Worried Mama Cow Asks Man To Rescue Her Newborn Calf

Flo is a cow who lives on a beautiful farm near Millbrook, Ontario. She spends her days in a lush, green pasture that borders on a country road. The cows have access to a nice pond for drinking and for cooling off in. She shares this pasture with a herd of cows and some newborn calves. Flo delivered a calf herself but it was born on a slope between the pond and the fence. It slid down and under the fence, becoming trapped outside the field. It's not clear how long the calf was lying there, but the fresh umbilical cord showed that it had been born that day. It was also dry, which suggested that it had been lying in the sun for a little while. The calf may have tried to get back to its mother but the electric fence made this impossible.
Dave was passing by on the road when he saw the cows enjoying a dip in the pond to get out of the heat. He stopped to film the cows as they did so. He noticed a cow to his left that was acting agitated. Dave doesn't know a lot about cows but he knew it was unusual for a female to scrape the dirt and make so much noise. He set his camera on the fence post and watched, confused by what was going on. He could see that her ear tag said "Flo". He eventually noticed that she was looking through the fence and then back at him. She seemed a little frantic as she cried and he walked closer with his camera to see what she was doing. It became obvious that she had been asking for help.

Dave saw her newborn calf in the long grass but he wasn't sure if her behavior had been a cry for help or a warning to stay away from her baby. The calf needed to get milk from the mother and he could also wander out on the road if something wasn't done. There was no gate nearby and Dave didn't want to try moving the calf far away from Flo.

Dave decided that the best way to help was to lift the wires and push the calf under the fence. The calf seemed to be helping the man, but there was no way to avoid contact with the fence. Flo seemed to understand that her calf was being moved toward her, but Dave was very aware that only a flimsy fence would be between them if she became upset with what was happening. Dave was getting shocked and the calf was too. He hoped it would not cry out in pain before he could get the job done.

Eventually, the calf was on the other side of the fence and reunited with his mom. The two immediately sniffed each other and began walking out into the pasture together.
Dave spoke with the farmer and his wife, who did not realize that she had calved. They invited Dave to join them as they tagged the calf's ear and treated the umbilical cord with iodine. They checked the calf and found that it was healthy and unharmed.

Dave took his camera along and filmed the two as they mingled with the herd. The calf wandered up to Dave for a curious sniff, as did Flo, seemingly recognizing him. They both wandered off and Flo's little calf was soon happily nursing as if nothing had happened. Although Dave was slow to catch on, Flo was obviously distressed and was aware that Dave could help her. She looked at him expectantly as she paced between him and her baby in a very clear attempt to communicate. We often underestimate an animal's intelligence and capacity for emotion. Flo showed a healthy amount of both in this case. You can't deny the love she felt for her newborn calf.
This video tells the story of "Flo", a wonderful cow with a beautiful disposition, as she encountered serious difficulty soon after giving birth to her baby. On a very hot, spring day in Millbrook, Ontario, Flo was near the pond in the meadow that she called home. She and the rest of the herd live on a gorgeous farm where the cows wander freely and graze as they wish. It's life as close as possible to what nature intended for these sweet creatures.
For whatever reason, Flo found herself beside the pond and up against the electric fence when it was time for her baby to be born. This fence is there to keep the cows from wandering on the highway and to keep predators out. The voltage is actually dialed down to a low setting. But her calf must have been slippery enough that it slid down the small slope and under the wires. It would have been difficult, if not impossible for the calf to get back under the fence, and Flo could not get to her newborn. The sun was beating down and the baby was supposed to be nursing, getting that first crucial dose of antibodies in his mother's collostrum. (First milk)

Dave, a passing motorist who lived nearby had stopped with his GoPro camera because he wanted to film the other cows splashing and bathing in the pond. Their behaviour seemed interesting enough that he wanted to get some video. He stood by the fence with one camera in his hand and another on the fence post. He saw Flo acting annoyed to his left but he thought maybe she was just trying to express displeasure that he was near the fence. Dave knew very little about cattle and he had no idea that her unusual display was actually a request for help.

Still not catching on, Dave began to film Flo as she pawed at the ground and paced back and forth. She looked at him and mooed as she did so. Even the other cows knew something was wrong and they came over to look. Flo was looking at the same spot outside the fence, and at Dave alternately.

Dave decided he better investigate and he took his camera with him. He saw a small, newborn calf on the outside of the fence. It was lying still and appeared to be either dead or paralyzed with fear. When Dave got closer, he could see that it was OK but that it wasn't able to help itself.

Dave knew the wires between him and the mother were not solid enough to hold her back if she objected to him going near the calf but he was now starting to understand that this is what she was asking him for. Cautiously, he moved over to the calf and used a stick to lift the lower wires. He could see the name "Flo" on her ear tag and he spoke to her as he worked to get the calf back into the meadow. The calf's umbilical cord was very fresh, showing that he was just born.

Flo relaxed visibly as she saw what Dave was doing. Her agitation decreased and even the sound of her bellows had changed. She made no sign that she was angry as he shoved and wiggled the calf under the wires. The calf and Dave both touched the wire and got a few shocks in the process but Dave was relieved that the calf didn't cry out, as this could alarm Flo. An angry mama cow can sometimes be protective if they sense their babies are being hurt.

The calf was eventually reunited with his mother and she promptly licked him and checked him over. As Dave walked away from the fence, she gave him a long look that seems to convey understanding and relief that this stranger had helped her baby. She led him off into the meadow and he was able to nurse right away.

The farmers, who had been on an errand while this was happening arrived as she was leading the calf away. Dave offered to help them catch the calf so it could treat the umbilical cord with iodine and give it a checkup. They also had to tag the calf ("F20"). Dave filmed the two as they grazed with the herd.

Unbelievably, the little calf saw Dave and wandered up to him curiously, seeming to recognize him from earlier in the afternoon. Flo also seemed to remember Dave and she gave him a long look before wandering off behind her baby.

Dave was surprised by Flo's ability to communicate her need for help, as well as her patience with his inability to understand. She persisted until he finally got the message. What was also impressive was the depth of emotion that she showed for her calf, despite the widespread claims that animals are not capable of profound emotion. And one more thing about this encounter struck Dave as remarkable. Flo and her calf seemed to be able to remember that Dave had helped them.

Dave created a video about this experience to demonstrate Flo's capacity for emotion, as well as her surprising intellect, but parts of that first video were edited out in order to shorten the length of the video. The video has gone viral and the internet has been touched by Flo's love for her baby. He is now known as "Sparky" due to his early exposure to electricity. Flo and Sparky have become cow celebrities.

But in the editing, some of Flo's attempts to communicate were left out. This is a second video of the same story, but it focuses more on Flo's impressive understanding of the fact that this unknown human could help her if she can only communicate her need to him.

We don't give cows enough credit. They are far more complex than some people believe, and they are far more deserving of a life of happiness. If people chose to eat beef, they have the option to at least buy their meat from ethical sources, like this farm, where the cows are treated properly.

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