If you’ve been following me on Facebook, you know I’ve been posting a few pics of a few of our new fall calves. I LOVE calving season and get really excited about each new addition.
I know I’ve talked about our girl, Tank, in here before, and she had a beautiful heifer early Sunday morning. I mentioned Bessie’s calf, and I think I mentioned that our neighbor brought us a calf who lost his mom and wouldn’t take a bottle.
I might not have mentioned Princess lately.
Julia and I were trying to decide if I ever told Princess’s story in here and she insists that I did, but I haven’t been able to find it.
So, two years ago when we all were in lock down over Covid (remember that?) #40 had a heifer. #40 is an older cow with some Brown Swiss (dairy) in her, and as dairy cows have a tendency to do, her udder had gotten rather large and low to the ground.
Her calf, which we eventually named Princess, couldn’t find it – calves have a instinct to look high and when a cow has an udder like #40’s, finding that first lunch can be a bit of an issue.
Watson was in PA and I was down in Virginia with the girls. I’m pretty sure the lights were out, too, but don’t quote me on that. Also, it was the day before the wedding that we had at the barn, so our barn and property were overrun with people when we realized that Princess hadn’t eaten.
We didn’t want the same thing to happen to her that had happened to Cola, so we took the four wheeler down. It took two of us to lift her up (she was a big baby) and put her on the four wheeler.
The issue we had was that all of our bottles were in PA – we hadn’t brought any when we moved, and hadn’t needed any up until that point. We did have a nipple, but we needed the base, if that makes sense.
Anyway, we ended up making an emergency trip to Tractor Supply. None of us had masks, but they allowed us all in anyway (I think we looked rather desperate, or like desperados, I’m not sure), but they didn’t have a bottle.
The dude there gave us directions to some other place. I can’t even remember the name now, but he didn’t seem real sure of himself, and I had no clue what he was saying anyway, since we were new to the area.
Anyway, after two hours of running around we came back home with no bottle.
Watson was going to bring one down from PA, but not for a day or so and Princess needed to eat.
I’m not sure what made me look in the fridge (maybe that’s just what I do in times of stress, please don’t judge) and my eyes landed on Julia’s big bottle of French Vanilla coffee creamer.
So, yeah, in case anyone needs to know, you can attach the nipple of a calf bottle to the extra large French Vanilla Coffee creamer container and use it as a makeshift calf bottle if you’re desperate. (Don’t say you never learn anything in Jessie Gussman’s newsletter. : ) We fed Princess. She lived. We lived. The people got married with a calf in the stall behind them. (The groom knew, but I’m not sure he ever told the bride, and Princess was very, very quiet. : )
Princess eventually figured out where to get lunch from her mom. She was a beautiful color – a light, golden orange – and became a special pet to all of us.
I said all of that to say, Princess is now all grown up and we’ve been watching her for a couple of weeks. Yesterday morning, Princess had a little bull calf. I have pictures on Facebook somewhere…I can’t remember. Anyway, they’re both doing well.
Thanks so much for spending time with me today!
Blessings and love,
~Jessie 