by Tim Burkhardt, staff writer

Katie the milk-cow gave birth to a healthy calf Oct. 3. The baby bull was born at 1 a.m., and weighed 80 pounds.

Both Katie and the calf are doing well, although there was a slight complication during the pregnancy. Katie developed hypocalcemia, a condition causing her to have low blood-calcium levels. Virginia Hamilton on the farm crew said that this is pretty normal for Jersey cows.

“[Katie’s] body is trying to mobilize so much calcium to make milk that it can’t tap calcium reserves fast enough,” Hamilton said. “Her symptoms of low blood calcium manifested in muscle spasms and inability to stand. We administered calcium solution through an IV, as well as oral calcium gel. She improved in a few days, it just took a lot of watching out for her.”

The calf is doing fine, currently nameless, and is drinking a lot of milk.