What is the definition of a herd of cows anyway? How many does one need to have a herd? Because yesterday Lady Astor gave birth to a lovely tiny, tiny heifer. She also has no belt at all, just a tiny bit of white on her side and her belly. But she is so delicate and so small, she weighs as much as a small goat. Her mother is not protective at all. In fact she showed such a huge lack of interest that I had to dry the baby off myself. Lady A was much more interested in catching up on her dinner. Spraying her calf with dry alfalfa. 
Which I then had to clean off. Meet Naomi. Naomi was named straight away. She is very sweet almost mystical.
After about Four hours the baby was still not standing well and had not had a drink so I carried her across to her mother and leaned her on my leg, guiding her head into her mothers udder and literally popping the teat into her mouth. She had a good drink while her mother ate again. Lady lifted her leg up and down a few times but let the baby feed. 
After that I felt comfortable enough to go to bed myself. I have decided that I will bottle feed Naomi myself. We have bonded. And every time I go near Potter her mother barks her danger, danger bark and tries to get rid of me. Getting close enough to this cow to train her to feed a precious tiny calf seems like a mad idea at this point.
Lady A on the other hand does not mind me sitting with her calf and did not even mind when Aunty Del reached over the divide trying to see who had arrived.
Soon I will go out and milk Lady Astor. There will be some resistance but I really don’t expect it to be as bad as Elsie. The calf will come into the milking shed too. So it will be a bit chaotic. But it is the best way to train the cow to let her milk down for me.
Yesterday I opened up the calf creep (a small pen off the big cow pen designed just for calves) and Potter has immediately decided that this is her perfect sleeping space. No big cows can fit through the door – it is the calf safe space, and a celi safe space, with deep straw bedding, no enormous cow pats and later this is where the calves will find their grain. I was able to go in there with Potter a number of times yesterday and play with her and speak to her. It works very well.
Good morning. Life just got very interesting. Two new heifers. Goodness. No beef. So I will be buying two beef calves this summer, probably weanlings. I will start to call around tomorrow. My job is to feed the families remember. This is not a petting zoo though there is lots of petting. I grow food the old fashioned way.
Join Us, the page above, is making for some great reading. I love this page and wander through often to remind myself of the power of the Fellowship. (That is you by the way, whether you are a reader or a reader who comments, you are a member of the Fellowship of the Farmy). So if you are new to the Kitchens Garden don’t forget to pop in and introduce yourself.
Which reminds me. I have to do some work on The Cast page. But not ’til after the milking and the chores and visiting the Old Codger who is back from wintering in California.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farm,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
85 responses to “The Herd welcomes Naomi”
We had a new calf too yesterday morning! First calf heifer literally popped the little thing out. Such a good mama though. Good luck with Lady A and the milking adventure. I too, will try milking my Maggie. She is so docile, always has been and is really just a large dog. We raise Dexters and love their dispositions.
Congrats! Always grateful when a heifer calves with ease like that.. a large cow dog!
Naomi was the name of my best friend in Kindergarten. It brought up a nice memory. Welcome, little one! And please give my (our) regards to the Old Codger – so pleased he’s back. Stay safe from the weather, dear miss C.
I love the matter-of-fact way you write about everyday happenings… and not so every day events. Life just unfolds and we deal with it as best we can. We make decisions based on what we feel in our guts and what we observe. Plain and simple. Welcome Naomi… and sorry about Lady Astor not being such a doting mother. You will give little Naomi the nurturing she needs. We all survive this life somehow!
Makes Lady Astor a perfect milk cow too
Ah so cute! Glad she came out okay! Do you have to tag your cows?
I never do.. but they do get tatooed.. c
I’m trying to imagine what sort of tattoo a cow would get …
Wow…that had to be a surprise! Welcome Naomi and I’m glad you’ve found your milking cow.
Oh so sweet! This little Naomi. Another surprise so quickly. When will you introduce the little heifers to each other?
When Naomi is big enough to fend for herself amongst the feet of the bigger cows. Not for a while I think, though I will be sleeping her in a pen right next to Potter so they will at least know each others smell.
Oh C. Little Naomi is just beautiful…such a tiny, replica of her mama! And yes, I have to agree with Mad…Lady Astor fully expected a nanny for her baby…she just didn’t let you know that until Naomi was born! 🙂
You and The Cadet are going to be busy. Aren’t you still feeding all the goats as well? Amazed at all the babies that arrived at once.
I have decided to wean the kids. we are on the last bag of milk and I have already cut them down to twice a day. They are all eating grass and doing very well.. c
Two beautiful calves, congratulations. I love bottle feeding calves, the way their little tails flick back and forth. I’m looking forward to reading about how they grow, they all have such unique personalities and you describe them so well.
Naomi looks adorable, so tiny. I hope her mother minds where she puts her feet, I lost one because of a clumsy mother once, heartbreaking. Is Aunty Del head cow now? Will they all graze together when it warms up? You definitely have a herd there. Maybe Elsie will settle once she gets into a group outdoors.
Her mother is out in the field and Baby is on the barn with me. How awful for that cow and calf. I must admit to being terrified for the first few hours.. c
What a cutie. I find it interesting that there are indifferent mothers in every species. Time will tell what will become of them. How exciting to have 2 new babies on the farm.
Congrats on your new babies C 😃
Lovely surprise. Gorgeous baby…and all yours it seems. Lady A obviously heard the talk going round that you needed a milk cow and has graciously handed her baby over to you.
Congratulations on the babies. I’m constantly amazed at all you have to know to raise animals and live mostly sustainably. Even though I used to stay at my grandparents farm as a little girl, I realise now, I had no idea what all went on. You are a wonder.
All males one year, and females the next, have created your own dairy herd that you can nurture in the Farmy Way. A very good outcome. I’m so pleased you are able to milk Lady A. I had a thought that made me smile to myself… given no-one else is here to see it… other than Del’s colouring it’s quite the Kiwi herd, they could all have silver fern tatts…
Oh My god! You are right. I have a herd of The Ferns.. next we will need to get together a netball team! well done D.. c
Congratulations – Naomi is darling !!