Love your story. We are all rooting for you and your mamas.

Oh, man. Never a dull moment at the ranch. I hope the cold, wet calf survives. I am so sorry about the pregnant cow with the injury, I can't imagine what an emotional rollercoaster ride your days ahead will be, Lori. And I think your whole family, dogs included, work together so well as a team, what an inspiration you guys all are.

Good luck. I hope your snow stops.

Hey, I've put calves in the bathtub with warm water...then towel it off and rub vigorously....I've been there and been through it all...that's one thing good about getting old, I don't have to do that sort of thing any more...and I don't miss it a bit

You must be mind-boggling busy this weekend. So thank you for taking the time to write all that and share it with us. I would not hear a story like your any other way! And I did enjoy it!

Hope it all works out for the best, with as little suffering (for animals and ranchers) as possible.

Ah Lori. Isn't Spring grand? I had both my kids in the Spring and always told them it seemed right that they were born around foaling and calving time. I was too. And I'm a city girl. LOL

Hope all the mamas and babies do well. Special thoughts for the little guy. So sorry about the pending loss of the heifer.

Lori, I was raised on a farm with dairy cows, and it wasn't that not much different. We didn't have that much calving, but I remember that we do what we have to do and when we have to do it.

I am too old to do it all now, but would be there, feeding or cleaning if I had to do it.

Way to go to all of you! BTW, how is your knee?

It will be Springtime soon, I promise.

Jan

Been around those crazy mama's way too much. I feel for you, it's hard work! Why do they always seem to have babies on the coldest days? What a way to be born.

Once in a while dh gives me the look when we're out with the cows. The one that says, "your giving me to many orders lady". The orders to move items that might make a quick get away possible. I'm the one that's thinking ahead, way ahead, and he knows it!
Two heads are better than one when trying to outsmart a hormonal cow! Gotta use those extra hands too.

My dd's horse ran into the electric fence yesterday (she's ok) and I had to keep the cattle on their side for about 30 mins. Since all I had was a stick and a few rocks between them and my lawn, it was sorta intimidating. I don't mess with the mama's any more than necessary. Thank goodness dh finally fixed the fence!

Hope your baby makes it. Poor little fella. Better luck for the rest of the day!

Ah - sounds all too familiar. Scary with the heifer - I really don't like them!

DD's are out for track - I said they need the Unhappy Mother Cow Chase - you know the one... you are running at top speed looking over your shoulder saying "oh chit - oh chit" - and trying to launch yourself over the fence.

Right now the ground is bare - the snow has all melted. We had a heavy snow last week, but it has all melted and now we are back to mud (but more snow and rain for early in the week). We don't have too many problems keeping the cows on high ground and good grass. We keep some pastures just for calving so they are in pretty good shape right now. Nothing is on them from June on.

DH had to shoot a cow yesterday. She never got back up after delivering a HUGE calf. We were able to put the calf on a cow that had lost her calf earlier.

DD & DH had to bring a calf in yesterday to treat. DD finally had to sit on it in the back of the gator and DH held the reins on the horse and drove the Gator and led DD's horse back to the calving barn - I wish I had seen that site going up the hills!

We have a squeeze chute for calving in the calving barn - that works super good when we need to pull one. I am usually on the jack to pull it.

DD had the giggles over an incident the other night. The neighbors have a calving pasture along the highway. DD was going to town and a car pulled in. The guy was all worked up - he said "OH MY GOSH - THAT COW OVER THERE JUST HAD A BABY - OH MY GOSH!!! - SOMEONE NEEDS TO GO OVER THERE NOW!!" DD said Okey Dokey - someone will be right over...lol! She knows the neighbors go out and check every couple hours - and the calf was on the ground already sucking....She sure got a chuckle out of the state the gentleman was in. I said we should charge admission :)

i just don't know how you do it...it's bad enough listening to my uncle tell about his hs years, with my grandmother being a rosie the riviter, and he and younger brother were trying to run 2 farms...(grandpa was working the railroads) then being drafted the minute he turned 18, and this kansas kid on a ship in the middle of the pacific...

