Calving in the Rain

Caaaaaaaalving in the raaaain.
We're caaaaaaaaaaaavling in the raaaain.
What a miiiiiiiiiiiserable feeeeeeeeeeeeling,
Just be suuuuuuuny again!

(You have to sing the above to the tune of "Singing in the Rain" to get the full effect!)

In seven days (from Thursday, April 11 to Thursday, April 18), we received almost nine inches of rain!  The first Thursday, we got 2.7 inches.  An incredible blessing!  The ground, being incredibly dry, soaked it right up.  A week later, beginning about four in the morning, began what became a 24-hour constant rumble of thunder with intermittent storms thrown in.  Oh, and that 24 hours was also filled with everything from constant drizzle to outright downpours resulting in just over six more inches of rain.  The rain came so quickly that the creeks and rivers couldn't take it, which resulted in some flooding.  And several towns around the area had problems with their storm sewer draining system thingys (I'm not from town, so I don't know exactly how the whole system works or what its called) not being able to keep up either, resulting in water in folks' basements... everything from houses, churches to businesses were left with a mess.

Meanwhile, our herd of mamas finally decided that it was time to starting dropping babies.  We time our calving to start after the worst of the winter weather.  We kinda jest amongst ourselves, though, that even though we do the mamas a favor by timing the calves to arrive during the nice warmer spring weather after the snowstorms, they are bound and determined to wait until a coldsnap of rainy weather (and mud) to have them.  And guess?!?! 

Yep, never fails....

We had many babies during the rain.  Everyone (the cows, the calves, the farmers and the farmers' wives) were pretty stressed that Thursday and the following days.  As much as the cute little cartoons about Old McDonald would lead you to believe, calving is not as simple as waiting for a cow to have a calf and then show up the next morning to find a cute little baby bouncing along side mother.  We (meaning Josh and Loren) spend majority of our (meaning their) time and efforts checking the cows, making sure none of them are having trouble delivering, making sure the cow accepts the calf once it is born and checking the well-being of the two in the hours following... and that's when everything is in great calving conditions.  When it rains to an extreme, its a whole different, more difficult story. 

Even though the cows are in a calving pasture that is more conducive to safety of the calf (on a hill and away from gullies, ravines,creeks, etc.), rain begats mud and mud begats concern.  A calf born in a mud pit is pretty well doomed.  Therefore, during an extreme rainy period (not just the typical Spring shower, but something like what we just had), extra hours are spent checking the herd.  The guys go out among the cows, check for signs of imminent birth and then, if needed, get the cow up to the barn in the dry so the calf isn't born in the mud.  This is (and was) done even if its three in the morning.  Sometimes, if the rain is as a disastrous blessing as this past week was, we take the whole herd into the barn.  Imagine trying to drive one, let alone a whole herd, through mud, wind and rain to barn them up.  Its hard enough to drive cattle in great weather, let alone when everyone's miserable.  The cows get as stressed, ornery and slightly confused as the drivers do!

Hopefully, any calf born in the dire weather is born in the dry and perks right up.  But sometimes if we don't catch it in time, it means carrying the calf up to the barn to the dry by means of tractor loader, four wheeler or, if the men aren't lucky, by carrying it in their arms.  Having to move a newborn calf means hoping that A) the mother follows so cow and calf stay together, resulting in much less work later of having to match up and sort out which cow is the right mother, and B) the mother follows without trying to "take" the men.  Some cows are pretty protective of their babies, especially right after birth, and will try to take out any foe that messes with the calf.   And then...

Once the calf and (hopefully) mother are in the barn, he hopefully stays healthy.  Sometimes, however, the cold rain will have chilled the poor baby at birth and all the things that it would have ordinarily learned within an hour (to follow its mama and to suck for food) isn't learned and/or it gets a little sicky.  Then we turn to giving it medical attention.   Medical attention could mean many things.  Sometimes its as simple as locking the cow up, taking the calf to the utter and teaching it to suck.  Sometimes it takes the men milking the cow by hand and feeding the calf via a bottle.  (Both of these should be done pretty soon to get the colostrum - any mother's rich milk-like substance full of her antibodies and extra energy that comes in before the actual milk  - into the calf for health's sake.)  Sometimes its supplementing with a milk replacer (like formula for a baby) or some whipping cream and whole milk concoction through a bottle.  Sometimes it takes a dose of antibiotic.  Sometimes its all of the above.  It really depends on the situation.

And so continues the whole process until the rainy, muddy spell is over.  In a great year, like last year, very little of this happens.  Some years, like in 2008, the whole calving season is like this.  And then some years, like this year so far, it's just hit and miss according to the weather.  In any case, great care it taken to ensure the health of calf, cow and herd in general.  This is for any farmer who calves, whether it's taking care of 10 cows or over a hundred.  Calving certain isn't for someone who is a work-shirker!  Sometimes between the cold, rain, sleep loss and constant work, it takes just about everything out of a guy.  But there isn't a fella with a cow herd I know that doesn't enjoy his (or her) work!  There is something in the souls of some people that just makes them crave after farming with livestock.  No matter how much mud, rain, snow, drought, death, nescient neighbors, volatile markets and despite all the other hardships, it really is extremely rewarding and nothing else would make them happy than to have their cows.

And don't get the wrong idea... the rain made it hard, but we're so glad it came!  Hardships bring blessings, and this hardship blessing is going to be in the form of pasture, hay and corn!

I don't have many pictures, but here are a few:

Our backyard became sort of a pond for three days until it drained out.  I'm very grateful that our pond was outside, not in our basement!

I'm guessing it would have probably been about thigh high if waded through.

 

This little guy was born Thursday about lunch time, during the hardest of the rain.  He's doesn't feel very good due to a cold, so spends most of his days sleeping.  Sarah Rose and Caleb got their first calf experience of the year.



The cow isn't giving enough milk, so Josh is supplementing him with whole milk and cream through an old glass coke bottle.  Since the calf is kinda sicky, he doesn't suck like he should, so Josh gently pours the milk down his throat.  When he perks up a bit and learns to suck, we'll swap him over to a bottle with a nipple.  By the way, Josh isn't using the little fella as a stool.  Josh is squatting over him to hold his head up to open his throat and because a calf's instinct to eat (suck the utter) is to do so with his head up like that. 

 

Then he stood him up and made him move around a bit.

Sarah taking it all in!

 

If you've ever eaten a hamburger or steak (especially in the last week), take time to thank a cattle farmer.  There's a lot more to getting that hunk of meat on your dinner plate than you realize... and this post only covered the first few hours of birth!