Christine Macaulay who runs Wedge-tail Ridge Dexter Stud got some amazing pictures last year of her cow Glenwarlock Fifi giving birth to Wedge-tail Ridge Jaffa. She was born at the end of last year and is now a gorgeous little heifer.
2.29pm & 2.30pm: Fifi laying down, but not in the usual way and rolling on her back in not a very comfortable looking position, I could see a discharge as she was having contractions then as she was pushing what looked just like a balloon slowly appeared and I immediately got even more excited as I thought it contained the calf, but it was the water sac and promptly burst, Fifi immediately jumped up to see if there is anything there, I felt like there should have been something too!
2.39pm: She lays down again and it looks like more of the sac appears and I can see something else this time – the tip of a white hoof – as she stands up the stuff in the sac falls to the ground and looks like jelly and the hoof disappears and she gets up. Moves around a little then the hoof appears again with a contraction and then disappears again,
3.11pm: After a few more pushes the feet come a little further out and it’s almost as if the calf is flexing her toes, this is a high point for me as I know the little one is alive! As she stands up again the feet slowly disappear again! This goes on for about 20 mins, gets up and walks around with two feet sticking out, I felt very uncomfortable for her. Then as she lays down again a nose now appears with the feet.
3.14pm: Within the next 2-3 mins the calf comes a little further each time.
3.15pm: Fifi turns to look at what is happening I’m sure as amazed as I am at this point. She lets out a loud moo stands up and turns round quickly and as she does the rest of the calf falls to the ground, Fifi immediately starts to lick her new baby.
3.28pm: Within the next 10-15 mins the calf is on its very wobbly feet, it looks like the calf knows it needs to feed but spends a few a couple of minutes at the wrong end searching.
3.32pm: The calf hits the spot. It was a cold and wet afternoon and I had to resist the temptation to wrap the calf in a towel and give it a good rub. This was Fifi’s first calf and she has just turned 3 years