The Hazards of Calving Season

As we were feeding the cows, we noticed a tiny calf walking amonst the cows. Our first live calf of the season. I tried to keep my eye on her but I soon lost track of her.
We finished feeding hay then went back to the barn.

Rob needed to clean several feet of snow out of the corral, and spread several bales of straw around before we could go out and bring mama and baby in.

We got the mule and headed out to the herd.

Rob was planning to grab the calf, jump on the back of the mule and I would drive the mule back to the barn...fast....but not too fast that I lose the mama cow.

Sounds perfect...right?? Wrong!!

First, we couldn't find the calf.

After scanning each hay pile, we saw a bump in the hay that was twitching a little. With  my heart in my throat, Rob ran to the bump and uncovered it.

The calf was still alive!! He grabbed the calf and stood it up. As soon as mama cow saw the calf she started trotting toward it. Rob picked up the calf and ran for the mule.

Rob, the cow, and the dog got to the mule at the same time. When the cow saw the dog, she went into "mad bull mama" mode. The cowardly dog ran for Rob, so did the cow. She got her head against Rob and started to push. He dropped the calf, the cow started pawing the ground and bellered. She was kicking at the calf, I was terrified she was going to kill it. The dog ran to the front of the mule so I yanked him in with me, holding on to him. Rob was still trying to get the calf but the cow kept coming at him. Finally he realized it was futile and the cow was mad enough to charge him.

 We went back to the barn for the tractor and loader. This time we shut the dog out of the barn yard.

Now Rob's  strategy was...drive the tractor right up to the calf, he would pull the calf into the bucket and I would raise the bucket so the cow couldn't climb in with him. Then drive slowly back to the barn.

I saw holes in that theory right off. I am not experienced at raising and lowering the bucket for one thing. But...I will try!!

We drove right up to the calf, Mama cow watching our every move. Rob grabs the calf and pulls her onto the bucket. I slowly raise the bucket and start driving slowly back to the corral. Mama cow is following close behind. Everything is going well till we get within sight of the corral. Then the stupid cow turns tails and runs wide open back to the herd.

Rob carried the calf into the corral and laid it on the straw, all the while he is bellering like a calf trying to get mama's attention. She is watching from afar, she knows what the corral is, and she wants no part of it.

"Ok, lets get the mule, I'll get on the back with the calf and you make a circle out through the cows, when she starts to follow us, drive back to the corral. Not don't drive too fast, but don't drive too slow either, I don't want her on here with me", he says!

Great!! I love those kind of instuctions.

 I drive out through the cows with the calf, the cow actually starts to follow us. Rob is on the back telling me, "slow down your going too fast. Speed up a little she's breathing on me." We hippity hop our way back to the corral with the cow breathing down our necks. She follows us right up to the gate of the corral. She watches as Rob carries the calf back to the bed of straw. I'm still sitting in the mule afraid to look at her for fear she will see red and charge me. I needn't have worried, she once more turned and ran back to the rest of the cows.

About now I was wishing we had invested in something a lot less troublesome...like.... chickens!!

I thought we were quitting so we both went in the house. I figured she would eventually want her calf so she would come in to it, she already knew where it was.

Rob was sure she was giving up on it and was losing interest in it. When he went back outside after lunch he decided to walk out to the pasture and try to drive her in on foot. That almost ended very badly when she started to chase him. He took off at a trot, and she lost interest. Thankfully!!

He was still determined to get her in the corral with the calf. He got the 4 wheeler and herded a bunch of cows with her, they all went into the corral except her, she slipped around him and ran back out to the pasture again. He drove out and got her again, with the cows in the corral she went right in.


He weeded all but one of the cows out. He figured if she was that crazy he better leave one cow in there with her for company!

Next time???
...He made himself a special calf carrier for the back of the mule.
It was a lifesaver...his and mine!!