Meet Phil: A Naughty Mama and a Lesson in Milk

Hi, my name is Phil. 🐮

My mommy is Vivien and I was born just last week! I love head ruffles, naps in the sunshine, and nice warm bottles of milk.

But I have to tell you a secret… my mommy has been a little naughty. She waited a whole 7 days to let her milk come in — and now that it’s here, she doesn’t want to share any of it with the nice lady who brings me bottles.

This morning she even threw a temper tantrum in the stanchion because I wasn’t allowed to nurse. Definitely not her finest moment. 🙈

So the bottle lady made a new plan. She put this funny thing on my head and led me to another barn. I didn’t like it much — but I’m too little to fight it. Over here I see some feathery creatures (they seem nice, but kinda jumpy). There’s another calf too, but he makes strange “oinking” noises and doesn’t seem very friendly.

For now, I’m tied to the barn wall. I can’t see or hear my mommy anymore — which feels unfair, since she was the naughty one! Still, the bottle lady brings me warm bottles and checks on me often. I do like the extra attention. 💕

Will you please pray with me that my mommy decides to behave? She really needs to empty that udder!

Thanks bunches,
Baby Phil

Farmer’s Note 📝

Behind Phil’s silly story is a real management lesson. At Mountain Heritage Farm, I don’t calf share with my Dexters. I've tested it, and calf sharing creates:

• Unreliable milk let-down (smart cows save milk for the calf).
• Higher bacteria counts (confirmed by RAWMI testing).
• Inconsistent supply for the family.

Instead, I spend the first 2–3 days teaching a fresh cow to give her milk to me. It’s harder at the start, but after that I enjoy smooth, reliable milking twice a day for the next 7–9 months. That’s how I raise calm, trustworthy Dexter family cows who will provide safe milk for decades.

There's a wonderful update on Phil's situation.  You can read about it HERE.

You can meet my herd HERE.