04/29/2026
Started the day a little rough. Farmer Curt checked the pasture and found, what seemed like, an uninterested momma and a very wet, muddy, sad baby crying out for help. We hurried to get the calf up out of the mud whole momma let it lay in and got them both nestled in the barn together. That’s when we noticed that Miss Irma wasn’t just being a bad mom but that she was almost shocky in behavior. Very slow, incoherent, eyes sunken in, wanting to just lay down… This is when you realize you now have two lives at risk and you better have your wits about you. If we can’t get her to show interest in this calf, lick to stimulate, stand long enough for it to get first colostrum…we could lose them both. Dug through our arsenal of all things “feel good” and started pushing vitamins, B12, selenium…tubes flying everywhere. The best hay on hand and fresh cool water… we lined the calf’s back with supplements for mom to hopefully take notice and her curiosity would make her want to lick it off. IT WORKED! Then we sat back for a bit and waited for everything to kick in and see if she perks up or we call in bigger guns. Soon, Irma was up and finally nudging and mumbling to her new babe. We tossed her more hay in hopes she would stand long enough for the calf to find a teet and get that most valuable and crucial first milk. Said a few prayers and it all came together. He’s a good sized boy and she likely struggled a little longer than we like to get him out. That always makes us feel bad but she’s not a first year mom and sometimes other jobs need tending to as well and we just can’t always be there.
For example… as we were scrambling to get these two on their feet…Miss Emma just flung hers out and acted like it was no big deal 😂 Another good sized boy. Everyone meet Lance (Irma’s) and Lincoln (Emma’s).
