HugDoggy
Esteemed Citizen of ZV
The cold and wet is always a danger, but so is the heat here when it's above +30c in summer dehydration can also be just as major a concern, till they get on their mum. But I had one calf wanting to drink, but her mother said no get lost and literally threw the little lady away from her with her horns, luckily with a mixture of bottle and getting her onto another cow who had lost a little one to a predator attack I was able to get her back on track again.ya, I tend to hover till I see them suckle for the first time then I can rest easy, one ewe rejected both her lambs last year, her very first, but I found that a bit common with this mix, this year she is doting on her lamb.
I am ecstatic it isn't -30c in a snow storm with snow trenches leading every where and they decide to lamb! Trying to protect ears from freezing isn't easy in an off grid set up.
Like most bottle fed youngsters she is super smoochy and comes up for pats and head rubs all the time now. In the last few weeks she's been raising her tail at times also, so I suspect now the hormones are kicking in with her reaching puberty she's also having some less than totally pure thoughts when she's coming up for those scritches. However it's a case of "Better run girl, you're much to young girl!" I'd prefer to stay just friends, till I'm sure she's old enough to understand what she's asking for. That is the problem with big animals when they are just right height wise they are often still to young mentally. I don't want to do anything to adversely affect the bond and trust we've built up. A fleeting bit of pleasure is never worth destroying a relationship over. When it comes to being around animals that are 5-10x your weight having them comfortable, relaxed and friendly towards you because they like you is pretty important. I've seen first hand what happens if you annoy an animal that weighs as much as a small car, and it's not pretty. Mind you the only time I've been seriously hurt by a bovine was a case of a young bull being way to horny and throwing his weight around so even when your both very eager and willing there are still risks involved.