Hi

We are the current 'caretakers' of roughly 5 hectares with a third in rolling pasture, a third in blackwood trees and a third in gorse [!] and native.

We both work full time, and the kids have all grown-up and left the coop.

We have a naughty wee dog, 4 pompous chooks and 2 lovely heifers, and a lamb.

The wee lamb ran away from its home down the road about 3 months ago and adopted one on the heifers as its mum. The heifer has strangely and most interestingly taken on the odd wee thing as its own! Much to my amazement, the heifer lets the lamb suckle AND THE HEIFER STARTED LACTATING! The 2 of them are now inseparable. The lamb has matted wool were the cow licks it and if lamb gets too far from mum, mum moos for her and lamb runs to her side. I have always been good at not getting attached to my food but i cannot help myself with these two. I've been trying to come up with ideas on how I can spare them from ending up in my freezer. [:0] I thought about AI for the heifer and i wondered if she would take 2-3 lambs on her as well as her own calf. Wouldn't that be a strange sight lol

I look forward to hearing some ideas and learning from the forum

What a cool story! Not that I have any advice, but that would be a sight to see. Welcome!

Got a picture to share?

Welcome to the forum.

sorry about quality

Attached files

Love it ,, Rosie G1 Dexter cow was convinced the Eee Bee goat was her son .. as he was born and still is Jet black ,.. so is Rosie
Rosie did all the baby sitting duties , and mum Mollie was just the milk bar
Go down lane and there is Rosie sitting in the sun , with eee bee goat asleep on her back

Mother cow and lamby look all happy as in the photo
good on ya

What a great story that is, just love it.
Nature is quite remarkable.
Now a heifer that could rear orphan lambs would be worth its weight in gold. It costs something like $100 or so to raise orphan lambs on milk powder, you could be onto a winner,
A lot of people are really happy to get rid of the lambs as they dont have the time or money to raise them. But your heifer looks as she might be right for the job

if you have a better resolution pic, ask Kate to put it on the next calendar

i am with Muri on that one.. she looks like she is one of those ' mother of millions' types that will mother anything.. brilliant, get her in calf ( shes a nice black white face, should be nice beefie calf ) and let her raise bobbies or lambs when she calves..isnt it getting abit late in the year ot get her ai'd thow?

So I understand stephclark, maybe next season.

Aww that's so cute! I love the pic.

What an awesome cow!