Seeing Double

Cow #7 had a surprise for me this morning as I headed across the river to feed the main herd and the cow/calf pairs in the nursery field.

#7 had just successfully delivered twin bull calves and was busy trying to figure out exactly what was going on while she cleaned the pair. I missed the birth by less than an hour when I found her with her double delivery.

I was solely in charge of the farm on this day and it took quite a bit of effort to get the family out of the wet, rainy pasture and up to the barn. #7 was not mean but she sure was confused about the newborns and why I was haltering her  babies and moving around in her space while she was trying to deliver and clean up her afterbirth.

It took another 3 hours to get the trio from the field into the barn where the calves could get dried off and for #7 to get a good meal of sweet hay. #7 seemed a little confused by the pair and paid more attention to one of the boys while scooting the other one away.

Once inside the barn, I was able to feed #7 and get both of the boys started eating off those monster sized boobs. It may take several days for #7 to bond with both of the boys. They will all stay in the barn and surrounding yard until we are sure that both calves will be allowed to eat and be nurtured by this mother.

The first calf was able to attach to a front nipple and get a few good squirts as I was straightening up the pen. So obviously, I named him Front. I was able to manhandle the second calf, who was by then very hungry, and got him started on one of the back nipples for the cleanup. This second calf now sports the name Back.

Front and Back are good sized for being twins, they weighed in at about 55 lbs each and were born on 2/21/2017.