and other cattlemen Bill talked to also lost cows to this disease last fall.
I knew the dreaded moment was coming. Not only were we losing Hereford, but our other favorite cow, Sweet Pea, a Charolais mix, failed to calve this year because she didn’t get bred. Both cows were not only favorites, but legends in our operation. They were gentle, would eat range cubes out of our hands and raised great calves. Over the years, Bill kept several of Hereford’s calves as replacement heifers due to the favorable genetics.
Two years ago, Sweet Pea, the local vet and I shared what started out as a horrible incident that eventually had a happy ending. As I blogged in the opening paragraph of the post, “Trooper, the Holstein Adoptee – Part 1,” dated October 14, 2013, that whole calving saga was probably worthy of mini-series production on the RFD Channel! Sweet Pea didn’t join the bovine cast of characters until Part 2.
In November, after most of the calving was complete, we worked the cows and calves and transported them to the ranch for the winter. Bill decided the time had come to start culling the herd. The operation now totaled over 70 pairs. We’d lost a couple of older cows to anaplasmosis.
Anaplasmosis 101 - An infectious disease of cattle that causes destruction of red blood cells. The disease is caused by a minute parasite, Anaplasma marginale, found in the red blood cells of infected cattle. Older cows are more susceptible.
A couple of neighbors and other cattlemen Bill talked to also lost cows to this disease last fall.
I knew the dreaded moment was coming. Not only were we losing Hereford, but our other favorite cow, Sweet Pea, a Charolais mix, failed to calve this year because she didn’t get bred. Both cows were not only favorites, but legends in our operation. They were gentle, would eat range cubes out of our hands and raised great calves. Over the years, Bill kept several of Hereford’s calves as replacement heifers due to the favorable genetics.
Two years ago, Sweet Pea, the local vet and I shared what started out as a horrible incident that eventually had a happy ending. As I blogged in the opening paragraph of the post, “Trooper, the Holstein Adoptee – Part 1,” dated October 14, 2013, that whole calving saga was probably worthy of mini-series production on the RFD Channel! Sweet Pea didn’t join the bovine cast of characters until Part 2.
The sad day came for Bill to haul the culled cow load to the sale barn. I went to the corral and gave Hereford and Sweet Pea their last handfuls of range cubes, then petted them, said good-bye and tearfully walked away. I wouldn’t watch them being loaded. Two other cows from the herd were also taking their last ride in our trailer.
Frosty joined Olpe and Miracle in the Romper Room. Bill soon learned that trying to feed three calves from three bottles when you only have two hands, and the calves are clamoring around you, was total chaos! He introduced the two bigger calves, Olpe and Frosty, to the nipple buckets that could be hung on the pen panel rungs. Then he opened the gate and Miracle trotted out to be fed from the bottle. Sometimes she didn’t drink all her milk and Bill offered it to the other two calves. More chaos ensued as they shoved and butted each other away from the nipple!
Frosty joined Olpe and Miracle in the Romper Room. Bill soon learned that trying to feed three calves from three bottles when you only have two hands, and the calves are clamoring around you, was total chaos! He introduced the two bigger calves, Olpe and Frosty, to the nipple buckets that could be hung on the pen panel rungs. Then he opened the gate and Miracle trotted out to be fed from the bottle. Sometimes she didn’t drink all her milk and Bill offered it to the other two calves. More chaos ensued as they shoved and butted each other away from the nipple!
The raw holes in Miracle’s hide from the screwworm damage have finally dried up and scabbed over. Bill discontinued all treatments a couple of months ago. This pic was taken in December and showed a bald spot on top of her hip and another one above the white streak of medicine. Her hair was still matted from salve Bill applied to fight infection. Look at that sad expression on her face. Poor thing, she was embarrassed about her appearance!
She is slowly growing and now acting like a normal calf, frolicking with the other two. Compared to them, though, she’s still undersized. When Bill added a grain mixture and hay to their diet, she was often crowded away from the small feed bunk. Her physical growth may be stunted, but there’s nothing slow about her mental growth! She patiently waits until they finish, then approaches the bunk.
Here are current photos: one of Miracle and one of the three calves together.
Here are current photos: one of Miracle and one of the three calves together.
Miracle doesn't let a photo op interrupt her grazing!
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