Milk Anyone?

While I was on my way to Lethbridge yesterday morning I drove past the cows to see how they were doing and if any might be calving!  Well, there was one cow, a heifer actually, who was laying down in a somewhat awkward position so I sat and watched her for awhile.  She would lay stretched out on her side for a second and then jerk her head back up...only a woman could say that she was definitely having contractions!!  Sure enough she was, I sat long enough to see her stand up and noticed her back end was definitely preparing for a calf to come out!

I knew Jared was on a service call at the Clearlake Colony not too far from home so I called him and told him he should stop by on his way back to the shop to see how she was doing.  I had to get to the city for a doctor's appointment.  I knew he would either see the calf up and drinking or still not much happening, I was hoping he would see it up and drinking.  Well, what he saw wasn't at all what we hoped for...the calf was dead and still hanging mostly out of his mom :( Jared walked her up to the barn hoping along the way the calf would slip out but once they reached the maternity pen he knew he would have to help her get it the rest of the way out.  When a calf is born, the perfect way for it to come out is with both front feet coming together and the front part of the hoof facing up.  This calf only had one foot coming out, the right way though, but the other leg was still inside pointing the exact opposite direction so it was a lot of stress on the little guy and he wasn't able to get the air he needed as he passed through the birth canal.

Jared left the momma in the maternity pen and headed back to work.  Thankfully he was so close to home that he could stop by or we would probably have a dead cow too.  Once we got the boys to bed that evening Jared and I took Emry out with us to milk the momma.  We wanted to get her colostrum in case another calf ever needs it.  The colostrum is the most important part of the milk for the calf to get, it is full of nutrients and gives them the start they need to survive.  So to have some frozen on hand is truly priceless!

It was a lot of fun to do it too.  I had done it before but not for such a long time I really was nervous so Jared offered to try it first!  He got milk on the second squeeze!  I finally tried and got some on my first squeeze!  I forgot how soothing it is to milk a cow!  Do I see a milk cow in the future...only if I can get myself and our house organized, and start waking up before the kids drag me out of bed!!

The excitement never ends at the Puzey farm, and I am so thankful for the opportunity we are giving our children and for the excitement we see in their little faces with each new experience!