Well our Jersey had her calf yesterday. She decided she had to do that up in the trees quite a distance form not only the house but even further from the barn.
I had looked for her in the morning when I sat out a bucket of grain in her stall and spent some time before going in looking for her.
I had to get back in the house to take care of the 2 year, she wasn't up yet but I knew she would be any time.
By 3 I went up to the barn to check if she was or had been in the there. Nope no sign and her bucket was still full. I thought Oh sheesh she must have had the calf.
30 to 45 minutes later I finally find her by following a blood trail in the 18 to 2 foot of snow and the new bull calf up through the snow under a large pine tree where it was pretty dry. That's when the coyotes begin to howl all around us and I know I have to get them both to the barn. OH JOY.
I tried to get her to come with me and she wouldn't. I head back to the barn thinking I will bribe her to the barn with some grain. Yeah sure NOT.
Then I slap myself in the head, why didn't I get the lead rope while I was at the barn. Can't say I had my thinking cap on.
She has a red halter on so when i get back to her I give her the bucket with a little grain in it so I can snap the lead on.
That done I do the pull the cow thing and of course she doesn't want to come. There is just me do get this done as husband Dave is in Yakima WA at a meeting a couple of hundred miles or more away. And daughter just had gall bladder surgery a few days, so no way she can and grand daughter is down for her nap.
I begin to pull said mulish cow through the snow and around the trees as far as I can and then tie her off to a tree and head back for the little bull that I had hoped would follow his mom but didn't.
I begin to try and get him to go where I want him to lol I should have known better but there is always hope right.So it one hand on its side and one on his rear and push for all your worth to try to get him to go in the right direction. Pick him up when he wants to lay down and begin again. The cow is calling him when she sees him but nope he doesn't care.
I get him pushed to her and untie her and pull the cow as far as I can and luckily she did come a few feet here and there with out me having to pull to much this time, thank goodness.
I know if any one was watching all this they would be laughing their heads off.
Pull the cow, tie off the cow, go back for the calf. It took me 2 hours to get all this done and the barn door closed on them. It had begun to snow as I was pushing the calf the last 100 feet to the barn.
I went straight to the shower and then took some pain killers.
Dave said when he got back, yup he thought yeah I will be gone and the cow will calf.
I had looked for her in the morning when I sat out a bucket of grain in her stall and spent some time before going in looking for her.
I had to get back in the house to take care of the 2 year, she wasn't up yet but I knew she would be any time.
By 3 I went up to the barn to check if she was or had been in the there. Nope no sign and her bucket was still full. I thought Oh sheesh she must have had the calf.
30 to 45 minutes later I finally find her by following a blood trail in the 18 to 2 foot of snow and the new bull calf up through the snow under a large pine tree where it was pretty dry. That's when the coyotes begin to howl all around us and I know I have to get them both to the barn. OH JOY.
I tried to get her to come with me and she wouldn't. I head back to the barn thinking I will bribe her to the barn with some grain. Yeah sure NOT.
Then I slap myself in the head, why didn't I get the lead rope while I was at the barn. Can't say I had my thinking cap on.
She has a red halter on so when i get back to her I give her the bucket with a little grain in it so I can snap the lead on.
That done I do the pull the cow thing and of course she doesn't want to come. There is just me do get this done as husband Dave is in Yakima WA at a meeting a couple of hundred miles or more away. And daughter just had gall bladder surgery a few days, so no way she can and grand daughter is down for her nap.
I begin to pull said mulish cow through the snow and around the trees as far as I can and then tie her off to a tree and head back for the little bull that I had hoped would follow his mom but didn't.
I begin to try and get him to go where I want him to lol I should have known better but there is always hope right.So it one hand on its side and one on his rear and push for all your worth to try to get him to go in the right direction. Pick him up when he wants to lay down and begin again. The cow is calling him when she sees him but nope he doesn't care.
I get him pushed to her and untie her and pull the cow as far as I can and luckily she did come a few feet here and there with out me having to pull to much this time, thank goodness.
I know if any one was watching all this they would be laughing their heads off.
Pull the cow, tie off the cow, go back for the calf. It took me 2 hours to get all this done and the barn door closed on them. It had begun to snow as I was pushing the calf the last 100 feet to the barn.
I went straight to the shower and then took some pain killers.
Dave said when he got back, yup he thought yeah I will be gone and the cow will calf.
What a day! I have to say you took it better than I would have, although I suppose you do what you have to do. I would have been bawling like a calf before it was all done. What a trooper.
ReplyDeleteHe sure is a pretty calf isn't he?
You did a great job! You have to do, what you have to do. Expecially when you are the only one to do it. lol
ReplyDeleteOh man, Sally. Sounds like you had it all under control. Praying that you've recovered and that the calf is okay.
ReplyDelete