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| Why Do Cows Separate from their Calves Soon After Giving Birth? |
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| The first few weeks of an elk’s life are some of its most perilous, but calves have a few tricks to escape the teeth of predators. Cows leave their calves soon after birth to avoid drawing unwanted attention to them, returning only a few minutes a day for short suckling bouts. The rest of the time calves lay motionless in the grass doing their best impersonation of a rock. Their spotted backs provide camouflage and they are nearly scentless to elude keen noses. If a calf feels danger is close, it may bleat for its mother. Depending on the size and number of predators, a cow may either attack with sharp hooves or do her best to distract and lure them away. Calves are typically born around the first of June, and with luck, they will be up and running with the herd before July. |
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