We have brahma too

Here at Liar’s Lake we have always raised a variety of critters. Although we have greatly reduced our numbers and species we still do have a varied group. This being spring it is baby season so our annual Easter Egg hunt for new arrivals has begun. Todays addition is a beautiful brahma heifer.

DSC00104

The saga of a winter birth

Most of the time animal breeders plan on babies arriving a certain times of the year, most often when it is not freezing. This does not always happen, especially if you allow the boys and the girls to co-exist all year. Last month on a particularly cold day while checking stock in the morning our zebu count was off by one cow. When we got to the the shed in that pen we saw a lone zebu cow bolting past us as if we were wolves.

Momma on the run
Momma on the run

When we got to the the front of the building we immediately saw a flat, apparently dead calf. Nancy got out to photograph it, sex it and put it into the bed of the truck for disposal.

SONY DSC
This photo does not do justice to what was a ‘dead’ and very ‘flat’ calf

When she went to move the stiff, cold carcass a leg twitched. She immediately grabbed it and ran to the truck. We wrapped the ice cold ‘carcass’ in a blanket and cranked up the heater. Nancy cuddled the body and rubbed her extremities while our office ‘Mommy’, Mayze, cleaned the face, ears and neck.

DSC00020-001After these ministrations we placed the calf in the foot well of the truck with the heater cranked up and the blanket tented up to catch the heat.

SONY DSC
Ice melting, she is still wet and stiff but a little better.
SONY DSC
After about an hour she moved her head into a little more natural position.

We had a busy morning as she cooked under the heater for about four hours before returning to the office. We had stopped and purchased a new bag of Colstrix for her. We doubted that she had been able to nurse and colostrum is vital for newborn babies. It is also important as you slowly warm up a cold animal to get them warm inside and out. Body temperature on the fly can be checked by feeling the inside of the mouth. It should be warm to the touch.

SONY DSC
…dropping her blanket and getting a little help at balance from the microwave stand and the fridge.

To our surprise this little trooper apparently really wants to live..A nipple in the mouth and little stimulation and she sucked down an entire bottle on the first try. This is a very encouraging sign and extremely unusual. All too often in these situations one has to tube feed these newborns.

Settled in
Settled in

She is amazing, she has eagerly taken her bottle from the very first day unfortunately like so many bottle babies we start she is not aware that she is a bovine. She lasted one day and night in the bathroom and a cage and then transitioned to complete freedom and choose to settle into a dog bed next to my desk with a heater right next to her. She has even attempted to climb into my chair with me. Sigh! The dogs can stand and bark in her face and she just stands there with a isn’t that normal attitude

SONY DSC
Wandering around outside. Keeping warm with dog coats and sweaters.

We named her Zulily and she is now happily going to spend her summer with a petting zoo. The chances of her ever believing she is a zebu at heart are very slim.

 

Happy New Year – Welcome to the world

SONY DSC
Our brand new Mini White Park Heifer – lousy time of year to be born, but still welcome.

Todays new addition – watusi heifer

Liars Lake Musina w/ 2015 heifer
Liar’s Lake Musina with her new heifer by Liars Lake Flotsam born 8-22-15

NEW ADDITION

This sweet little heifer is a new addition to the Liar’s Lake watusi herd. She is a Native Pure heifer out of Liar’s Lake Rising Star and by Liar’s Lake Kinshasa.

 

Rising Star and 2015 hfr
Liars Lake Rising Star with her new heifer
SONY DSC
Newest addition!