Rascal is a handsome, healthy white bull calf born two with a challenge that is new to us. He is completely blind. We noticed right away he was startled by normal noises, including those made by other cows. He responded to noises by running the other direction. Within the first few hours we found him outside the pasture in the blackberry briars one time, and across the field near the bee hives the next time. After 24 hours of this we put him in a pen and brought his mother in with him.

Doc Brown, our veterinarian, says the blindness is not genetic, or due to any deficiency of vitamins or minerals. He said the Rascal's nervous system was damaged by oxygen deprivation during birth. The oxygen deprivation is most likely attributed to his large size. Rascal was nearly twice as large as most calves at the time of birth. He is the only calf ever born at Wild Rose Meadows that was too large to pick up and carry. Smaller calves generally have few problems during birth.

Structurally there is nothing wrong with the Rascal's eyes. However, just because the eye structure is correct does not mean his eyes work correctly. Rascal exhibits a condition called strabismus, meaning the eyes do not align normally. The eyes may turn in, out, up or down, either together or independently of each other. Rascal will not likely outgrow the strabismus.

Rascal has learned to do everything normal calves do, except nurse from his mother. He tries and tries, but he just can't seem to find the teats. Rascal runs and plays with the other calves, and even learned to find his way through a narrow gate, after getting zapped by the electric fence a few times. He enjoys getting three bottles per day. Each bottle holds a half gallon of milk. If we are late with his bottle, we can hear him out in the pasture asking for it.

Click on the video below to see Rascal drink his bottle from the first drop to the last in 9 minutes. Enjoy!