Back on September 3 in the afternoon, we were letting the cows out to pasture after milking, my wife, Karen, asked me to take a look at Joanie, a 7-year old cow that was overdue for her calf. I checked her out, and with my years of experience declared that she did not look like she would be calving and she didn't need to be put into one of the two empty calving pens. I assured Karen that I would go out to the pasture before going to bed, and check on Joanie, and on Patty, a heifer due to calve as well.
About 10 p.m., I started the four-wheeler and headed down to the pasture where the cows were for the night. I took it slow so that I wouldn't spook the cows, since they weren't use to late night visits. Of course, what do the headlights of the ATV capture but a new heifer calf standing beside her mother, Joanie. I muckled onto the nice, tall calf and held her on my lap as I slowly drove the four-wheeler to the barn. Joanie, and her fifty or so herdmates, made a nice conga line back up the lane to the barn.
I drove the ATV right into the freestall barn, and up to the walkway that leads to the maternity room. I stopped the four-wheeler, stood up with the calf, and enticed Joanie up the walkway and into one of the pens. I made sure the pen had plenty of dry sawdust, the hay rack was full, and the five-gallon pail was topped off with clean, cool water. I went back out to the freestalls, checked Patty to make sure she was okay until morning, and drove the four-wheeler back to the Horse Barn to park it for the night. The next time my wife's womanly intuition tells her a cow is getting ready to calve, I'll put the cow in a pen and save myself the late night ATV ride.
LOL ... my OBYN who delievered my first 3 children once told me even though 'he' was the Dr. he never argued with a woman when she told him she was about to have her baby.
Guess God in His infinite wisdom gives us this lil edge.
LOL ... no harm, no foul ... next time could be a ice storm ;-)
Posted by: China | September 25, 2009 at 10:53 AM
As aformer Vermonter I really enjoyed
this blog brought back some wonderful memories of my grandfathers small dairy farm; sadly
almost a thing of the past.
Best Wishes from an old
Sidehiller
Posted by: CWALLACE | October 11, 2009 at 12:16 PM