What happens AFTER a new BABY CALF is born?

Watch next! 👉 • What to Have Ready BEF...
When do we start milking? Is the calf ok? Will our cow get mastitis or milk fever? Our Guernsey cow Maddie just gave birth to a beautiful baby calf that we named "Maple". I'll go through everything for those first couple days, and answer those questions for you.
Get a FREE Calving Checklist to print out right here! wondrous-creator-9518.ck.page...
For anything from Shenandoah Homestead Supply use code MORETHANFARMERS for a 5% discount! (Good until July 12th, 2022)
SS Milking Pail: www.shenandoahhomesteadsupply...
SS Milk Strainer: www.shenandoahhomesteadsupply...
Disposable Filters: www.shenandoahhomesteadsupply...
Flour Sack Towels: amzn.to/3MIQdJZ
Square Jugs: www.uline.com/BL_8179/Plastic...
"Keeping A Family Cow" book: amzn.to/3xFzGSO
Mastitis Indicators: amzn.to/3yCFMCX
(I'm a "quality tool" kind of guy, and I'll only ever recommend something that I would want for myself. If you make a purchase through a link posted here I may receive a small affiliate commission, but at no extra cost to you. It helps to make this channel a reality!)
Follow us on Instagram! / morethanfarmers
and on Facebook! / morethanfarmers
Fresh Ideas. Natural Solutions. Simple Living.
We want to share with you the things we wish we would’ve known when we started homesteading. We want to inspire you to find fulfillment on your homestead spending quality time with your family, eating nourishing food that you've raised with your own two hands, and caring for the earth while you’re at it! We also want you to know that being a homesteader doesn’t have to look like Laura Ingalls Wilder…
There's fresh content every week, so go ahead and take a whack at that subscribe button if you'd like to join us on this crazy ride. Get ready to learn and be inspired!

[@spaceace1006]

It's pretty amazing that as little as 6 hours after birth, a calf can get up and run!!

[@morethanfarmers]

Sure is!

[@mrs.broccoli4362]

It is so touching to see how much thought you give to your animals. Thank you for capturing all of this on video. I showed the video to my little grandson. Best textbook ever! I love you guys

[@morethanfarmers]

Thank you so much!

[@itzbenandmoon9510]

The cow is sooooo docile she never kicks

[@morethanfarmers]

Yep she’s a good cow!

[@elainek6167]

Very comprehensive and enlightening! I’ve been looking for a video like this since getting my cow ... thank you!

[@morethanfarmers]

You’re very welcome! Glad it was helpful.

[@blossomrockranch5037]

Thank you for these videos! Perfect demonstrations and not too long or wordy. Definitely going to be watching them all. My heifer should be calving soon.

[@morethanfarmers]

You're very welcome 😊 Good luck!

[@saugod]

Congratulations mate. This is just the beginning, I wish you all the very best.

[@morethanfarmers]

Thank you very much! 😊

[@farmmommadixon305]

Great timing, our jersey heifer just calved yesterday. ❤️

[@roxannecarson2814]

Your field grass is so luscious!! Great video! Thanks. 🙏

[@doveo1111]

awesome. great quality. we have a 5 day old calf and I love watching this.

[@morethanfarmers]

Thank you! Congrats on the calf.. I hope that goes well for you.

[@daytonadasher3114]

Love this keep this up very educational 👊🏻👊🏻

[@spoolsandbobbins]

I got off Facebook because I was always terrified 😳. These videos are super helpful. Thanks and God bless!!

[@morethanfarmers]

Yeah, it has it's place, but not always super healthy! You're welcome, and blessings on your journey.

[@jerex112]

thanks for the info

[@christinarood2831]

I'm enjoying your videos immensely! I'm learning so much and appreciate your thoroughness. I haven't searched through all of your videos but I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts about the lies that have been fed to us concerning milk, sterilization and so on.

