The Release Of The Prisoner

Well, we finally released the prisoner. (You can read her story HERE.) A week after her, ahem, punishment commenced, she was released from her halter and hobbles, but kept her in the barn pen. We kept an eye on her for a further few days just to make sure that she was going to keep allowing her calf to nurse. Then finally on Sunday afternoon, Harland opened the barn door that leads to the pasture. This was the first time the calf has ever been outside on grass:

Sometime later Harland did see the calf nursing from the Prisoner, so the calf finally found her. Normally, a cow will call to its calf or walk over to it, but the Prisoner leaves it up to the calf to find her, which is hard for the calf.

And the calf is making a career of nursing from any cow who will let her. This is a problem because she’s robbing milk from the other cows and their calves, and because the prisoner, if not nursed regularly, may develop mastitis.

But there are some hopeful signs:

  • We saw the Prisoner calling to her calf a few days after her release. Finally!
  • The calf is always spotlessly clean and shiny. We didn’t notice this at first in the barn, but then we realized that she must be licking and cleaning her calf. Of course she was doing it when we weren’t looking. Stinker.

So even though she doesn’t keep watch over her calf, or defend it, she’s showing signs of a little motherhood creeping into her personality. Her attitude is, “Ok, so I’m stuck with this creature, I might as well make an effort.”

We’re hoping that the Prisoner will continue to make improvement in her mothering abilities.

It was so wonderful when they were first released to see the calf running about stretching out her little legs for the first time:

Prisoner08

Prisoner06

Prisoner05

Prisoner04

Prisoner03

Prisoner02

This is what pure joy looks like.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Suzanne

Cattle, corn, wheat, beans, mud, snow, ice, and drought. Plenty of fresh air and quiet. Our life is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyous, but never boring.

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7 Responses

  1. Glenda says:

    Cute!

  2. Elizabeth says:

    I am happy things worked out for that adorable calf!

  3. Alica says:

    The calf looks great, despite her dysfunctional mother!! Yay!

  4. Tina says:

    I felt so bad for that calf. She is looking at the whole world for the first time and is just in awe and her Mom just walks away. Poor thing but it sounds like things worked out in the end. I guess I am too emotional to be a farmer/ rancher.

    • Suzanne says:

      I know what you mean. Notice how she jumps away every time one of the cows leans towards her? She’s used to jumping away from her mother for fear of being head-butted. I don’t think her mother is doing that anymore, but the calf is still wary. Sad.

  5. Tara says:

    Awww, love the I am freeee!!! playing…. sorry for her though that momma is not so much of a momma!!

    Out of Curiosity, if this same cow pulls this next calving, will you cull her out?? I ask because I think if I had one like this (I don’t have any, lol) I would send her off….and wonder if that is what cattle ranchers do!
    Tara
    Tara

    • Suzanne says:

      This type of behavior is more common in heifers than in older cows. So hopefully she’ll be a good mom next time. But if she does do it again next year, she’ll be sold.

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