New Life on the Farm
Life on the farm can bring many emotions. Sometimes it can be sad, and almost depressing. But other times there is joy.
My parents cows have been busy this year. We have had a massive amount of calves born recently. I would venture to say around 30 have been born in the last 4 months. I have yet to actually watch the birth process of a calf, but this week I have stumbled upon a calf that was born within the last hour or so. John stumbled upon a cow in labor and got to watch the entire birth process.
Sunday, after church, we drove onto our road and noticed some buzzards surrounding a cow, so we drove quickly over to see what was going on. As you probably know, buzzards usually mean something is dead. The calf was alive and the cow was cleaning up, (eating the placenta), but the buzzards wanted it, badly. All I could think was how thankful I am that isn't required after a human birth. We got the buzzards scared away and the cow was tending to the calf, however, we could tell the calf wasn't going to make it. It took less than 24 hours and the calf died. It was really hard to go to work Monday morning. As I passed the cow, who had brought her calf close to the house and placed it right beside the road so we would see it, I knew it wouldn't be long. I talked to the cow and told her she had done a good job with the baby, but I knew the baby wasn't going to make it. I felt so bad for that momma. I know it sounds weird for me to talk to the cow, but I just needed to. Just as I suspected, when I came home the momma was in the same place, but the baby was gone. One thing that touched my heart was that there was another new momma with her new baby right behind her as if to comfort her in her loss. I was told recently that cows have best friends and I couldn't help but wonder if this was her best friend.
If you are wondering where the baby was, John had taken it away, after it died. We have a graveyard for the animals. We can't leave them in the pasture because it would encourage other animals to come into the pasture around the herd and we can't have that.
Today was a better day! After arriving home, John asked me to open the gate to the barn yard for him so he could get hay for the cows. When I got close to the gate I noticed a momma cow and a small baby and upon closer inspection I discovered that the baby had just been born. The signs were evident, I had just missed it! Dang it! I could tell that that momma did not want me near her baby. She watched me closely as I came near. One thing I am certain to remember, that big momma cow may be afraid of me, but she is MUCH bigger than me and will take me down to protect her baby! I tended to the task at hand, although, I really wanted to pet that baby. John needed me to make sure that the gate was closed so that the cows wouldn't go into the barnyard. As soon as he headed in there with the tractor ALL the cows came running towards that gate. I stood my ground and they stayed back away from the gate. I am sure they were all terrified of me!
John loaded up the hay and headed down the pasture and all the cows followed, except for that new momma. She watched as the cows all left and headed far away from where we were. She turned and looked at me and then looked toward John and as the cows all faded out of view she turned towards me, with all four legs, looked me dead in the eyes and half huffed and half snorted at me as if to say, don't touch my baby. She then turned away and headed toward the hay. First walking and then running. I couldn't believe she left me there with her baby. I got to pet the baby on the head and feel its soft fur. It was really cool! John came back for the next load of hay to find me petting the baby. He joined me for a few moments, checked to see whether we had a bull or heifer while I kept watching for the momma. I was surprised that she didn't come back. The baby didn't like the petting anymore and decided it was time to go for cover. She, (as we discovered),walked and walked and I watched as she finally found a place that seemed comfortable enough. She struggled to figure out how to bend her legs and lie down. I was tired with her.
Several hours later we were returning from a delicious dinner of fried catfish and I wanted to check to make sure that the baby and momma had been reunited. The baby was probably 50 yards from where the momma had left her and sure enough she was still there and the momma was standing in the spot she had left the baby, obviously looking for her. My dad and John began trying to coax the momma to come to the baby and when she wouldn't they began trying to rouse the baby. John eventually had to raise the baby up on all four legs and help her walk all the way to her momma, well, sort of walk. She had lots of help from the human. They got the baby close enough to her momma, who still at this point wasn't sure what had been walking toward her. Finally, the baby took a few steps on her own and momma finally realized it was her baby. She seemed happy as she moved quickly toward her. The baby immediately tried to get some milk, but momma wanted to get closer to the herd so she began directing the baby and they walked together towards the rest of the animals. We were very happy to have reunited this new momma and baby.
While we know nature isn't always kind, it was nice to end today with the birth of a new baby, especially after the loss of one yesterday.
Until we meet again.
