When a female heifer approached a stranger, it wasn't out of fear or agitation — This new mother needed life-saving help.
Animal instincts align to the same ones we recognize as humans; Everything from grief, gratitude, love, friendship, fear and wonder play a role in the lives of animals, both domesticated and in the wild. A shining example of these instincts are heifers, or female cows. Hormones released before and during the birthing process creates a surge of "maternal instincts" towards a newborn calf, as Canadian Cattlemen explains.
Look no further of this incredible natural wonder on display than a video captured by one man who showed up just in time to save a mama cow's baby.
Dave, as he's identified via the video's description, was filming a herd of cows playing in their field and pond. It was during this seemingly random exploration that Dave was approached by Flo, a female heifer who came near the electric fencing surrounding the property. She was acting oddly, mooing and pawing the ground in a display he thought was merely agitation at this stranger's appearance; Dave lived nearby, but he had no vested interest in the cattle or land.
As Flo continued to get Dave's attention, that's when he saw it — Lying still on the ground outside the fence was Flo's newborn baby calf. It looked as if the newborn slid underneath the electric fencing and was trapped away from its mother. There was no time to waste.
"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)."— Via Rumble
That's when Dave sprung into action, all of which was incredibly captured on his GoPro camera:
https://rumble.com/embed/v3m1di/?pub=7gve
"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."
The calf was later dubbed "Sparky" for its less-than-typical first interaction with the world and the electric fence.
It's instincts like these that continue to amaze. Always keep a sharp eye on animal behavior, being weary to recognize the difference between joy, agitation, and even a cry for help. You never know when those human thumbs will come in handy!
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