Yesterday at feed up time I noticed Jaffa laying down looking really suspicious. Her due date was apparently "March or April" but we've been waiting on Twiggy as she has been bagged up and swollen all week.
Well, Jaffa had only about an inch of goo, but I didn't want her in with the young bull trying to calve so I put her and Heidi (black dexter) into the paddock with the sheep shelter. Luckily they both happened to be standing right by the gate and the bull was a long way off. Just as I closed the gate I saw she had the waters showing.
Twenty minutes from bubble to calf on it's feet and looking for milk. Textbook thank goodness because I was here by myself.
So, a little red heifer (or maybe dun). She's dexter x angus mum and dexter dad I think. Jaffa kept wiping her off the udder and walking forward to graze, didn't even lick her off properly, and I was starting to worry. But the little girl was so determined to get those teats, she figured out at 15 mins old if she went in behind she could walk forward when mum did and not get wiped off !
Her name is Scully and here she is at approximately 20 hrs old.
Scully is lovely! Those Dexter babies are spunky, she obviously has a good dose of "Determined Dexter." :) I hope Jaffa has warmed up to the whole motherhood and nursing thing.
ReplyDeleteYes, she's turned out to be a great mum :-)
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