We Have A Calf!

This morning I woke up at four am and couldn't get back to sleep.  I just knew that cow was calving without me!  So I headed out to the barn and lo and behold when I walked in what did I see?  A brand new wet baby calf sitting there with his mama licking him!  And yes I said he.  It looks like we will have a beef to butcher this fall. 

all tuckerd out

He is so tall he has a hard time getting the teats

Buttercup is already an excellent mother. She is attentive and gentle with her baby and he is up and nursing just fine.  I had checked her last night around 9:00pm but there was no sings of imminent labor.  Note to self.  Buttercup doesn't show many signs!

This calf is huge! My grandma came over and exclaimed at his size.  Her father was a rancher in the blue mountains and always kept milk cows and she often helped with the calving and care of the cows.  I'm so thankful everything went well and no one died.  I milked her out after I got the baby nursing well and she stood like a rock.  Long may it last.

Buttercup cleaning baby.  Ahh mom that feels good!

This calf is already tame.  He came right up to our children when we brought them out to see him and let them pet him all over.  Mama allowed this gentle attention and only stuck close by her baby and let out low mooos ever so often.

What a lovely calf.  He is full bred jersey.  The kids are so in love with him and so am I.