Tiny Calves, Expecting Mamas and Possum’s Pasture Adventure

A routine check of the cattle pastures is rarely uneventful at Katie Van Slyke’s farm. Even when the morning begins quietly, there is usually an animal ready to create a surprise—and this visit was no exception.

After checking the heifer field, Katie headed toward the pasture she affectionately calls the “Big Mama field.” This area is home to several cows preparing to welcome calves during the upcoming calving season. However, before checking the expecting mothers, Katie stopped to visit two cows that had already delivered their babies.

The mothers and their newborn calves had been moved closer to the barn, making it easier for everyone to monitor them. It also gave Katie the perfect opportunity to admire the newest little faces on the farm.

Two Tiny Calves Enjoy a Quiet Morning

The first sight was almost impossibly sweet: two tiny calves resting near their mothers. One of the babies belongs to Katie, while the other belongs to her best friend, Rebecca, who has several cows staying at the farm this year.

Katie explained that Rebecca would share the detailed updates about her own calves. Nevertheless, fans will probably continue seeing Rebecca’s cows and babies in the background of Katie’s farm videos.

The visit appeared to happen during the calves’ nap time. Rebecca’s baby was resting nearby, while the other little calf watched Katie with an adorably serious expression. Katie jokingly described it as a “stank face,” especially noticeable beneath the calf’s large ear tag.

Because the calf was so small, the tag looked enormous against its tiny head. The combination of the oversized tag, alert ears and unimpressed expression made the newborn look like a miniature farm supervisor inspecting everything happening around it.

It was the kind of peaceful scene that makes calving season so special. The mothers seemed comfortable, the babies were resting and everyone appeared to be doing well.

Of course, the calm did not last very long.

Marty Investigates the Side-by-Side

After spending only a few moments admiring the calves, Katie returned to find Marty sticking a curious head into the side-by-side.

Farm animals have a talent for investigating anything left within reach, and Marty apparently decided that the vehicle deserved a closer examination. Katie quickly encouraged the curious intruder to remove that head and continue walking.

Marty’s unexpected inspection provided a funny transition from the peaceful calf visit to the next part of the morning: checking the larger group of expecting cows.

Katie opened the gate while carefully watching Rose, making it clear that the cow was not going to use the opportunity to escape. Once the gate was secure, Katie entered the pasture and began looking over the herd.

She expected a relatively calm inspection. Instead, she immediately noticed that something did not belong.

Possum Appears in the Wrong Pasture

Standing among all the expecting mothers was Possum, Katie’s young bull calf.

Possum was definitely not supposed to be in that field.

Katie could hardly believe the timing. It was a Saturday morning when she had hoped to sleep a little later, and there was no one nearby to help her move him immediately. Naturally, that was the morning Possum chose to sneak into a pasture filled with cows.

Fortunately, the mothers did not appear to be treating him badly. Possum seemed perfectly pleased with his unexpected adventure and had no obvious desire to leave. Katie decided that he could remain there temporarily until she had help moving him safely.

Possum’s pasture escape was inconvenient, but it also became one of the funniest moments of the check. While Katie focused on evaluating the cows, the young bull wandered around meeting the ladies and investigating everything that caught his attention.

Katie promised that Possum’s adventure would receive an update of its own. Based on his behavior that morning, he certainly provided enough material.

Calving Season Is Getting Closer

Once Katie confirmed that Possum was safe, she returned her attention to the expecting mothers.

Her earliest anticipated due date was around September 11, although a few of Rebecca’s cows might be due slightly earlier. Other members of the herd have due dates extending into October, which means the farm could experience several weeks of exciting arrivals.

Because the cows are due at different times, Katie carefully observed each animal for signs that labor might be approaching. One of the most important changes is “bagging up,” the development and filling of the udder as a cow gets closer to giving birth.

Not every cow follows exactly the same schedule, so knowing each animal’s normal appearance and behavior is important. Some may show obvious changes early, while others may appear relatively unchanged until much closer to delivery.

Katie moved slowly through the herd, checking body condition, udders and general behavior. Most of the cows appeared relaxed and were simply enjoying their time together in the pasture.

That was exactly what Katie wanted to see.

Familiar Faces Among the Expecting Mothers

As she walked through the field, Katie greeted many familiar animals by name.

She checked on Winona and wondered where Leona was. Leona is believed to have an October due date, so there was no immediate reason for concern. Still, keeping track of every cow becomes increasingly important as calving season approaches.