Well.
I got some good news and I have some bad news.

The calf on the porch didn't make it.
I didn't think he would especially after his mouth and extremities were warm but he was still laying flat. He died without making a sound which is a small comfort to me.

The good news?
The C-section went very very well.
They rubbed him (or maybe it's a her, I didn't ask), tubed in some colostrum and left it in the front of truck with the heater running...with Holly...who is NOT happy with this 'intruder'...LOLOL. Then the kids and hubby sorted pairs into the big meadow. Custer says the last time he rode past the truck the calf was sitting up, like a dog, looking out the window and Holly was on the back of the seat, barking furiously at it.

The heifer in the barn is still pissed.
BUT I think she's let the calf nurse. On 'unit' is slick and shiny and looks smaller than the other three.
And she only rushed the fence at me. Two hours a go she would hit the fence and try to climb over it.
Custer loves heifers like this. He says they make good mothers. I say they make good menaces.
LOL

Yer breaking my heart Iowagirl!
You got green grass and I don't.
*phhttttt*
I wish you had a picture of the gator-pull too. That would be a good one for the Farm Woman magazine.

LOL

We've never put a calf in the tub Maybee and I don't know anyone who has done this and had it turn out good. Our neighbor swears by this method but then has to bottle feed those calves because the scent is removed and the cow won't take the baby. If it worked good for you!

I'm still waiting to find out why the femur above my new knee hurts. A month after I had the nuclear bone scan I finally got the PA to call me back. He said there was an indication of fractures and breakage at the femur and I was to, as soon as possible, get some blood work done to rule out infection and the chance my body is rejecting the knee (after two years? Yeah, right.) I got the blood tests a week ago, have called the surgeon's office twice to see what is going on but no one knows. *Ack* I'm taking it easy but only because if I don't the leg swells up and hurts.

Oh!
And the storm is moving out!
There is some blue sky to the north.
The sun hasn't broke through yet but the wind has stopped blowing!

Tomorrow will be better. I just know it!

Lori

Not cows, but sheep. When I first started dating DH. He and his dad used to go and help his uncle each spring when the lambs came in, because they would all be born one right after the other and if they weren't collected very soon, they would die from the cold. They asked me to come, figuring there might be a few needing towelling or bottle feeding and I would get a kick out of it.

The lambing had already started, so this was just the tail end to give his uncle and cousins a break, mind.

We got there to find a pile of dead lambs, stacked like cord wood next to a fire pit. His uncle had gone out, gotten drunk, and fought with his sons - running them off with a shotgun. Then he proceeded to pass out in his truck.

The lambs were born on the coldest night of the spring, in freezing rain and sleet. None survived. It was more than sad.

DH's aunt brought out pictures of my DH when he was younger than DD is now, carrying a lamb and smiling ear to ear. She said "Some years are better than others. This is a bad year".

They moved off the farm the next year (they didn't own, they ran it and lived there for a portion of the pull, but had been in the hole three years in a row).

Hope things start looking up for your calves, Lori!

Aw, Lori. I'm sorry you had such a crummy day. This calving season is busy, for sure, and we have so few cattle compared to you!

I had to go with DH this morning to help clean up a calf he was worried about. She's about a week old but has scours (sp? I'm not a ranch wife...) and he was worried about her. Luckily, we were able to sort the bull off in the corral and then sort mom from her calf. We cornered the calf real gently and she just laid down (with me holding her!) and let DH clean her up. :-)

Then tonight DHs brother called and they had a calf out over on another pasture. He loaded the 4-wheeler but by the time he got there, it was already back in (and now they know where the problem spot is in the fence).

We've been lucky so far this year -- except for the cow who decided to calve on the steep creek bank and her baby was about to roll into the creek when DH got there and pulled her out (twice) while mama stood nearby somewhat clueless.

Hope tomorrow is better!

