When it Rains it Pours.....Literally

It hasn't been all rainbows and fuzzy kittens around the farm today. In fact, I have found myself looking to the heavens and asking "are you kidding me!?!"
For starters we lost one of the twins. (Calves... for those of you who missed the last couple posts) It was suffering yesterday and that makes me very sad. So, I was somewhat relieved that the calf had passed this morning. I feel guilty that I couldn't help it more. But I did all I could (including gavage feeding- thank you nursing degree). Death is part of farm life. But that knowledge never has made losing animals any easier for me.
To add insult to injury. The twins' Mama has decided not to accept the living twin. So now, Mama and baby have new digs up in the barn where they can "bond" and feedings can be monitored (and forced if needed) until everyone decides to play nice.
After contending with world's NOT so smart Cow Mama, then, low and behold, what do I find? A cow, roaming the pasture seeming to be trying to have a calf but possibly having some trouble. On closer inspection, she is not having a calf but appears to have a partially prolapsed uterus! (See me crying up to the heavens?). She, too, now has a suite at Hotel La Barn. Luckily, she seems okay for now but will have to be supervised closely in order to have a live birth. (Keep your fingers crossed)
Last but not least....rain, rain, rain. Me outside in the rain. Rain making more mud, mud, mud. Me outside in the mud.
I love this farm. I love this farm. I love this farm. (Ok. I really do love this farm. But could it at least stop raining for a few days?)

Part2 of 'The Calves are Coming...'

(I'm not sure why this didn't print yesterday. Refer to the previous pictures to see what I'm talking about. Sorry. Wish I was more tech saavy)

After taking care of the twins, Trey and I continued calf patrol. This is when we spotted Bessie way out in a small patch of trees by herself. I told him I thought she may have a baby soon. He studied her. After close observation and some questioning, Trey has learned this: "When the slimey stuff comes out under their tails,that means a baby is coming!" I thought this was brilliant but it could just be the ob nurse in me coming out again.
Next we came across this little calf who was trying his darndest to navigate on dry land. (Trey has given this one the name Spot.) We both got a kick out of watching him try out his "new" legs. Over and over Trey would giggle "look how wobblely!"
Then there was this guy. He seems to be quite the little brute. He is long legged and fiesty. He was already kicking and bucking around before he was even 12 hours old. I wish I could say the same for me. I cared for all my new babies and made it back to the house. I pried myself out of my rubber boots. (I never have quite figured out how to do that gracefully) Then, when my own children allowed it, I headed for the shower and found that I had been hauling half a bale of hay around in my pants. (Messy. But not as messy as my muck crusted jeans that hit the washer immediately upon entering the house). I proceeded with my shower and am now lying snuggled up on the couch in my jammies. (feeling a few aches and pains)
With all that said, I love being a stay at home mommy cow nurse! (But I hope it doesn't rain too much this week. I really am tired of the mud!)

Its that time of year

The calves are coming! The calves are coming!
This is one of my favorite times to live on a farm. The calves started coming March 1st. We have a total of 12 right now. I know there will be 13 by morning because I noticed Bessie (the first cow Rex and I ever bought) showing the "signs". By the end of spring we should have 40-45 little mooers and by the end of summer, 60. So, really, we're just getting warmed up. (That is, IF our bulls, Arnie and Leo, did their jobs last summer.)

