Well, my cows must be reading the AHA gestation charts too as noticed one of my young 2nd calf cows going into labor, exactly 283 days after bull-in, around noon, calf on the ground at 2 pm in beautiful sunshine and getting colostrum and all cleaned up by 3 pm or so.  This raised cow is having her 2nd calf exactly one year after her first calf and just short of her 3rd birthday. I like it when they just go up the slope, have their calf and come back down with a little one in tow.

Here are a couple pictures. I dont weigh them - like to leave them alone to make sure they get all the colostrum they can and let her mother him a bit undisturbed.

I guess this one is about 75 lb.  I dont even know what sex it is yet. Doesn't matter anyway - will find out soon enough.  Looks like a bunch of other cows will follow 4's lead soon. I didn't think she would be first, some others were much larger/wider/more bag.  But she nursed this one well and a good start for the calving season.

Jim at Dawn

(IMG_0257_4 cleaning up her new calf 032712.JPG)

(IMG_0244_newborn calf 4Z getting first colostrum 032712.JPG)

(IMG_0262_ 4 resting with new calf_032712.JPG)

IMG_0257_4 cleaning up her new calf 032712.JPG (88KB - 120 downloads)

IMG_0244_newborn calf 4Z getting first colostrum 032712.JPG (68KB - 139 downloads)

IMG_0262_ 4 resting with new calf_032712.JPG (95KB - 143 downloads)