Well, I Calve Cows

As I mentioned in a previous post, Elk, Deer and Leaping Ants on the Front, I've taken a break from other pursuits and returned to cowboyin' along Montana's Rocky Mountain Front; specifically, calving cows.  While it may seem a simple question, a few folks have asked, "What do you do when you calve cows?"

The simple answer (although seemingly flippant) is, "Well, ya' calve cows."  The more detailed answer is, well, longer.

It ranges from the regular cowboy stuff like moving cows from A to B to more complex stuff like knowing when to call a veterinarian.

Moving "heavies" to the calving facility.  Heavies are the cows that appear to be within two or three weeks of calving.

For the most part, the cows are going to calve whether you are there or not.  It's a natural act that cows, elk, deer, etc have been doing long before man came along.  But, man has meddled in that natural act and caused problems.

In nature elk and deer still have their calves and fawns in late spring and early summer.  Humans want the largest calves they can sell in the fall, so they adjust their breeding dates to have calves earlier.  Some years that is not a problem.  This year is an exception.  So far we have had several three to five day periods where the day time high temperature hasn't gotten out of the single digits and night time lows have dipped to minus thirty--not counting wind chill effects.  If elk and deer (and cows) decided to have their offspring drop in this weather, unaided by man, they would eventually go the way of the Mastodon.  (I am not sure what time of year Mastodons gave birth.)  Anyway, in this case every cow that calves must be brought to the calving shed so the calves can dry off, get some colostrum and get their legs working.  Very few calves last more than 30 minutes at minus 20.

Angus Bull waiting for the next snow storm.

 There are other problems that can be either man-made or natural.  Big calves are one of those.  Big calves make bigger calves when it come time to sell, but the trade off is too big means C-sections, which are costly, and if not performed quickly can result in a dead calf.  No one wants to pay for a C-section on a dead calf!

Besides just big, calves can be upside-down, backwards, a foot back, or breech.  Not recognizing these early enough translates into another dead calf.  In most of these cases you can reach in manually and manipulate the calf, although a backwards or breech calf can't be manipulated into a normal presentation--head and front feet first.  Cows can also have twins, which can come naturally or be a tangle of legs that needs to be manually manipulated to get one calf out at a time.  I don't know sometimes; maybe they both want out at once.

"Heavies" arrive at the calving facility.

 And, of course, there is the "fun" stuff.  Ranchers want to know which calf belongs to which cow, so most put ear tags in--much like piercing ears in people, but probably more gawdy than a steel ring in your lip.  The "fun" comes 'cause most cows don't want other animals, including people, touching their newfound pride and joy.  If you think rodeo bulls are dangerous, put a tag in a calf's ear, listen to him beller', and run for your life!

So far it's been a tough year.  About 280 of the 850 cows have calved; we've only had two C-sections, two uterine prolapses, and a couple of frozen feet.  A uterine prolapse is caused when a cow continues to strain after the calf is pushed out, and she pushes her uterus out on the ground.  Takes an experienced hand or a vet to put it back in and get a live cow out of the deal.

My wife says a person needs to love animals to do this.  I'm not sure.  Working with animals that aren't breed for intelligence and occasionally want to stomp ya' in the dirt wouldn't be my first job choice--well, maybe it would be; I get a measure of satisfaction when I see a two-day old calf running and jumping in the snow--all because I had been there to help.

First twins of the season, back in January.

TTFN

Good Company

A Break from the Cold.

The sun at 2 pm on the Teton River Valley doesn't have much heat yet.

After nearly a month of calving cows during this winter's frigid grip, I have returned home for a chance to sit by the fire, have some coffee and surf the net.  In my email was a note from Ed Overton of Engineering Degree Online.  He sent me a link to his latest post, Bringing Home a Buck: The Top 50 Deer Hunting Blogs.  Hip, Hip, Hooray.  I made the list!

Normally I wouldn't include such links in on my blog, but in this case I have made an exception.

The exception was made because many of the blogs that I consider great reading were also on the list--greatly elevating my status!!!!

The blogs that are most noteworthy and that I read regularly--when I am around a computer and the internet are:

• Rick Kratzke's Whitetail Woods
• Deer Camp Blog
• Base Camp Legends
• Winded Bowhunter
• Hodgeman's Thoughts on the Great Outdoors
• Women's Hunting Journal
• Emily's Scent Free Lip Gloss

I feel humbled to be in such great company.

Oh, I cannot forget another great blog that has made the grade, Deer Passion.  Her most recent post celebrates her daughter's first birthday.  Happy Birthday!  

TTFN