My parents cows have been busy this year. We have had a massive amount of calves born recently. I would venture to say around 30 have been born in the last 4 months. I have yet to actually watch the birth process of a calf, but this week I have stumbled upon a calf that was born within the last hour or so. John stumbled upon a cow in labor and got to watch the entire birth process.
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| Apparently, they use gravity to help the baby out. I am glad human babies don't have to fall on their heads at the moment of birth. |
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| New baby John got to watch be born, still covered by part of the sack. |
Sunday, after church, we drove onto our road and noticed some buzzards surrounding a cow, so we drove quickly over to see what was going on. As you probably know, buzzards usually mean something is dead. The calf was alive and the cow was cleaning up, (eating the placenta), but the buzzards wanted it, badly. All I could think was how thankful I am that isn't required after a human birth. We got the buzzards scared away and the cow was tending to the calf, however, we could tell the calf wasn't going to make it. It took less than 24 hours and the calf died. It was really hard to go to work Monday morning. As I passed the cow, who had brought her calf close to the house and placed it right beside the road so we would see it, I knew it wouldn't be long. I talked to the cow and told her she had done a good job with the baby, but I knew the baby wasn't going to make it. I felt so bad for that momma. I know it sounds weird for me to talk to the cow, but I just needed to. Just as I suspected, when I came home the momma was in the same place, but the baby was gone. One thing that touched my heart was that there was another new momma with her new baby right behind her as if to comfort her in her loss. I was told recently that cows have best friends and I couldn't help but wonder if this was her best friend.
If you are wondering where the baby was, John had taken it away, after it died. We have a graveyard for the animals. We can't leave them in the pasture because it would encourage other animals to come into the pasture around the herd and we can't have that.
Today was a better day! After arriving home, John asked me to open the gate to the barn yard for him so he could get hay for the cows. When I got close to the gate I noticed a momma cow and a small baby and upon closer inspection I discovered that the baby had just been born. The signs were evident, I had just missed it! Dang it! I could tell that that momma did not want me near her baby. She watched me closely as I came near. One thing I am certain to remember, that big momma cow may be afraid of me, but she is MUCH bigger than me and will take me down to protect her baby! I tended to the task at hand, although, I really wanted to pet that baby. John needed me to make sure that the gate was closed so that the cows wouldn't go into the barnyard. As soon as he headed in there with the tractor ALL the cows came running towards that gate. I stood my ground and they stayed back away from the gate. I am sure they were all terrified of me!
John loaded up the hay and headed down the pasture and all the cows followed, except for that new momma. She watched as the cows all left and headed far away from where we were. She turned and looked at me and then looked toward John and as the cows all faded out of view she turned towards me, with all four legs, looked me dead in the eyes and half huffed and half snorted at me as if to say, don't touch my baby. She then turned away and headed toward the hay. First walking and then running. I couldn't believe she left me there with her baby. I got to pet the baby on the head and feel its soft fur. It was really cool! John came back for the next load of hay to find me petting the baby. He joined me for a few moments, checked to see whether we had a bull or heifer while I kept watching for the momma. I was surprised that she didn't come back. The baby didn't like the petting anymore and decided it was time to go for cover. She, (as we discovered),walked and walked and I watched as she finally found a place that seemed comfortable enough. She struggled to figure out how to bend her legs and lie down. I was tired with her.
 |
| This is when she got scared and began her trek across the pasture. |
Several hours later we were returning from a delicious dinner of fried catfish and I wanted to check to make sure that the baby and momma had been reunited. The baby was probably 50 yards from where the momma had left her and sure enough she was still there and the momma was standing in the spot she had left the baby, obviously looking for her. My dad and John began trying to coax the momma to come to the baby and when she wouldn't they began trying to rouse the baby. John eventually had to raise the baby up on all four legs and help her walk all the way to her momma, well, sort of walk. She had lots of help from the human. They got the baby close enough to her momma, who still at this point wasn't sure what had been walking toward her. Finally, the baby took a few steps on her own and momma finally realized it was her baby. She seemed happy as she moved quickly toward her. The baby immediately tried to get some milk, but momma wanted to get closer to the herd so she began directing the baby and they walked together towards the rest of the animals. We were very happy to have reunited this new momma and baby.
While we know nature isn't always kind, it was nice to end today with the birth of a new baby, especially after the loss of one yesterday.
Until we meet again.
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