I really don't think I should use the words, "joys" and "calving" in the same sentence. This calving season is chocked full of surprises. This is our second year watching our cows calve, and they have decided to give us a run for our money! We are finding out that last year was really a piece of cake!
I now carry a 5 gallon bucket full of calf supplies every time we go out to check the cows. Its amazing how much stuff can fit in a 5 gallon bucket. I take calf bottles, three different sizes of nipples, several bags of colostrum replacer, old towels, scissors, lots of hot water, and the tuber.
There are times when we go out to check for new calves that we find a calf that was born dead. I feel so bad for the cow, I just want to bawl right along with her. She just can't understand why her baby won't wake up.
Then we have a perfectly beautiful calf whose mother turns into some kind of hormonal heifer! She has no clue that her calf just needs some tender loving care!
One old cow, (at least she was old enough to know better), had her calf right at the fence. The little guy slipped right through, so she couldn't reach him. Rob and I were watching her through binoculars, so he went out and moved the calf to her side of the fence. She took off and left the poor little thing lay there shivering, so we took out towels and a bottle of replacer. After we fed him and wiped him off, we came back to the house and continued watching her through the binoculars. She would walk up to him, sniff him and then buck him. After watching her do that several times we went out and brought the cow and calf into the corral. We then got her in the squeeze chute and brought the calf to her. She tried to kick him several times but she finally settled down and left him nurse. We kept her in the corral for several hours till she started mothering the calf then we let her back out with the herd. She finally realized that WAS her baby and nobody was trying to take it from her.
About a week later we were up on the butte checking for calves and we came upon a new calf that was struggling to get up. We stood him up but his front feet would double backwards. He was going to have major problems getting milk from his momma so we loaded him up and took both cow and calf to the corral. For several feedings we got the cow in the squeeze chute and Rob milked her by hand. She was not happy about the situation, she wanted out with the herd in a bad way! The calf struggled to get up so we would massage his legs every time we fed him. After a day or so Rob decided to let him try to nurse off the cow while she was in the squeeze chute. It took both of us, one to hold his front legs steady and the other to hold his hind quarters still. The cow was getting harder and harder to get into the chute, she absolutely hated it! Finally after several days the calf was able to stand and walk, but was very shaky. Rob made a smaller pen in the corral, so the cow couldn't get away from the calf. We got our trusty binoculars again and watched to see if she would let him nurse. He finally got it mastered. It wasn't long till he was walking better so we put them both down below the house, in the pasture with the heifers so we could keep an eye on them. The calf is doing really well, though it still has some stiffness in his legs. The cow is still longing to be out with the herd. Maybe... one of these days...
The snow last week really threw us into a tailspin.
It was during the snowstorm that I wondered if I am crazy or just plain stupid for wanting to work with cows and calves again. Who enjoys putting four layers of clothing on and riding out in the bitter wind to find a frozen calf that needs attention fast or he will die?
We had calves born in 5 degrees with a 15-20 mph wind. They looked like little icicles. We had to bring several of them into our little sheep barn, put a heating pad on them, cover them with towels and give them colostrum. In a few hours they were up bawling for their mothers. We took them back out and their mothers were waiting for them. That's when the "joy" part comes in. Watching the mother come up and nuzzle her calf, talking to him, just gives one the satisfaction that you did the right thing!
I just keep telling myself "We are one day closer to spring!" ...and to think another snowstorm is heading our way....
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