[@morethanfarmers]

Well thank you 😊 I don't have any videos specifically addressing that because of how controversial it is. In my mind it's not controversial.. hands down pasteurization and homogenization are killing a perfectly good healthy food. No question. But I've seen people get really nasty about this one, and I just wasn't ready to deal with that 😁 I may address it more in depth in a video in the future. People have been drinking raw milk for millennia.. it's only the advent of industrial dairy farms that makes it "necessary" now. Good, clean, well taken care of milk from healthy grass-fed cows is perfectly safe. You would definitely want to know the farm where your milk is coming from, because yes it can make you sick. But, so can lettuce. And fish. And eggs. And meat. And any other food. Depends where it comes from and how it's handled.

[@jenny_by_the_woods]

New sub, thank you for sharing so much information. Now I want cows for sure 🤗

[@morethanfarmers]

Ha that’s great! Glad you’re here 😊

[@followerofyahushaoctaviadm]

What a beautiful guernsey 🥰

[@susanturner9023]

You guys keep it going your great! 🙏🏼✌🏻❤️

[@morethanfarmers]

Thank you! Will do!

[@LacyO86]

adorable calf! glad to see you got a heifer. It is funny you mention that about the fb groups because they are helpful but im convinced I'll need 80 tubes of cmpk and dynamint 😂

[@morethanfarmers]

😂 Yeah I have mixed feelings about it sometimes. But it's been helpful, and it's great to be a part of the community.

[@LacyO86]

@@morethanfarmers completely agree!

[@valkyriamae]

Hi your videos are so interesting and informative. I only started watching your videos not too long ago, still got more to go. How did you breed your cow? Was it with a bull? Wondering if you have a video talking about it...thanks!

[@morethanfarmers]

Awesome, thank you! We get her bred with artificial insemination. My neighbor does AI. I have mentioned it in a few videos, but not one specifically dedicated to it. I talk about it some in this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5W1mYp9h5JlosU

[@stephaniemurphy6544]

Love your farm and Chanel that u!@!

[@morethanfarmers]

Thank you 😊

[@Splenda2021]

Thanks sir 😊

[@decevious]

Great video, thank you for the information! What Facebook groups are good? I am new to milk cows and just had a calf on fathers day, so this does let me know a bit what's normal and I now see my cow's udders are way too full!

[@morethanfarmers]

You're very welcome! Congratulations! That's exciting. If it's super full and tight I would use UdderMint or Dynamint on it. Also, it usually just takes a little time. Stick to your regular once or twice a day milking schedule, don't milk extra.. The more you milk the more her body is told to produce. My favorite group is "Keeping a Family Cow (Holistic and Organic)". I also like "Milking Your Cow", and since I have a Guernsey I'm a part of "The Guernsey Cow".

[@JohnVanRuiten]

Gosh, I can't stop crying every time I see God's miracles in our daily lives. I just wish I'd known Him when my children were born. May God richly bless you and your beautiful family young man.

[@morethanfarmers]

Thank you John!

[@AllOuttaSpoons]

Can’t thank you enough for this video. Will be watching your others. So you start off 1 time a day milking right off? I’ve been reading you have to do it twice a day for several months first.

[@morethanfarmers]

You’re welcome! Yes that’s what i do. It’s always worked for me and other people i know. Some people say you need to do that, but it’s more of an opinion than a fact. There are plenty of people who have proved it wrong 😁

[@AllOuttaSpoons]

@@morethanfarmers Can’t thank you enough! Love the no nonsense, no panic wisdom! Also thank you for taking the time to respond! So much appreciated! God Bless you and your family! ❤️

[@TiffanySweat-pi4ps]

If this was her first calf, would you go straight to once a day milking still? Or would you continue to milk twice a day for the first 4 months (if it was her first calf)?

[@pineknotfamilyfarm5020]

How long did you wait to start drinking the milk after calving? Our holestein just gave birth this morning. When we got her she was in milk so this is the first calving with her. I plan on milking her out to get some colostrum tonight.

[@morethanfarmers]

You can drink it as soon as you want, nothing about it will hurt you. Colostrum is actually really healthy, it just doesn’t taste all that great. And some people just don’t like the thought of it 😁 I think I started drinking it on the third day.

[@MarieAchee]

We're getting 6 gallons a day & so over glass jars. So, regarding the square jugs: #1 - do you use 1/2 or 1 gallon? #2 - how many do you have? (trying to decide how many to buy) #3 - can you put them in the dishwasher? #4 - does the plastic pick up any off flavors after a while? Thanks!

