Calving Prep

Can you find Jeff in this photo?
Also, I'm starting to get to the point where I remember some cows from year to year-- that lighter colored cow with the small white star on her forehead is one of my favorites. 

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time with Jeff and Tom working with the cows and getting ready for calving to begin in earnest. As of now, we actually have four calves so far. I posted about the first calf two posts ago, and in case you missed it, CLICK HERE to read up on the first newbie of the year. Since that first calf was born on February 13, we have had two more cows give birth. One of them had twins, so we've had four calves out of three cows so far.

That white-faced calf was our first one.
The really small looking calf that's kind of behind her is one of the twins.

We spent several hours yesterday taking care of last minute preparations before calving really begins in earnest. First, we tagged the three calves who hadn't been tagged yet and sent the pairs out to the big pen. This was done primarily so they'd be out of the way of the rest of the herd who has yet to calve. Plus, now they have more space.

Getting ready to give this calf its new tag!  Just like getting an ear pierced.

My favorite photo of the day. This little calf was born most recently. She is my new pal. She let me pet for quite a long time and just leaned into me while I was doing it, like a dog would. She was very sweet, and her mama did not care at all. 

Then we separated the cows into three groups: 1) Older Cows, 2) Young cows and heifers/first-time calvers, and 3) Late-calvers, or those who look like they will be in the second cycle of calving births. This helps with feeding and checking. Generally, the younger cows get a little better feed, and since they are younger or are calving for the first time, they are more likely to need assistance. The Older Cow group will still get walked through regularly (several times a day and once or twice at night, just like the first-timers), but they are a little less likely to need assistance unless the calf comes breach, or something else comes up. Once the cows have had a calf, after that they seem to remember what they're doing. The late-calver pen will still get walked through, but not probably as often as the first two I've mentioned.

Once we separated the cows into groups, we laid out A LOT of straw bedding for the animals to lay down in. With the weather turning cold, they certainly appreciate some extra warm straw!

Cows aren't the only animals who love new straw! Harvey could not stop rolling in it! 

Then it was time to feed bales in each of the pens. Pregnant cows go through hay pretty quickly. I wonder if any of them have any strange cravings?  Peanut butter and pickles? Mayonnaise and chocolate? More likely they want just the right mix of alfalfa and grass in their bale... Who knows. :)

Mmm... tasty, tasty hay! This is the young-cow/heifer pen.

Our official due date is March 1 but there are always some who go early.  Right now, there are some cows that look like they could go at any time. Because of this, and because of the very cold overnight temperatures we've been having lately, last night was the first night Jeff and I stayed at his parents' house so Jeff could go out for night checks. I usually help function as his alarm clock- making sure he gets out of bed the first time it rings. I'll also try to stay at least semi-lucid until he gets back so that if there's a problem, I can be ready to help.

Which of these ladies will be next?!

For now, we'll keep checking and making the rounds through the pens. It may seem like annoying chore or waste to go out at night when we aren't having any calves right at the moment, but with the weather so cold (below zero over night temperatures) we would hate to not check and go out on the morning to find a newborn calf who froze to death. It's a lot of work this time of year, but it's also very fun and very rewarding.

PS- Thank you to everyone who read and enjoyed my previous post-- the 200th Post (Observed)! That post had great response and quickly skyrocketed into the 6th most-viewed post I have done. It's only out of 5th place by one pageview! Thanks, everyone, for being faithful readers! I appreciate it!