02/17/2025
Mark woke me up early this morning with a farm distress call; a calf had been born in the early morning and it was not doing well. Temps in the low 20's -it's just too cold...she was just laying flat and shaking when Mark found her. We brought her into my office and tried to warm her up-get her going. Hours later, she's still in here and she is just a weak little thing. She has been standing and walking around, but she just doesn't have enough strength to nurse her momma. We're worried she won't make it through the night with these temps. So...a bottle baby she will be and we will have to pray she makes it. We've decided to make a small makeshift corral in the garage, and Buddy can watch over her. I'll be on milk-maid duty for the next few days (weeks). I'm really hating winter now. The snow, mud, freezing temps-I'm over it and ready for Spring. We have about six more cows ready to birth any time, and Mark is leaving on business. I'm on my own for a few days. I just hope we don't have any more born until he gets home (wishful thinking☺️) . This is a stressful time...and I empathize with those calving in the winter. We've been blessed with four little heifer's so far, this one makes five. So far it's been good. I guess everyone has a problem now and then, it's to be expected. We're definitely relocating the cows to higher ground and building an enclosed barn with birthing pens in the near future. Goals! Simpe. Farm. Life.
