The day started like any other day in the middle of January. We noticed a tiny red calf lying next to Maggie at the hay feeder. Maggie had her calf two months earlier than expected.

The calf was tiny and the temperature was very cold, so we carried her to the run-in shed where she could snuggle in dry, warm hay and she wouldn’t get stepped on by other cows. 

The calf was obviously not strong enough to get up and nurse, so we started her on a feeding tube filled with colustrum from the veterinary supply house.

After three days on the feeding tube, the little heifer graduated to a bottle. On the fifth day when we went out to give the calf her bottle, we found her nursing normally.

Once she started nursing she had so much energy she was bouncing around the pen like she had springs in her feet. There is nothing cuter than a newborn calf when they discover how to use their legs. We named her YoYo as we observed her bouncing up and down around her mother.

Fortunately, calving problems are rare with Highland Cattle. 99% of the calves are born out in the pasture without incident. YoYo took a bit of extra work for a few days, but she is definitely worth the extra trouble. What a sweetie!

See another picture and read more in the Hoof Prints section of this web site.

 

It's a bit difficult for the cows to eat when the bull stands inside the feeder. He loves to climb into the feeder.

Several times we have had to tip the feeder over the bull with the tractor loader so he can get out. He is well fed and tends to get stuck between the upright bars.

Fortunately for the cows, we have three other feeders and the bull can only jump into one at a time, so the cows do have options if they are hungry.

There's never a dull moment around Highland Cattle!