Lucille appeared to be showing some udder development, suggesting that her body was preparing for the arrival of her calf.

Katie also stopped to admire Luna and Luna’s younger sister. The sisters are entering different stages of motherhood: the younger cow is preparing to welcome her first calf, while Luna is expecting her second.

It is especially exciting to watch a first-time mother begin this new chapter. At the same time, seeing Luna prepare for her second calf provides a lovely sense of continuity within the herd.

Their mother, Cookie, did not become pregnant this year. Although that means there will not be a new calf from Cookie during this season, fans can still look forward to watching her daughters continue the family line.

Katie also greeted Kiki, one of her favorites, before noticing that familiar little blue roan figure moving among the cows again. Possum was still thoroughly enjoying his unauthorized visit.

Will Rose Have Another Beautiful Baldy?

Rose received some special attention during the pasture check.

Katie wondered whether Rose might produce another attractive baldy calf. A “baldy” commonly describes a calf with a white face and a darker body—a striking appearance that many cattle enthusiasts love.

Katie encouraged Rose to give the new baby an especially cute face. Of course, Rose herself already has a lovely appearance, although Katie joked that she and Lemon Drop look remarkably similar.

Another favorite, identified as 23D, was also doing well. Each cow may look like part of a large herd to a casual viewer, but Katie recognizes the animals individually. Their identification numbers, physical characteristics, family connections and personalities all help her monitor them throughout the season.

That familiarity becomes particularly valuable when a cow begins behaving differently. A small change that might go unnoticed by someone unfamiliar with the animal can sometimes tell an experienced caretaker that birth is getting closer.

Number 10 Is a Trusted Recipient Mother

Katie also checked Number 10, one of her favorite recipient cows.

A recipient cow carries an embryo created from another cow’s egg and a selected bull’s genetics. The recipient provides the pregnancy, birth and maternal care, even though the resulting calf is not genetically hers.

Number 10 is particularly interesting because Katie believes she is half Holstein and half beef cow, possibly with Angus heritage. Whatever her exact breeding may be, one thing is certain: she is an outstanding mother.

Katie described her as one of the best mothers in the herd.

Number 10 was carrying another embryo, although Katie did not recall which genetic pairing it represented during the pasture check. Her udder did not appear especially developed yet, but judging her progress can be tricky. Because of her dairy influence, Number 10’s udder can become much larger than that of a typical beef cow.

If she were entirely beef-bred, her current development might look more significant. For Number 10, however, Katie knows that there is likely much more change to come.

Cow 19C Chooses a Different Location

Farther away, Katie noticed a cow that had not moved with the rest of the herd.

When a heavily pregnant cow separates herself from the group, it is worth investigating. Isolation can sometimes indicate that an animal is preparing to give birth, although cows may also remain behind for much simpler reasons.

Katie approached the cow and found her looking healthy and comfortable on the other side of the fence. After checking her identification, Katie confirmed that she was 19C and made a mental note that she would need to be moved later.

It was another job requiring assistance. Between 19C’s location and Possum’s surprise visit, Katie already had multiple animals to reposition before the day was finished.

The situation was manageable, but it demonstrated how quickly a simple morning check can produce a new farm to-do list.

Mimi and the Remaining Herd Look Comfortable

Katie continued examining the other mothers, including Mimi, who is still a heifer because she has not delivered her first calf.

Katie was not entirely certain why Mimi was in the Big Mama field instead of the heifer pasture. For the moment, however, she appeared comfortable and was behaving normally.

None of the remaining cows looked significantly bagged up. That was good news. Katie joked that if the lunar eclipse had already encouraged three babies to arrive early, that was enough excitement for now. She would prefer the rest of the herd to follow the planned schedule as closely as possible.

Gianna and the other cows also appeared well. With no obvious signs of another immediate delivery, Katie concluded that the herd was stable for the time being.

There would still be work to do later. Possum needed to be removed from the mothers’ field, and multiple cows needed to be moved to their proper locations. But the newborn calves were healthy, the expecting mothers looked comfortable and no additional babies appeared to be arriving that morning.

That qualifies as a successful pasture check—even if Possum turned it into an adventure.

As Katie prepared to leave, Possum continued enthusiastically investigating the cows and proving that farm life never remains calm for long. Fans can expect more daily updates as the September and October due dates approach and the next round of calves begins arriving.

This is an unofficial fan-written story based on Katie Van Slyke’s farm update. It is not an official statement from Katie or Running Springs.