Eden Valley Guest Ranch.

Baby Cattle are Calves in Okanogan Highlands near Oroville and Tonasket, Washington USA

Our natural grass fed beef operation is located in the Okanogan Highlands near Oroville and Tonasket, Washington USA.  Our babies, called calves are born in early spring and weaned in the fall.

When the calf is born, ideally the cow claims it and licks it dry.  The licking is very important not only to protect the calf for warmth, but to stimulate the calf.  Many calves, although wobbly, will stand and try to suck when they are from a half hour to one hour old.  The first milk (colostrum) is essential to the health of the calf with antibodies from the cow.  Soon after they eat, they sleep. New  babies sleep most of their day and get their milk every few hours all around the clock.  The mama will leave the baby long enough to go eat and drink when she feels it is safe. The baby generally sleeps while she is gone.

A main operation goal is to have babies in daylight.  Days are warmer, the rancher can see to provide assistance and predators are fewer.   Research has shown that ruminants like cows will not normally calve until about 12 hours (+ or -) after they eat.  Since sometime in the 1980's ranchers have fed hay to their cows ready to calve in the late afternoon.  March and April can still be quite wintry in our mountainous environment of the Okanogan Highlands and late day feeding is a helpful program.