Calf Watch

It’s nearly time! For those, like me, who scour the internet for clues about “when will she calve” and “signs of calving in a Dexter”, I’ll post some photos and contribute what I can to the General Pool of Knowledge.

Sasha’s udder is filling up…

And she’s awfully loose in the hind end…

But she hasn’t tried to kill me yet (she just about gored me the night before George the Calf was born, I was trying to get her into the barn and she was NOT interested in cooperating with me), so it must be a little while yet.

I had thought we’d see a calf last week … but obviously not. She’s lying down more often (I saw the calf kick through her side the other day, which was really cool) but still eating and chewing her cud. She will most likely go off her feed and get pissy about having me near her, and then we’ll know it’s time. Her udder will likely get even more full (poor girl) and shiny, and there will likely be a lot of slimy discharge from her backside – that’s your “get ready it’s time” warning, if you notice it. If I see her down on her side, I’ll know she’s well into the process, though the first calf she delivered here simply slid out as she stood in the pasture. She was on her side labouring with George though, until I tried to convince her to move up to the barnyard … at which point she got extremely annoyed and actually ran at me with her head lowered (I moved and said “okay, okay, you do your thing, I understand, really, I do”). And in the morning, there was a calf in the field!

I have her in the barnyard this year, so I can keep a much closer eye on things as they progress. In the past, she wasn’t as tame, and she was further out (two calves ago she actually gave birth back in the trees and hid the baby for at least three or four days before we saw it). This year I’m taking some pictures and keeping a much closer eye on her – I want to document what her particular indications of calving are, so I know for next time. Every cow is a little different, so it’s important to pay close attention and keep track.

Anyone wanna guess when the baby will show up?