And So the Season of Birth Begins

Today the weather was wonderful- well warm anyway- it was 80 but very windy. And we missed that huge rain~wind storm heading up the east coast. Whew!

So, Today we had 3 baby cows born. Which was fine. I went out to water the Cows in our Nursery area around noon and the Donkeys had had enough of the wind and wanted back in. After I did the water-- I saw a baby calf laying on the hard mud with 3 or 4 cows around her.. they were nudging her, but she still was not cleaned up. (great). From that point on-- it was a free for all. Noticed another new calf on the island ( a high spot of built up hay surrounded by mud and a little pond area created by the mud). But that one had a cow washing it. The 1st calf was up now and trying to nurse off any cow that stood still long enough. Some were afraid of her... She was heading towards the pond area. I was not having a baby calf drown on my watch.

Then -- I saw her-- a mother cow casting her whithers ( prolapse uterus)...which is never good. My DH was at work and not appreciating the 5 phone calls I made with in 30 minutes to report the goings on. So, I called the next door neighbor- also a farmer and he came with another neighbor... we got the 1st calf into the donkey pen ( donkeys were left outside)... decided that the prolapse cow was her mother...vet said to pour sugar on it to try to shrink it...My DH did try to put it all back into her, But she was too far gone and she has since died. Her calf is fine.. Corrie is her name and she will be bottle fed. We are hoping that one of  the 3 mothers will adopt her-- she is in the nursery with the others born today. She has attached herself to Six who has yet to have her 1st calf.. so maybe Six will mother her when her own is born. Sometimes they do.

So, when DH got home from work-- another calf was born. 3 today and 1 who is 3 days old. All healthy. Fingers Crossed that Corrie gets herself a new mom. I did ask the other girls  that if they thought they would calve tonight- try to do it in the barn... I am not sure they were listening to me!