Calving season is in full swing now, which means we are busy yet again. Actually...we never stopped being busy. We seem to move from one busy season to the next! We have two groups of cows that are calving at the moment: the first calf heifers (you can think of them as teen moms) and the spring calvers (the old professionals). The heifers need to be watched a little more since they are first-time mothers. Sometimes they get confused by the calf they just gave birth to, sometimes they are the communal milk bar for anyone and everyone (other heifers included), sometimes they need their calf pulled because of an abnormal presentation of the calf or the calf is too big to have on her own, and sometimes...well, sometimes things go perfectly. We like it when that happens! There always seems to be a lull in between the first calf born and when the rest of the group starts popping like Jiffy-pop.
The calm before the storm. All the heifers eating their dinner and looking quite pregnant!
Say "Moo!"
The first calf born in the heifer group--#189 had her calf on February 11th. Welcome to the herd!
We like to ride through the calving cows horseback most of the time. That way, we can get in the willows where you wouldn't be able to go with a truck or four wheeler, and we can see if there is a cow in trouble in there or make sure her calf is ok. It's also handy if you need to get a cow into the corral so you can assist her with calving. There are just some things that can't replace a good ol' cowhorse!
My mighty steed, tough as nails and grittier than sandpaper. Her name is Princess, but you can call her "Your Highness."
Camouflaged in the willows!
I love it when cows have calves whose markings mirror theirs or are pretty close. It's like seeing a mini-me! Plus, calves are just too stinkin' adorable for their own good. It's a wonderful time of year.
Adorable.
The cuteness...it's almost too much!
Is it even legal to be that darling?
Snow White and the Dwarf. Except he's not really a dwarf, but it seemed like a good name...
Nap time before dinner time!
The cows like to hide in the brush and will stay very still when you ride up. Sometimes, they find a hiding place so great that you miss them entirely. This heifer, however, failed...
"Psssst! Junior, get over here! We're HIDING, hellooooo!"
"Sorry, Ma! My legs don't work too well yet!"
"Wait, who's that?" "JUNIOR, GET OVER HERE, SHE'LL SEE US!!!"
"I think I just heard the feed truck...scrap the hiding, I'm hungry!"
Most of our cattle don't have names except a few individuals who are uniquely marked, have a different hair color, or are special in some other way. Last year, Aspen wanted to show a steer for the local 4-H club but was too young, so she halter broke and gentled a heifer that belonged to Dalton. Aspen named her "Jojo", and Dalton showed her in the spring, then brought her back to the ranch to get bred. This year, Aspen is still too young to show, but she has big plans to halter break Jojo's calf and see the pair of them shown. She was so excited to see what Jojo's calf would look like and kept asking Megan if the calf had been born yet. On Monday, Jojo had her calf, and I'm sure there has been a big discussion as to what to name this new addition!
Jojo & Company
To end the blog today, I thought you might like to see some real, live action! So, I took some videos and will post them here. I wish they were better quality, but it's hard to get the action on cue, especially with animals, so you'll have to suffer through the iPhone quality videos...but they're so CUTE it's totally worth it. If you're not smiling by the end of the clips...well, that is one cold, cold heart you have.
This is a brand new calf that I came upon the other day. She had just gotten up after giving birth and starting to clean him off. Hear her talking to it? She sounds like she's humming. Best sound a mama cow can make!
"Curious George"--this was the fourth or fifth time this calf had come up to me that afternoon. He is super curious about my horse...and he feels really good!
Well, that about sums it up for now. Time to go feed horses, etc. Until next time, dream of green meadows, fat cattle, shiny horses, and blue skies!
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