7.23.23
You know the old saying about a watched pot? Well, it is true. It does not matter whether it be the kettle on the hob for that first much anticipated cup of tea of the day, a car part freshly painted waiting for the second coat that cannot be applied until said first coat is dry, or, as in the case right now, a milk cow ready to give birth. It always seems that the more one watches the longer one has to wait for the pudding to prove.
Right now, my milk cow Heidi is fit to burst. She is so floppy under her tail that if she sneezed – yes, cow do occasionally sneeze – her calf would pop out! Her due date, according to my handy dandy breeding wheel, was yesterday. Of course, that means very little, as a cow can go a good week to 10 days past the “wheel date” depending on the breed of cow, if it is a bull calf or heifer inside her. As a rule, we have found when a cow calves right around her due date, it tends to be a heifer calf. A late calving cow will often pop out a strapping bull calf. Since I am strongly hoping Heidi will have a nice heifer, naturally I am anxiously hoping the calf enters the world sooner rather than later!
Yesterday, Heidi was very restless. By evening time, she was doing that slow search of the milk cow’s large paddock, her head low to the ground, the classic “Now where do I want to lie down and have this baby?” type of search. My hopes were high. She seemed to find her spot, so I settled into my deck chair set under the shade of the tree just outside our dining room window, binoculars in hand, enjoying the gentle breeze and waited. Pretty soon, Heidi decided that was not the spot so cumbersomely rose to her feet and lumbered down the hill towards where Lass was already settled in her favourite spot for the night. There she stood, switching her tail, and contentedly chewing on her cud.
Now the tail is a very good gauge of where a pregnant cow is at when it comes to going into labour. That appendage, so necessary as a summertime fly swatter, a cheeky “Oops! I didn’t see you there beside me when I swatted my mucky, manure plastered tail across your face as you were checking my udder!” is a brilliant mood indicator and as I say, a great gauge of the onset of serious labour. When a cow’s tail looks like the handle of an old-fashioned hand water pump, baby is on the way. Last night at final check, Heidi’s tail was very floppy – a good sign – but not at the water pump handle stage. I could go to bed with ease.
Heidi is a funny cow. More than once she has given me the impression of waiting until I arrive at her side before she gets fully down to popping out her baby. One year, I had been watching her closely from the house, rather as I am doing now, holding off heading down to the cow paddock until I saw she was in active labour. She was showing all the signs but not getting on with the job, just repeatedly looking up at the house where she knew I was standing on the porch, watching her. Finally, I decided to go down and milk Lass and resign myself to waiting more patiently for Heidi to drop her calf. After getting my milker put together, wash bucket filled with hot, soapy water and clean rags, I headed down to the milk house.
As I got there, Lass was standing expectantly at the gate, ready to head into the milk parlour for her morning ration of grain and relief of a full udder. However, Heidi had other ideas! As she saw me arrive and get ready to set up the milker for Lass, she let out a bellow and promptly lay down near the gate, giving me a very definite “Well, you took your time getting down here!” look, and promptly went into heavy labour. Deciding to forego milking chores, I quickly turned Lass in with her calf, who was more than happy to have a full udder of milk to himself, and switched roles from milkmaid to midwife. As I settled behind Heidi, ready to assist with the birth of her calf, she turned her head to eye me and gave a gentle moo before getting down to the serious business of birthing. To this day I swear that cow waited until I got there before popping that baby out! Actually, she has done that on more than one occasion!
Milk cows really are different than beef cows. Oh, I love our beef cows, but with my milk cows there is a that special bond. Seldom do we have to assist one of our beef girls with their calving and our milk girls usually calve with ease too. It is just with a milk cow, the quicker the birth, the less stress on the cow and milk cows can be notorious for getting stressed while having a calf. This can sometimes contribute to milk fever or even ketosis. So when our milk cows begin labouring, I like to be there to gently assist getting that calf out and on the ground as quickly as possible.
First thing this morning, before daylight, I headed down to the cow paddock to check on my girl. There she lay, in her usual bed, quite content. After giving her a pat then getting some water turned on here and there on the lawns around the bunkhouse, I headed back to the house where the kettle on the hob should be close to boiling. It was close but not yet at that rolling boil needed for a good cup of tea. Patiently I waited, not looking at the kettle, but instead, standing at the open doorway looking out on the fields as the sky slowly lightened with the approaching dawn. What a beautiful morning. Sometimes, one just has to take a minute to step back and be patient, to let the turning of the earth happen, to savour the moment, to be at peace with oneself. What will happen will happen in its own good time.
As today’s musings come to an end, my second cup of tea is made. Darrell is sitting in his easy chair beside me, sipping his coffee. I just stepped out on the porch and glanced down to the cow paddock. Heidi has left her bed and is again up at the top of the field, looking for that perfect spot it seems. I think today will be the day. She glances at the house, seemingly knowing I am watching. I will be patient… well let’s say I will go and drink my second cup of tea before I casually stroll down to the cow paddock to check on my girl. Maybe she too is patiently waiting for her midwife to arrive.
9:45 a.m. Update!
Well, about half an hour ago, I was down by the cow paddock puttering about. Heidi kept staring at me and mooing gently while standing in the spot I thought she had chosen to calve. I went and sat next to her. She promptly lay down and started to push. Within 10 minutes a couple of little trotters appeared. I went and sat behind her and within minutes, a lovely heifer calf lay on the ground!
I truly feel blessed! Mum and wee lassie are doing well.