Lori you are making me tired just reading what you accomplish in a day.Most city people would never make it through one of your days.
It's a hard life,but also a good one,and I'm betting that you wouldn't trade it for anything else of earth.
God bless you!

Lori, I'm sorry you're having a rough weekend.
I grew up on a dairy farm and know where you're coming from. Talking about a ticked off heifer reminds me of the days when we'd have to put a milking machine on a heifer the first few times. Milking is definately not for people with slow reflexes.
I hope tomorrow is a better day for you.

Ron

Too bad those babies could be born when the weather is better. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Do you have more calves to be born?

Thanks for sharing your life with us.

Linda

Yikes Lori..it is never dull at the Cornia ranch is it??
I hope things settle down and you can go in and dig out your best china
and brew a nice pot of tea and sip it by the fire! LOL
You're a good cow mama helper!

Oh the ups and downs of ranching! Lots of joy but lots of blood,sweat and tears!
DD's fiance worked with cattle for a long time. He loves working with them, DD helped pull a few calves, bottle fed even more, and of course promptly fell in love and named them all. Not all lived, and she was always feeling bad.
Back in January we had the worst storm of the winter, zero visibility and they had to try and get 3 miles out to check the heifer that was due to calve. They couldn't make it, of course the calf was born in -30 temps and died. DD felt awful!!
You do what you have to do, but I know it isn't always fun. I hope spring gets to you ASAP and no more snow!!!!

Sounds like a really tough job. I sure hope tomorrow brings some warmer weather, nicer Mama Cows, and healthy Calves.

I'm sorry to hear about your little Calf on the Porch.

Gayle

Just want to add my little bit!
I have ALWAYS enjoyed and do enjoy your imput on your life and animal stories.
Thanks so much!

What lives some of you gals lead. Your stories sure do paint a picture Lori. Sorry about the little calf.
Hope tomorrow is a better day.

Anne

And to think, I thought the sales at the mall today were exciting! LOL

Lori, thanks for sharing your stories, the good and the bad, they are about a life that not many of us will ever experience so we live them through you.

Jodi-

It does seem to be a hard year on calving. My folks have lost 4 cows this year. One to a broken hip on the ice earlier this winter, 2 had trouble birthing and by the time they got there it was too late, Luckily we have a vet that is overworked this time of year but has had a couple of calls from my folks this year for help. The last one prolapsed after the calf came out, so they stuffed everything back in and stitched her up. Every year we have a couple of cows that don't breed so those get taken to the butcher for my parents to share with all us kids for Christmas. This year for the first time all the cows and heifer's took.

We used to have sheep. Every single time we would be lambing there would be all twins and tripletts. I think in the 5 years we had them, we only had 3 singles out of 20 mommas. Lots of babies to try and bottle feed, but never had much luck bottlefeeding the lambs. We would keep them in the house in a big box my dad made for them.

Stacie

Ditto what Jodi said. It's very enlightening to those of us who never ranched or farmed.

I'm so sorry about the calf. I feel sad for the mama, too, won't she be distraught? Will she nurse another calf?

Wow.
Your stories remind of James Harriot's books; Calving season seemed to be the hardest.
Any chance the Momma of the first calf will take the C-section calf?
I hope the rest go smoothly.
Please keep us updated (like you have much free time!)

Enjoyed your stories. Sorry about the calf and the cow. Who is Gabby?

My ex and I used to raise cattle and some of your problems sound familiar to me. Thank goodness we didn't have the snow, ice and cold to deal with! That would have been way too much for me!

Sorry to hear that the calf didn't make it.

Luv' 'ya Lori...thanks for sharing!!! It is nice for this old dairy lady to enjoy your stories and know that I don't have to deal with it anymore!! I DO miss the calves though!

i don't know how you do it Lori...I'da been bawling my eyes out losing that little calf...My brother has lost 5 in the last week to the nasty rain and cold weather...it choked me up just hearing him tell about it...I remember many a time my dad bringing a newborn calf in to put behind the coal stove to warm up and give it a fighting chance!

has anyone heard that large animal vets are in short supply?