Well I think it's pretty safe to say that spring is upon us...thank God! The snow is almost all but melted and the sun has been out more than two days in a row. Another way to tell that spring is right around the corner....calving has started!
No, I don't want to live on a farm....no, I don't want to own livestock and... no, I'm not really into all this agricultural stuff...however, I do get a little nostalgic when it comes to calving season. I went out last week on a farm call with my dad to pull a calf....it's probably been at least 10 years since I've had the pleasure of riding along to watch him accomplish such a task.
My entire life I've ridden with him in his dirty truck on various 'calls'...pulling calves, pulling pigs, treating prolapses, sewing up horses.....you name it. Each call always starts out the same....trying to find a place in his dirty, cramped truck for me to sit...I usually end up holding his 'caboodle' type trays full of syringes, bandage material, and medication in my lap. He always knows exactly where he is going which is funny cause we both have the worst sense of direction on the planet. He then proceeds to tell me who lives in each farm house we pass along the way.
So last week I was finished with all of my appointments when a farmer called and needed him to come pull a calf. I think he was pretty surprised when I asked if I could ride along....I donned my overalls, coat, and gum boots....no couture here...I'll have to look to see if any of this stuff comes in pink....anyway, it was a pretty crappy day out...cold and gray....
....and muddy....It's pretty amazing anything newborn can survive out here when the first thing you are exposed to is manure and mud!
The 'patient' he was called out to see was a heifer (a female cow who has never had a calf before)....the calf was pretty good sized...about 90 pounds and was coming breech. Dad wouldn't let me take pictures of the actual pulling process but to sum it up....it would make your girl parts hurt quite a bit....I thought while I was watching the situation play out....'why do I like this so much?, oh, i forgot how much it looks like it hurts!, and now I remember why I haven't been that excited to have kids!!'....poor thing!
Yay! A healthy baby calf was delivered into the world....sorry the pic isn't so great....another casualty of the low light situation in Iowa. I forgot to look or ask if it was a bull or a heifer calf.
I'm happy to report cow and calf are both doing well....she is registered at Target if you'd like to send her a baby gift.
No comments:
Post a Comment