[@morethanfarmers]

I know the feeling! We use the one gallon.. We have a few half gallons to use if we want. We probably have around 40 of them because we do herdshares, so at some times a lot of our jugs are on the loose. You CANNOT run them through the dishwasher 😉 Some of our herdshare members even tried it after we told them not to 🙄 We’ve been using them for several years now and haven’t noticed them holding any smell. It’s a hard smooth plastic, nothing like a disposable milk jug. They’re a total game changer!

[@MarieAchee]

@@morethanfarmers Thank you so much! Will place the order (wish you could have an affiliate link so you'd get a kickback, but I doubt Uline does affiliates) :).

[@cathyseelye9086]

What are the testing strips you used?

[@morethanfarmers]

Here ya go! amzn.to/3yCFMCX

[@kathygingerich2207]

Aww❤️ So precious! Will you raise this calf to sell or build your herd?

[@morethanfarmers]

We sold her.

[@truckerswifelife8697]

Hey guys... we are just getting started with all this. Our cow is due Dec 8th... we are about 70 miles north of Columbus... not too far from you guys. Do you have any recommendations for freshening in a colder month? I did order some calf blankets, I thought of hanging a heat lamp high enough momma can't reach it, but low enough to get some heat in the stall? Bad idea? Any help would be great.

[@morethanfarmers]

Our cow is due Dec. 4th 😁 I didn't like the idea of winter calving, but that's just the way it worked out. Depending on how big your barn is I would either keep her in the barn, or close to it within several days of her due date. I don't think a heat lamp will do any good, and it would be a fire hazard. Just make sure she has access to a clean dry stall out of the wind. Keep fresh bedding in there. If she's still out on pasture check on her every day a week or so prior to her due date in case she calves out on pasture, then just bring em up to the barn. They're pretty hardy, and winter calving is not uncommon. Make sure the calf gets up and drinking within a couple hours. We had to deal with a calf with pneumonia last winter, but it was my dad's and he was on vacation when she freshened. Here's the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2S5ZmqMYsSlj68si=bVF780_IeC8OWENp There were a lot of helpful comments on that video too. Good luck!

[@maryr7593]

Mother cats eat the after birth too. Apparently it is very good for the cat since she will be with the kittens nursing them every two hours.

[@TXDHC]

Who's on first 🤔 I totally followed you though. I hated doing that blood draw 😖 15 years ago that home test would have been very helpful. I sure hope she took the second time or maybe it's time for the pros...Mr Bull. 😉 Well done on the watering set-up! 👏

[@morethanfarmers]

"Who's on first" HAHA 😁 Yeah the tricky part is there seems to be less confidence in the timing for sexed semen AI since it's a relatively new thing.

[@TXDHC]

@@morethanfarmers oh wow! I missed the "sexed" semen. (My phone didn't like that word 😄) You actually get to pick the sex now? Terrifying technology.

[@susanturner9023]

Got an amazing pit bull she’s a brut and does the same in the house when you leave and aren’t back soon.

[@Nadia..J]

Yes, apparently she lives in that halter. And it's firm around her neck, poor thing. I spoke to my gran and she said they never had a halter on a cow.

[@ka6148]

Boy there sure is a difference in homesteading milking and cow care.. You thinking about getting a milker? Isn't that you? ?... oh you mean a milking machine😂 They are fabulous! The yellow is from the colostrum

[@johnfarmer1691]

beauty i name her

[@felixchabuka6222]

What best food do u reccomend for the mother at this tym

[@morethanfarmers]

Quality pasture if possible. As much decent hay as she wants (doesn't have to be super high quality). You could give a little grain if you want, but not necessary if she has decent body condition. Free choice minerals for sure.

[@peninahkatushabe6085]

What type of pasture do you grow on your field to ensure she gets a balanced diet?

[@peninahkatushabe6085]

I just got a cow and she's 4 months pregnant

[@morethanfarmers]

@@peninahkatushabe6085 It's a grazing mix from a local feed store. Not even sure what all is in it 😬

[@morethanfarmers]

@@peninahkatushabe6085 Congrats and good luck!

[@maryr7593]

Why do farmers separate mom from baby? Wouldn't the baby benefit from being with the mom? Mom could teach baby what she needs and mom could continue to bond. Wouldn't mom be hurt if baby is gone?

