Miss Mendocino, the Calf Who Vacations at the Shore

 I have written a lot about growing up around cows: family lore about our dairy, occasional tales of danger, and yes, lots of poop stories. The glamour stories get all the attention.

But for every true tale about being chased by a crazy bovine, or having a black widow on my neck, or helping the vet put a cow's uterus back in during a rain storm, there's a quiet story about a small life that never gets told.

This e-mail from my friend Jackie came Tuesday, and I hurried to ask permission to share it on Fooleryland. Jackie is my friend Gubby's mom, and she somewhat recently signed up for a life of animal husbandry when she married Harvey, a retired dairyman and all-around Good Guy. Here is Jackie's story, and the photos are hers as well.

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So...it is Monday afternoon and  I am getting things ready to pack for our trip to Whale Watch [Harvey and Jackie's beach house in Mendocino, a 4 1/2 hour drive away]. Harvey, as usual, is busy getting things done with the animals so they will be taken care of while we are gone. He comes back from feeding at Anthony's and he has the calf bottle out. He says there is a real little one down there that is having trouble standing so she can nurse. OK, so we have had that happen before. I ask if this is going to postpone our trip until Tuesday. No, he says, we'll still be going today. Only this time, we will have another passenger.

This little thing is a preemie, and cannot get up. The only chance of saving her is to take her with us in the dog carrier and bottle feed her. I insisted that she ride over in the camper shell and give Maggie the whole back seat to herself.

She is doing fine so far. She gets about a cup of milk with an egg about every 4 hours during the day.

You can see from the pictures that she is about at Harvey's knees. When a calf goes off the cow, the cow's milk dries up and there is no going back, so this bottle feeding looks to be about a 3-month job. We have dubbed her "Miss Mendocino."  We sure hope she makes it. You just never know with little ones.

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My own mother had to bottle feed "eggnog milkshakes"  to shaky baby calves many times. Usually it's enough to sustain them until they're sufficiently strong, and learn to drink from a bucket. But Jackie is right: if little Miss Mendocino makes it, Jackie and Harvey are in for lots of feedings ahead. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks Jackie and Harvey, and I hope your neighborhood association at the coast doesn't mind a little calf bawling. TAKE PHOTOS!

Comments

[Miami eye doctors]

With so much love and care I'm sure she will make it and be a strong cow, she is so precious, reminds me of my childhood and the time spent at my grandpa's farm. Lots of beautiful memories.

[Mantel Man]

Wow, that IS a small calf! They'll have to feed her a lot to ensure she's ready for the 2012 barbecue season. : )

[Meg]

Oh, thanks for sharing this. I hope the li'l Miss thrives on their TLC!

[Debbie]

This is the closest I've been to a baby calf and I've fallen in love. I want to hug her and feed her and whisper "you can do it" in her ear. Awwwwww.

Thank you and I know she can do it!!

[foolery]

Thanks, Daryl -- Ill update when I can!

[Bejewell]

If she doesn't make it, I don't want to know. Promise you won't tell me. Just tell me she went to live on a farm somewhere. ANOTHER farm, I mean.

[Daryl]

Awwww .. I sure hope she makes it

[Elaina]

So precious. Great story.

[foolery]

Shelley, you already have a menagerie. How about visiting instead?  ; )

[foolery]

Baby calves may be the cutest babies ever, noe noe.  : )

[foolery]

Thanks TJ! Will pass on the wishes.   : )

[shelley wilcox]

Ok, this is just too gosh darn cute!! I want one!

[noe noe girl]

Cute little thing!
<><

[tj]

...Is that not the most precious thing EVER?! :o)

...Thanks Miss Foolery, Jackie & Harvey for sharing!

...Blessings all & Miss Mendocino too... :o)