Feeding an Orphan Calf

Okay, I have to apologize. This post has been sitting in my “drafts” since January. Most of you have probably already seen some version of this, especially if you are on my Circle C Newsletter list. But it’s either post it now or delete it. And that would be crazy to delete a post I wrote a month or two ago.

It’s especially fun to write an Andi story when the story is based on a true-life event. “Orphan Calf” is just such a story. You can read the opening chapters of this story here >

Below is the “Did You Know?” section at the end of that first story (an author’s note). You can learn where I got the idea and also watch Ellie feed Stormy Night from a kitten bottle (they didn’t have any calf bottles at first, and the calf was too weak to suck from such a large nipple anyway).

Did You Know?

The Story Behind “Orphan Calf”

Sweetie Pie’s real name was Stormy Night. He was found—a day or two old—on California rangeland behind the Painted Acres ranch in 2019. Weak at first, the oldest girl, Ellie, fed him from a kitten bottle (keep reading after the video …).

The calf’s mother returned to her calf that afternoon, but she showed little interest in her newborn. Clearly ill, she died that night from unknown causes, and the turkey vultures quickly found her.

Stormy Night, however, found a new home in an empty horse stall on the Painted Acres ranch. A calf bottle replaced the kitten bottle, but Stormy Night did not thrive. He lumbered after his bottle but did little else. He lay around most days and soaked up the sun. He started out at sixty pounds but gained only two pounds by the end of two weeks.

Stormy Night was the Ross children’s first experience with raising day-old calves, and it was not going well. The calf was not a twin or a triplet like Sweetie Pie, but he turned out to be what is known as an “acorn” calf. A rancher friend saw the calf and explained that he was most likely the victim of his mother’s poor nutrition while carrying him. Many believe that a diet of valley oak acorns, when good hay or grass is not readily available, contributes to this condition. Hence the term “acorn” calf. Stormy Night had the typical large joints and short legs of such calves. He was also hunched over and not energetic. The rancher said the calf would never do well.

The kids did not give up on Stormy Night. Finally, their pastor—who raises calves on nursing cows like the Rocking T rancher in “Orphan Calf”—offered to take Stormy Night. He’d had success in the past with acorn calves and was willing to give this calf a chance.

At first, the results were amazing! Stormy latched on to the cow. He perked up and followed her around, just like Sweetie Pie. Cow and calf bonded. For the next few weeks it looked like all would be well. Then suddenly, for no apparent reason, Stormy Night came down with a bad case of scours (calf diarrhea) and died. Just like that.

The author gave Andi’s orphan calf, Sweetie Pie, a much happier ending.