[@morethanfarmers]

Big farms have to to get enough milk to make their operation profitable. We're not in it for as much profit as possible, so that's why we let the calf be with the mama. We kinda get the best of both worlds.

[@AmberTaylor-sh3ek]

Yeah, I don't like how these large farms treat their animals. Once I have my own farm, I am going to treat my animals with respect. Also, I don't care about much profit either. Therefore, I will let my animals outside for several hours each day (unless the weather is bad) on pastures. Go pasture raised or go home! ✊😤💖

[@AC-LING666]

Wow i didnt know Tom Hardy was a farmer on the side , hurry up n make Venom 3

[@donnabrunner3125]

❤❤❤

[@benjohnson9011]

I'm back like relatives who won't leave after a visit. Anyway, some comments I have on this one -- I'll just snail mail you. Other than that - another good video. Very good info for beginners. As for cream separators. We still have ours. Most people wouldn't know what they are in an antique shop. I spose there are new fangled ones. Ours looks like an alien with emotional problems. You seem quite fit. Let's just say you may need that sometime. --- I remember when I sold my herd. I was 69. Friends said," Your Dad was 78. You wimp!" It got to the point where, when doctoring a calf, and the momma was right there, -- let's just say my mind could clear the cattle panel 20' away but my butt was still back at the calf. Mom has a plaque saying - "Golden Years My ASS!" 🙂 I'll snail mail you.

[@morethanfarmers]

😂 Love it 😊

[@Marcus-fp9ts]

Hey,.. farm and surroundings look really nice. And you look like you enjoying your work and love your animals. I am really depressed when I see all big farms where they separate young ones from mothers. Plus terrible conditions for cows. It's pure mental and physical abuse. Keep up your ethical farming. Best wishes from UK

[@morethanfarmers]

Thank you! Yes, I love the animals, and I love giving them the kind of life they were meant for.

[@rhvondalaunsby35]

I only milk once a day she has adapted

[@morethanfarmers]

Nice! What kind of cow do you have?

[@timothydavid56]

First of all get a milking machine. You will be glad you did. Many times over. I would not have milked her all the way out. That just tells her body to produce more. I figure this way. There is no way a calf can take all the colostrum/milk on the first few days. IMO that can bring on Milk fever if the cow is prone to it. I do not let my cows eat the afterbirth if I can get to it first. It just takes 1 time of the afterbirth getting stuck at the bottom of the stomach and starts to rot. Thats a Vet call for sure.. Did you expect anything but a heifer calf? I though you AIed her with sexed semen... Maybe I was wrong. Big calf.... I like the looks of your cow. She has the Old Time Guernsey look. The calf looks like the typical Commercial Guernseys of today. Why do you strain the colostrum? was it dirty? Never done that. Never did I ever need 4 gallons of colostrum. Just takes up freezer space. I am glad all is going well for you. I wish you continued good luck .I enjoyed your vid. God Bless....

[@morethanfarmers]

Thank you! I appreciate the advice. I'm pretty well planning to go ahead with a machine. My biggest concern is the cleaning aspect of it. I don't want the chemicals in contact with the milk, and I'm afraid of having all the nooks and crannies clean. If I'd find the afterbirth and it's been sittin out there for awhile I'd clean it up. But if she takes care of it right away I'll let her. It's a natural instinct and it's even been shown to be healthy for them. Same reason some women take theirs in capsules or smoothies 😳 I did use sexed semen , but there's still a 10% chance it won't be a heifer. Gotta check! It probably wouldn't be necessary to strain the colostrum, but I still like to. If a calf is drinking off a cow it's coming straight from teat to mouth, and even if they get dirt in there it's consumed right away and not just sitting in it. I wouldn't either have to freeze that much, but it kinda became a habit after a few rounds of calves we had.. We used to graft one or 2 extra calves onto our cow, plus get another 2 after the first ones were weaned. We also had some calves (random dairy calves brought in) die and had to get replacements. I've run out of colostrum before trying to take care of all them calves. We don't do that anymore so I wouldn't need to keep that much, and yes my wife gets annoyed at me for it 😉 Thanks for bein here!