Meet Talia
When Aunty Del walked into the milking shed, yesterday afternoon, for her pratice milking (standing in the stall eating left overs while I brush her) dripping milk all over the floor, Victoria and I looked at each other and blocked off all her exits. She was showng all the signs of imminent labour, dripping milk from her tiny tiny udder and dropping strands of mucous. her tail was up but she refused After she had cleaned up after Lady Astor we manoevered her back into the barn, where Sam and McKenna had laid clean new straw. Within three hours she had delivered Talia. The tiniest heifer. Talia is almost three weeks early. I had to pull her and then revive her so it was touch a go for a while. Still wearing my milking apron.
Within an hour of delivery Del stumbled and fell to the floor of the barn. I gave her water with molasses where she lay and she drunk heartily and for thirty minutes Sam and I held her head up refusing to let her lie flat out. We gave her high calcium hay that Kevin threw down from the loft and Axel filled her water up to the top.
Suddenly she rose again, heaving her huge body up out of the straw and we all breathed easier. The Lady Vet (on the other end of some rapid txts thought maybe it was the heat – it was hot). Not milk fever after all – milk fever was my fear. Hope this does not recur.
Baby was so tiny and weak that while her mother was lying on the floor Victoria thawed and brought out colostrum we had frozen from Lady Astor. Mouthful by mouthful baby drunk the milk and after her mother finally rose I milked her by hand and gave baby even more. It took Talia a good four hours before she was able to stand.
Del was perfectly well behaved. A lovely cow to work with.
By 11pm we were all in bed. Aunty, Talia – my startling crew and me.
I checked them a few times in the night and they are OK though Del is still confused about feeding. It all happened so fast to this new mother. I still think dairy cows (first mothers) are a bit stupid about calves, beef cows feed their babies so much faster.
This morning Victoria and I will milk her and I will give baby another bottle. Though she will be with her mother of course.
Phew. I hope she does well – she is so tiny. When her mother lies down with her head up, baby standing next to her – comes up to her mothers eye. I can pick her up and move her about easily so I am guessing a little over 50 pounds.
I had no hands at all so told the girls to get the camera and they took these shots for you.
If all is still going well today I will do a photographic series and a special edition this afternoon so you can be introduced to Talia properly.
It is Victoria and Kevin’s last day today – they leave tomorrow. So it is a big last supper tonight.
More soon – must get going. Today will be pumping.
celi
61 Comments on “Meet Talia”
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thekitchensgarden 
Good heavens, what a start to the day. How lovely to have a new little one, and being Aunty Del’s girl, she’s bound to be pretty. I hope you all survived your day, and that the next few will not be too taxing.
Amazing and so good that you are there looking after them 🙂
What an educational day for your guests! I am sure the adrenaline was pumping high with all involved. This is something they will remember for the rest of their lives I am sure. I hope Aunty Del and Talia have a restful day and are well on the road to recovery. Giving birth is a dramatic experience after all, doesn’t matter what animal you are!
Life with livestock is never straight forward is it? Looking forward to seeing your photos.
Fingers and toes crossed that this somewhat early arrival will keep healthy and grow . . . she is so tiny and will be so precious . . . coincidentally my granddaughter is called Tahlia: small world again 🙂 !
Hope all is well this morning. Welcome to the farmy Talia
Precious wee thing. Rooting for her!
Have a wonderful and happy day C.
🙂 Mandy xo
what a chuckle! and what a great event for two leavers to witness such a absolute miracle before they left. This is something they will always remember… Hello Talia my little gorgeous baby..welcome to the Farmy…and Well done to all of you
Sent: Friday, June 24, 2016 at 1:36 PM
Reading this my eyes are tearing up. What an experience for your crew of young folk! Hopefully it all goes smoothly from here on in! Welcome to the world teeny Talia!
My eyes have a bit more than teared up. What a wonderful post. And yes, your woofers will remember that all their lives. More tears here. Much love, Your Gayle
What a blessing you had Victoria and the rest of the crew there with you. Many hands and all that. Congratulations to Aunty Del, Tahlia, you and woofers.
Remembering all the other wee, tiny, ill, & orphan babies you have brought through the valley of the shadow, Celi, Aunty Del & Talia were blessed to be with you on birthing day. And you were lucky to have had wonderful help beside you.
I hope it continues to go well for everyone, Tiny Talia & her mother especially. Maybe you once thought you were leaving Drama behind you!
What jmcheney said about Drama. Good one! Much love, Your Gayle
What a tiny little girl she is. And what an experience the helpers are getting! Every time I read one of these stories, I dream of getting my girls over there to help some summer. (Don’t know how much they would help you, but being there would do them a WORLD of good.
Best of luck with Talia!
What a final day for Victoria & Kevin, an experience to treasure all their lives. Glad you were on the spot when labour started. Fingers crossed that all goes well. I look forward to seeing the photos later on the laptop.
Awww she is a pretty little thing. Good that she was able to lay up on her feet and not flat on her side soon after she was born. Even better she was able to stand, sometimes even large full term calves don’t get up much quicker than that. It is possible the tornado/storm had some thing to do with the early birth as it was very close to you. Also have you soil tested the other farm’s pastures yet? I know you have worked hard to balance the farmy’s pastures but I’m thinking the other farm has been a bit neglected. If Aunty Del did have a mild case of milk fever she may never have it again or she could have it worse next time. We had cows that did it both ways at least you know to watch her close next calving. Looking forward to baby Talia pictures.
Goodness what an adventure! Fingers crossed.
