A new life for Bunny, welcome Baby Bugs

Bunny looked at the new calf laying in the straw that she had just birthed moments ago. She was not aggressive, but appeared confused by the limp, wet creature in her pen. No licking to dry her calf, no mooing to encourage it to stand and nurse. Bunny seemed more concerned about what was happening in her own posterior than what was laying in front of her nose--that needed attention.

And who would blame her? Although this was the second calf she had birthed, Bunny was technically a first-calf heifer. On May 14, 2024 Bunny and I desperately needed help. Ray was in Greensboro at our other farm when I went to the barn to do morning chores. I found Bunny, one of the sweetest and most gentle souls on the farm, lying on her side in front of the barn, in a depression left by a tractor tire.

When I greeted her, Bunny did not get up or move at all. Her eyes were open but looked wild and terrified. Her legs splayed out to her side, and it was clear there had been considerable thrashing prior to my finding her. Bunny was stuck on her side in this awkward prone position. She was starting to bloat, and I knew she would be gone soon. And then I saw it, a calf laying on the ground behind her. Bunny had birthed her calf perfectly, but while thrashing and flailing her legs to try to right and save herself, her newborn calf had taken a blow to its little head. Through no fault of Bunny, the calf had unintentionally succumbed to the kick.

Having already lost one life, I knew I had to try to save another.

With four stomachs, bovines cannot survive long prone on their side, as their stomachs can twist with bloating following in rapid succession. Bunny needed to get upright, and fast. At 1400 pounds, I could not turn her myself. I called my neighbor but no answer. Running to the car, I drove the mile and half to his house. Pounding on the door, I told Jon Hilyard Bunny needed help right away. Jon followed me back to our farm and tried to roll Bunny to right her. With both of us trying to turn her, we were making no progress.

Grabbing halters from the barn, we looped them around the upper two of Bunny's exhausted legs. Counting to make sure we were both pulling at the same time, after several tries we were able to pull Bunny partly out of the divot. Bunny lifted her head, began to collect her legs under her, and as we gave one last heave-ho Bunny's legs connected with the ground. Pulling to assist her, she rose shakily from her would-be grave.

With eyes wide, head shaking, ears flopping from side to side, Bunny was again upright on solid ground. She looked briefly at the limp and lifeless being behind her, and on unsteady legs walked to the haybale to get something to eat. Losing her calf was not Bunny's fault. It was a lesson for us to learn. When gullies or ditched are made in front of the barn by tractor tires, we smooth them out so as not to set a booby trap for our cattle.

We thanked Bunny for holding on, and patiently letting us help save her life. We knew it would take a year of perseverance on hers and our parts. We hoped and prayed for better luck for Bunny the following spring--a more rewarding return for her work and our investment in her care.

And then, on May 22, 2025, it happened. Bunny produced Bugs, a spectacular Blue Roan Heifer. Only our second Blue Roan in fifty years, just a little over a month after Zeus, a Blue Roan Bull was gifted to us by momma, Zora. Bugs was given a BoSe (Vitamin E and Selenium) injection, her navel trimmed and dipped in iodine, and then mother and daughter were given some privacy to get things figured out. When we were sure that Bunny harbored no aggression towards her newborn, we returned to the house where we could watch their progress and bonding captured by our barn cameras on the kitchen monitor.

As every birth is a miracle, so is the mothering of the new life. After about an hour, Bunny sniffed her new offspring and tentatively began licking it. The calf raised itself on wobbly legs and headed for the milk bar. Bunny was hooked and now totally in love. And what a mother she is! She loves that calf as if she was born to be a mother--which she was. Bugs and Bunny are inseparable, lying as close as bovinely possible when they lay down, closing their eyes to sleep.

The bonus? Bunny is happy to share Bugs with her human caregivers and anyone who wants to visit and admire her little girl. And Bugs? Bugs seems to know what a precious gift she is, and lets us pet and rub her all over. Sometimes when a cow loses a calf, breeders decide it is time to cull the cow. Most of the time when a tragedy like this happens it is not the cow's fault. And just like the rest of us, that cow deserves another chance.

We gave that chance to Bunny and she rewarded us a million times over with baby Bugs.

Did I mention that Bugs arrived at 2:45 AM? I think we were all a bit tired the next day, but all very happy.

View this post on our FB page!

Greenfield Highland Beef Highland House Farm Stay Capital City Farmers' Market Montpelier Vermont Vermont Agency of Agriculture Vermont Agritourism Montpelier Veterinary Hospital #farmstayUS #FarmLife #babyanimals #grateful #gratefulheart #gratefulthankfulblessed #highlandcow