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Kelvin Fletcher dealt heartbreaking blow after new arrival 'it's a massive danger'

Former Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher was left concerned in the latest episode of Fletcher's Family Farm

Kelvin Fletcher expressed his worries in the latest episode of Fletcher's Family Farm, set to air on Sunday, following a new addition to the farm.

The former soap actor was taken aback when he discovered that his cow, Ruby, had given birth to a calf overnight, but things quickly took an unexpected twist.

Speaking to the camera, he said, "So, a nice surprise this morning, saw Ruby on top of the field with something hanging out the backside, and I was a little bit alarmed at first, because what I thought... my first instinct was, it's a calf, and how long has it been there?

"As I got closer, I realised it was kind of just the afterbirth, and she's calm this morning. We don't know when, but I got here at about eight o'clock this morning, and it looked like she had only just calved, as it was still wet.

"And what was a little bit concerning was that she'd kind of wandered off and left it. She was actually getting a drink. So I managed to coax her back over, and she started licking the calf.

[Kelvin Fletcher]

Kelvin was worried the newborn calf would die(Image: ITV)

"So I've allowed for an hour or so for that bonding process. She's been licking it. She's licked it dry. It's a heifer calf. Our first heifer calf," reports Daily Mirror.

Kelvin continued, "That first six hours are crucial, really. Within about five or 10 minutes, it should be kind of lifting its head up, and then hopefully within half an hour, an hour, you want it to be stood up, really, and taking that first milk. That colostrum, that's the golden window."

However, after discovering that Ruby was booting her calf whilst attempting to nurse, Kelvin is compelled to take decisive measures and relocate both animals to the barn to encourage their bonding.

He confessed, "This is exactly what I didn't want to happen. She's just not letting the calf feed. Every time the calf gets close to the teat, she's just kicking her away."

[Kelvin Fletcher and his wife Liz were "devastated" when there was a fire at their farmhouse home last year. ]

Kelvin said he would not be defeated despite the heartbreaking setback(Image: ITV)

Kelvin was also able to borrow some colostrum from his neighbour so he could feed the calf before moving her to the barn.

After moving both Ruby and her newborn into the barn, Kelvin shared his worries, "So, without sounding too dramatic, it's a massive danger that the calf has not had the colostrum in the time that it needed, and over the next 24 hours, you can just nose-dive and, you know, we lose the calf. That's how serious it is, really. "

Despite the heartbreaking setback, Kelvin admitted, "I will not be defeated."

The synopsis for this week's episode reads, "A new arrival on the farm keeps everyone on their toes, while the sheep are due their regular health checks. Kelvin and Liz head off to a ploughing show to celebrate farming skills, machinery and rural life."

Fletcher's Family Farm airs on Sunday at 11.30am on ITV.

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