New Born Calf and Mother, Buena Vista, Colorado USA

Driving along a rural highway in Colorado, I noticed this cow. She looks perfectly normal, right? Well, what I noticed was something unusual looking hanging from her mouth that she was chewing on right before I took this picture.

I was curious enough to park on the side of the road and walk up to the fence separating her and me. Upon a closer look, (and not having any background in animal husbandry), it looked to me as if she had just given birth to the calf curled up next to her, and what she had been chewing on was the afterbirth that was on the ground near her hooves.

I left after a couple minutes as to not further annoy or upset momma.

I then googled to see if cows were among animals that did such a thing, and confirmed that they do....for the nutrients and to hide evidence of the birth from predators.

Mother nature is amazing.