Post by beachbabies on Mar 23, 2015 10:10:29 GMT -5
Hi all! Guess who got a visit from the heifer fairy!
We were having an aweful day friday. DH was in a fowl mood which threw the whole family into a downward spiral. It started with one of those "nobody has clean jeans because you spend too much time with your cows." (Lord forbid he do a load of laundry every once in a while) (in my defence, there was a load of jeans in the drier) this was a continuation off of last night's "all we eat are left overs because you're out all day with those darn cows"
So i didn't dare go out that morning to say good morning to everybody. There was a round bale out there and a full water trough as of last night, so I knew they'd be fine.
While the whole family grumpily cleaned out the woodshop, I noticed one of the cows (due between March and May) was cudding next to our calf born in February. Didn't think much of it, still didn't dare go out there. Realized that baby is usually bouncing off the walls in the pasture all day, but seemed to be laying next to the cow for the past few hours. I finally got a chance to sneak out there and baby went zooming past. Thought "ok, she's up, not worth starting WWIII" so I headed back. Wasn't till after dinner that we were all excused to do our chores.
I found her shivering on a pile of wet hay, poor thing. I stood her up and she was pretty wobbly, I had to carry her into the stall. She wouldn't get up, but I could tell by mom's bag that she had been nursing. I dried her off as best as I could and left them with a small trough of molassas water and some nice hay for the night.
Saturday morning I got up before everyone to see Cake Pop (mom's name is Cupcake). She was still pretty wobbly. Her back legs either seem to be bowed or just set far apart. Throughout the day she was still wobbly, up and about a little bit, but not much. Caught her grazing next to mom for a minute and wished I had my camera.
I went to put them away last night and mom came to the stall, but without baby. I go out into the field, no baby, check the property, no baby. I'm beside myself by now. Get everybody outside to help me find her and after 3 hours DS finds her in the woods about 10 feet from our fence, sound asleep. Right on the coyote path.
DH was livid, "how could I loose a calf? What would have happened if the coyotes got it before we did? You always know where your cows are, why weren't you keeping track of this one? Maybe there are too many cows for you to handle."
in his defence, he is not a farmer, never wanted to be one. I am reminded of that on a weekly basis. If you would have told me when he and I got married that I would live on a farm with cows, I'd have told you that you were crazy. He doesn't like change, and that's what I have done. He left his job and our home so that we could move out of state and buy a farm. He is the love of my life, and i am greatful for every day that i wake up next to him, grumpy and all.
I apologize for the rant. I seem to have hijacked my own thread.
Any who, I am concerned about the hind legs on this heifer. I will try to get some pictures of her today. Is it something I should be worried about? Should I call the vet? Or will it work itself out once she really starts using her legs?
We were having an aweful day friday. DH was in a fowl mood which threw the whole family into a downward spiral. It started with one of those "nobody has clean jeans because you spend too much time with your cows." (Lord forbid he do a load of laundry every once in a while) (in my defence, there was a load of jeans in the drier) this was a continuation off of last night's "all we eat are left overs because you're out all day with those darn cows"
So i didn't dare go out that morning to say good morning to everybody. There was a round bale out there and a full water trough as of last night, so I knew they'd be fine.
While the whole family grumpily cleaned out the woodshop, I noticed one of the cows (due between March and May) was cudding next to our calf born in February. Didn't think much of it, still didn't dare go out there. Realized that baby is usually bouncing off the walls in the pasture all day, but seemed to be laying next to the cow for the past few hours. I finally got a chance to sneak out there and baby went zooming past. Thought "ok, she's up, not worth starting WWIII" so I headed back. Wasn't till after dinner that we were all excused to do our chores.
I found her shivering on a pile of wet hay, poor thing. I stood her up and she was pretty wobbly, I had to carry her into the stall. She wouldn't get up, but I could tell by mom's bag that she had been nursing. I dried her off as best as I could and left them with a small trough of molassas water and some nice hay for the night.
Saturday morning I got up before everyone to see Cake Pop (mom's name is Cupcake). She was still pretty wobbly. Her back legs either seem to be bowed or just set far apart. Throughout the day she was still wobbly, up and about a little bit, but not much. Caught her grazing next to mom for a minute and wished I had my camera.
I went to put them away last night and mom came to the stall, but without baby. I go out into the field, no baby, check the property, no baby. I'm beside myself by now. Get everybody outside to help me find her and after 3 hours DS finds her in the woods about 10 feet from our fence, sound asleep. Right on the coyote path.
DH was livid, "how could I loose a calf? What would have happened if the coyotes got it before we did? You always know where your cows are, why weren't you keeping track of this one? Maybe there are too many cows for you to handle."
in his defence, he is not a farmer, never wanted to be one. I am reminded of that on a weekly basis. If you would have told me when he and I got married that I would live on a farm with cows, I'd have told you that you were crazy. He doesn't like change, and that's what I have done. He left his job and our home so that we could move out of state and buy a farm. He is the love of my life, and i am greatful for every day that i wake up next to him, grumpy and all.
I apologize for the rant. I seem to have hijacked my own thread.
Any who, I am concerned about the hind legs on this heifer. I will try to get some pictures of her today. Is it something I should be worried about? Should I call the vet? Or will it work itself out once she really starts using her legs?