Newborn calf takes its first steps to reach his mother's milk

Larry is a little calf who has just come into the world. He is literally just a few minutes old as we see him getting up onto his wobbly legs to follow his mother for his first drink of milk. Larry was born on a beautiful evening in late May on this wonderful farm in Millbrook, Ontario.

Bernice is a seasoned mother. Experience and instinct tell her to lick the calf clean immediately. Larry hasn't even gotten used to the sunshine and his mother is carefully licking all of the afterbirth away. Nature is a beautiful thing, but sometimes it is also less than pretty. Bernice knows she must remove any smell of blood that would attract predators. Larry will not get to his feet for up to an hour after birth and she can't afford to let the scent of his arrival bring hungry animals. IN the wild, Larry would need to be able to walk and run as quickly as possible and the first few minutes are his most vulnerable. Bernice ate all of the afterbirth and made sure that he was as fresh as possible. This licking also cements their bond and stimulates Larry to be more alert and willing to move.

Bernice wandered a short distance away and Larry took the cue to get onto his feet. He is adorably clumsy as he struggles for his first steps. Bernice is already hungry and she grazes and waits patiently. She has sought a quieter spot, away from the herd, to give birth, but the other cows are now gathered around her protectively. Larry is hungry himself and he instinctively knows where he needs to look for food.

Larry's first drink will be full of antibodies and high protein milk for his early development of a strong immune system. It will also help in the bonding process between mother and calf. Bernice and Larry will be able to find each other in the herd by sound or smell and he will drink lots of milk in his early days, growing bigger each day.

Larry's life on this farm will be a good one. He will nurse for almost a year, wandering freely over a vast expanse of lush, green meadow. He will have ponds full of fresh water and a large and protective bull named Gus, watching over the herd.