We had a set of twins born today. This has been pretty rare for us. The last set of twins that I can remember was about 5 years ago. I found the twins fairly soon after their birth. Their Mama had them in the mud (seems to be a trend this year, one that I am not liking). One calf, the smaller of the two didn't seem to mind. She was up on her feet and pretty dry. The bigger calf (maybe had a tougher delivery) was lying in the mud not looking too lively.
So, in this situation I feel lucky to be well versed in OB nursing. I have learned that farming is much like nursing in many ways. Initial care for a calf is the same as for a newborn. You want a dry baby! (Not a mud caked, wet, slimy one).
This is a very simple step to take for human babies. They are born, handed off to the nurse or laid on mom's tummy and then they get a rub down from head to toe with lots of nice, dry sterile towels. The majority of the time this will be all the stimulation a baby needs to get started in the world.
Unfortunately, the act of drying a calf is not quite as simple. At least not when I have to be involved. On a perfect farm, Mama Cow would walk herself up to the barn, find the warmest, coziest spot available and birth her baby there without help from any one. She'd lick him off and get him all fluffy and dry. Then the little critter would hop up, find Mama's udder and go to town filling his belly up.
Let me tell you, I have wished for that perfect farm world multiple times in the past week as I find calves born in the mud or little newbies that have become stuck in the mud. 60 cows stomping around on soggy ground and adding their excrement to it, can make quite a mess! Its a mess that leaves my short self up to my knees (literally) in muck. People, that is not a pretty sight. And somewhat unpleasant for me too!
But you gotta do what ya gotta do. And today I had to don the big rubber boots and drag a calf out of the slop. Trey had ridden out with me and sat on the four wheeler shouting words of encouragement to me as I tried to make it thru the mud without falling over. (That's always my main goal...don't fall!)
Walking thru mud like this is tricky. You can be hopping along from dry patch to dry patch and before you know it you can't see your boots anymore because they are completely consumed by the mud. It kind of reminds me of the Coyote on Looney Toons.......you know, he's chasing Road Runner, doing great, about to catch him when suddenly he realizes that he ran right off of a cliff. It takes about 10 seconds for that to sink in then he plummets down into the canyon and lands with a splat. Yes, that is really a lot like me trying to get thru the mud......
I did manage to make the calf a nice little bed of straw, dried it off to the best of my ability and then persuaded it to take some milk from a bottle. Her sister came to join her. (and to check my leg for udders) All the while, Mama Cow was circling me, bawling at me a little. She acted as if I was the crazy one. I reminded her that I was not the one who had just given birth in a mud hole. She was just being a normal Mama, she let me do my work but "complained" a lot too. While I was feeding the calf, I heard Trey talking to Mama Cow. He was using his "soothing" voice, telling her, "Everything is going to be alright. Stop your mooing now. Mommy is taking good care of your baby. Its okay".
So far, everything is okay. But I worry about these twins a little. I would've liked to see them up nursing on their own before I went in tonight. The frustrating part of our farm is that a lot of times I do what I can and then have to let nature do the rest and hope for the best. We don't have much hi-tech equipment or even extra hands. Sometimes I'd like to take a calf to the nursery and put it under a warmer, give it some extra oxygen, check some blood work, monitor the intake and output....... (As I picture this in my head now it makes me laugh a little)

Sugar Bugs

For the past year, ever since Trey's cavity/filling episode at the dentist, he has been very diligent in his oral hygiene. Trey is constantly on the lookout for the ever elusive sugar bugs. I find him perched up on my vanity counter from time to time looking in his mouth. After every tooth brushing I must verify that there are no more sugar bugs in his mouth. Sometimes before eating something, Trey will inquire about the sugar bug content. Together we have discovered which foods contain no sugar bugs, just a few, a hundred and three or millions of sugar bugs. Sugar bugs are mentioned daily at my house. So, I wasn't completely surprised when Trey asked me what color sugar bugs are.
We were driving to preschool and he had just inhaled a granola bar. I thought for a minute and told him that I thought most sugar bugs were probably black or gray.
"Hmph" he said. "I guess that's not what this is then!"
I looked in the rear view mirror to see him closely examining something he'd just pulled out of his teeth. I had to laugh and shake my head. My silly son.....

Treyisms

We're running short on Treyisms lately. I think Trey is just as quirky as usual but I think he has been reusing old material.

1. We were out in the barn playing with our new kitties. Trey exclaimed " This is so amazing! I found a coconut!" On closer examination it was an old walnut. Bummer.

2. Trey came and sat on my lap facing me. He reached out and put his hands on my cheeks and pulled my face closer to his. He planted a big wet kiss on my nose. "Mommy, I love you four. And after my birthday I will love you five."
"Wow." I said. "That's a lot"
"Yeah, it is" Trey agreed. "And one day," Trey continued, "I'll love you thirty-three and thirty-three and thiry-three. " With that I got another kiss and a hug. I'm not sure what it all means but it seemed sweet!