I think about this when things go wrong.
Or when things don't go right.
Or when things don't go the way they're supposed to go, according to the book of US. Ha!
And recently I thought about it again.
Our beautiful cow Peaches was late in her pregnancy. Very late. In fact almost 15 days late, so I called a friend. She milks 68 Guernsey cows a day, twice a day. She's been in the business for years. She always has some Guernsey wisdom for me. Even more than the internet. Even more than the Vet. Right away she told me the gestation period for Guernsey is longer than for any other, and therefore they have their own calculator. According to it, Peaches was only 10 days late, but still late enough. She told me to watch her since she was a first time heifer (to calve) and it could be a big bull which might need to be pulled.
Long and short of it, this is exactly what happened a few days later. Our vet was not available, nor would he be that day. Evenyone was having farm emergencies. We were way down on the list. Fortunately for me, as the husband was at work, the awesome son-in-law with farm knowledge, cowology and hands-on calving problems experience was here visiting, and just about to leave for a Wildlife Class. He was late for that one. In fact, he missed the introductions and dinner that evening, but made it there the next day.
Without wasting any time since Peaches had been in labor for hours, we got her in the headgate and the cowboy son-in-law vet checked her and knew that the calf was alive and in the correct position.
Within minutes he had a rope on the calf hooves and I found myself pulling a rope along with him. Then the sky suddenly opened up and it poured rain. My first thought was, well that figures. My second thought was I hope there's no lightening. And then I heard thunder. Time to pray, and I DID!
Daugher Erin, the ever handy photographer was at the patio door taking pictures. I love to be photographed when I am completely drenched, looking my total best! Wink.
When it became obvious that pulling manually wasn't getting the job done, the cowboy got the truck. That's what cowboys do nowdays, when a horse isn't handy. The calf was out within minutes and mother and baby were fine, even in the storm. We, however, were soaked through and that included inches of water in the boots! But the job was done!
The next few days brought lots of routine farm drama and vet bills and medecine and tending to the two animals. It turns out that Peaches had udder edema along with only two working teats and two blind (non-producing) teats. The bull calf was tramatized and didn't get up for a couple of days. Colostrum had to be milked out and fed manually to him, and he had to be massaged and coaxed to get up and move around.
PEACHES AND STORMY
This is when you begin to second guess your profession, or at least the farmgirl part of your vocation. Because, in fact, weren't we supposed to be having our already re-scheduled once Spring Tea Party this weekend, in the Tea Garden? I must have missed that...
All in all, I wouldn't change a thing.
We learn as we go, we roll with the punches and we remember to laugh when we get wet!
And then, we carry on.
~ Gwen of IRISH ACRES
