Thank God for my husband. He had to leave the farm on the 6th and was not going to come back until the 20th. Elsa’s calf was due on the 20th and she is our most difficult cow, kicking when milked and pretty wild. On the 7th he called me and said that he changed his plans and was going to come back on the 12th to try and finish the stanchion so we could get Elsa calmed down before she calved. Whew! He got in late on Friday and Saturday morning I had to leave at 7 to take our daughter to town to take her ACT test. When I got back, he so nonchalantly asks if I am warm enough to join him, but I had to go put on my muck boots. Then he tells me we had some new lambs and one was still born, and we had another new lamb, and guess who else? Elsa! YIKES!
He was feeding hay that morning and noticed Elsa standing by the water trough and not coming for the hay. Then he heard her mama noise and saw a lump by the trough in ice water and mud and rushed to pick up the half frozen heifer calf. He carried her to the shed and covered her in straw.
She could not move her cold, wet long legs and was shivering badly. Finally the sun came over the barn and so he put her in the sun while I had gotten some towels to dry her off.
Mama Elsa tried not to panic.
The sun was not doing the trick, so I warmed a blanket in the dryer and put that around her and my leather coat on top of her and held her for about 30 min. This made her start shivering again, which is a good sign she is trying to warm up.
While I was gone getting the blanket she had tried to get up, but couldn’t because she was too weak. Mama Elsa was trying to comfort her.
After she was warm, we thought it best to help her stand to try and get her legs strong. Luit held her up a while, then she stumbled and fell many times, and he would pick her up again. Her little legs gained strength and soon she was standing on her own.
She definitely was not strong enough to nurse on her own, so my dear hubby had to lay her down underneath Elsa and help her nurse. She couldn’t latch on for long so he would hold her head up for a long drink.
“Mama, why are those fat lambs eating your food?”
“I feel so much better.”
“Now why can’t I figure this out?”
“I’m sure grateful for this nice warm shed.”
“What do you mean it is supposed to pour down rain tonight and then snow six inches?”
“That was an awful night. Brrr, I can’t stop shivering! Why can’t I have one of those hairy coats like those Highlander babies? My tummy is so empty!”
“I don’t want to hurt your feelings Faline, but I think you are kind of a weenie,” said Theoden.
“Well, I will definitely get this figured out on my own, this stuff is SO GOOD!”
Lots of miracles in these few days. My husband really is my hero.
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Well..that is true adventure on the farm…good work! I have the “Kow Kant kick” thing…brought it down from Mike and Mika”s last night…are you going to be in town? How to get it to you?
Carol
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Oh Carol, you are an angel! I still have Bill and Kelli’s and am getting ready to go “milk” and use it. Can you bring the one you have to Parker Pastures so they can use it for milking today? I will go in after I milk to switch them out. I have felt so bad taking theirs when they have all those sensitive new mamas to break in. Thank you, and thank you Meike!
She will pass the Animal Care Tactics (ACT) if nothing else 😉
The ACT was the dumbest thing! There were 7 students taking the test. We had to upload her picture to them, then bring her passport to show as she entered the building, show when she entered the classroom, show when she LEFT the classroom on the one break they gave them in 5 hours, and show again when they entered the classroom from their 10 min. break in the hall, while one teacher stood beside them. There were two teachers in the classroom and they had to verify the identity of 7 students, whom were in their presence the whole time. Each time when they showed their id, even when leaving the room, the teachers both looked carefully at the picture, then the id, then checked the name, then looked at the student… They had to sign twice on the ACT that they swear that they are indeed the person on the id and the correct person taking the test. Oh brother. Let’s hope she can pass the Animal Care Tactics better than I can. 🙂 If these teachers find themselves without a job, they will be immediately snatched up at the TSA.