Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Oh! Nature

Recently there was a news report on a cow delivering its young one. The report stated that the cow expends quite a lot of energy during delivery that it is dead tired and hungry after the calf is born. My research indicates that it takes about 270 to 290 days for a calf to be born much similar to humans. It is the legs that come out first followed by the face after three or four contractions in case of a normal delivery.

In one such case in a Bangalore public road, the cow after its delivery went on search for food, and lost its way. The calf was mooing for its mother’s milk which generally is fed by the mother immediately after the delivery. A veterinarian passing by could sense the discomfort of the calf, and since the search for the mother seemed to be in vain, decided to feed the calf through a feeding bottle. The calf would not drink from the nipple of the feeding bottle when the veterinarian came with imaginative stuff. He started mooing like the mother cow and simultaneously starting feeding the calf. The calf started sucking the nipple, and enjoyed milk to its heart content.

That very night, the calf was again hungry, and sans the veterinarian, refused to drink milk. Since the veterinarian stayed about 30 kms from the cattle shed, an unique method was adopted by the veterinarian. He instructed his staff to keep the phone receiver on the calf’s ear and he started mooing over the phone, when again the calf started sucking the nipple, and drinking milk. It was a great moment for the staff at the shed since this kept the calf going.


It was amazing and fascinating to see how the calf responded to drinking at the sound of the mother’s voice. That , I guess, is association with a mother. Research again indicates that that the child is biologically pre wired to bond to the mother. The mother’s voice becomes a reinforcement by being paired with feeding and thereby eliciting a positive response from the infant.

Simply fabulous are the ways of nature.

13 comments:

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

Beautiful story nsyier.......beautifully written and oh so true :)

Steady On
Reggie Girl

muthu said...

Yeah Sir.

There is an unshakable and unexplainable bond between the mother and the child.

No amount of research will prove otherwise.

I believe nature chose women to bear children for a a reason.

And do you know what i think the reason is-

I think that the reason is- coz only a women can be insane enough to love a kid to death. And look divine doing it.

Cheers 2 motherhood. :)

sujata sengupta said...

Very true. Mother and food have always been synonymous for everybody, even me, even now!!

Sylvia K said...

That's marvelous story and beautifully told! There is that marvelous bond, but interesting thing is that the mother child bond can not only be with a voice over a phone, but with completely different animals, I've read about a mother tiger nursing and caring for baby pigs after apparently grieving over the loss of her own cubs. Yes, it is a marvelous bond! Thanks for a lovely story!

Kavi said...

Sime and fabulous are the inventive minds of mankind also...although, that too came from nature.

To think this through, and to imagine that the calf would fall for this...is a great start.

I wonder where you find such amazing stories from !!

:)

Ugich Konitari said...

What a great story ! You know, on one hand you read terrible stories in the papers of lives being played with for fun for money and for things like revenge. Then you hear a story like this, and you feel all is not lost. There are still some shining beacons around.

And while , yes, there is something special , between mothers and children, genetically, this veternarian gentleman proved, that despite the wrong chromosomes, so to speak, the mother instinct was alive and kicking in humans , regardless of sex. Kudos to the doctor....

Ankit said...

Perfect example of smart thinking......

Nice story

Eskimo Bob said...

My day wasn't complete until I read a story of suckling a teat.

Thank you.

Roshni said...

really funny that he had to moo on the phone! My heart goes out to the mother now! Seriously, I think I know what she must be feeling.

nsiyer said...

Thanks Reggie Girl for your comments and coming over.

Mother's love is unmatchable. Thanks Muthu. Women are 'Karma Yogis".

Sujatah,my friend Kavi always says that the Indian mother's love is measured through food. She likes her child to eat well. In case the child eats less one day, sje feels child is unwell and gets concerned.

nsiyer said...

Hi Sylvia, thanks for sharing.

Kavi, as always, great comments.

Hello, Ugich Konitari. I liked your comment on 'maternal instinct'.

Thanks Ankit.

nsiyer said...

Bob, you have the last word, but humorous again.

Yes, the poor mother is missing from the story. Thanks for the perspective.

Sandy said...

Such a Heart Warming Story :)

You always leave us wanting more Nsiyer!

Such a Unique Soul You Are

Much Love,

Sandy xx