Oh Aunty Del, you are so clever and your Talia is beautiful. Sending love to you and your great team Celi. x
Happy birthday Talia!! XOXO – Bacon
What a beautiful little baby! I’m so glad you were ALL there and saw and were able to be in action.
Linda
Fingers crossed for Talia. Looking forward to lots of photos.
I’m exhausted just reading this. What a lovely baby. I do hope all is well for both of them. I feel a bit frightened for them both. Keeping good thoughts though for all of you.
Congratulations. I hope she grows up healthy and vigorous.
Whew!
The person who wrote “How Ya Gonna Keep ’em Down on the Farm, Once They’ve Seen Paree” didn’t know The Kitchens Garden. Never has so much drama on nearly a daily basis occurred. Reading today’s post had me (like the others above) in tears and chills and on the edge of my seat.
And the reason I’m here early is because at breakfast, my husband said to me as he was reading the paper, “A tornado touched down in Pontiac.”. I jumped up and went to see if you were okay and here’s Meet Talia!!
Superb !…..u r lucky indeed you have witnessed such nice event !
Brava, Lady Del – you have done us all proud. And what a blessing you had lots of extra hands – otherwise we should not have had those terrific pictures. It’s great to see Miss C doing her stuff. I hope baby Thalia thrives and proves a real joy to Farmy and Fellowship.
love,
ViV
Oops, I’ve mis-spelled the baby’s name. Sorry Talia.
Hey Viv! I looked it up and Thalia is the muse of comedy. Not such an awful error, eh, girl? Much love, Your Gayle
My apologies: I have probably led some astray to different spelling . . . .the farmy calf is definitely a ‘Talia’ . . . ’tis just my daughter who decided to spell hers with an ‘h’ . . . 11am in E Australia – trust all is OK!!
You are amazing!!!! All that goes on and yet you keep posting. That is a sweet mama and calf.
Wow! What an ordeal! So Ms C- what’s high calcium hay?
alfalfa hay. c
Okay. Gottcha.
Oh my goodness, congratulations! And I’ve got fingers crossed for Talia.
Great work, Team Farmy!
Well done Aunty Dell and welcome Talia, pretty calf pretty name. Sooo … the farmy seems to be holding true to “if its early it’s a heifer and if it’s late it is a bullock” – for this season anyway. 🙂 Laura
I’m so excited for you and Aunty Dell, the baby Talia is so tiny and precious .I thank you for sharing this amazing event with us.I have always wanted to live on a farm but this is fun watching your farm adventures every morning. Im looking forward to watching her grow, I hope everything goes well for all of you.
Well done Aunty Del and especially well done to C and the crew! Good morning sweet Talia.
A beautiful heifer, fingers crossed that she thrives, but with your care and attention I am sure they will both be fine😊
Wow
Wow
oh my- sending lots of loving thoughts to the tiny calf…never a dull moment. Thank goodness she was with you in the barn.
Congratulations and welcome to the world little Talia! What a great thing to have the extra help for that delivery. She looks like a beauty and I hope she and mama continue to do well.
Out here in Maine it’s difficult to get local hay that is high in alfalfa content (which I believe has higher calcium percent, and it is supposed to provide more protein) so I add kelp and alfalfa pellets to my animal feed, especially to those who are pregnant or nursing/milking. I believe it has helped me avoid milk fever or toxemia in my little herd. I am not a scientist, but it seems to help!
Oh interesting – I add kelp too! but did not know it was a good way to avoid milk fever – thank you good to know.. c
Fingers crossed that both mother and calf continue to do well. I’m impressed that you knew what to do to help revive them both. Never a dull moment down on the farm!
It’s a good thing Aunty Del was in the milking parlour and you saw what was going on. Better she didn’t drop that lovely little calf out in the pasture. It looks like Aunty is going to be a good mother, just needs some time to figure things out. A marvelous gift to your woofers too. All the best!
Oh Talia, be well, little one. You are so very welcome and what a home you will have if you hold on.
She is beautiful .. You are such a good Mum
I love the little patch of light brown around her eye.
My eyes welled with tears reading this. What a physical and emotional experience, for you and all the woofers. Sending love and best wishes to all.
Every time I read about someone tearing up, *I* tear up…and worse! Much love, Your Gayle
Good work team 😊
Wow – thanks for taking us along with you on this delivery. I’m glad mother and calf are doing well – it sure was tough and go there for a while. I’m so glad things turned out well and I look forward to watching the latest member of The Farmy as she grows up!! ; o )
Oh dear, hope all is well today. It’s early evening here now (7pm) and no more word from you so am getting concerned. Wow, congratulations to the Auntie for delivery of her babe. Just remembering how long Lady A’s ‘confinement’ dawdled along and now this one weeks early, what a surprise for sure! Talia really is a lovely wee critter and fingers crossed she’s improving. Must be crazy busy there today with your ‘last supper’ as well as your animal care… so it’s understandable we haven’t heard more but am still waiting! ~ Mame 🙂
Little Talia is beautiful!! I love these pictures! I hope all goes well!! Xo
Great job on the photos. Wonderful story too. Congratulations. Hope all is well in the morning, too.
What a dramatic birth beautiful Del had… – And you’ve done all so well. What a cute baby it is…..
Congratulations, Celia! –
Got wet eyes by reading what happened with Aunty Del and Talia and you….. But was relieved, that all went well. Well done. All of you.
A lovely read. Thanks for letting us experience this vicariously via your commentary and photos
Del must have wanted her friends to meet Talia before they left! Hope all is well.