The Modern Milk Maid

One of my favorite parts of working on the dairy farm last summer was the moment when the sun would rise. On the days I was responsible for calf chores, starting at 4:30 a.m., I was also responsible for the cows who were about to calve. During the summer time, these cows, called "dry cows", are out to pasture during the day and night. They would come up to the barn for their daily grain a little past sunrise, and then wander back to pasture to be a cow. After they went back to pasture, I would take a daily walk out to the pasture to look for calves. Nothing is more amazing than walking over a knoll in the pasture to see a beautiful young calf attempting to stand.

Because we do not use artificial insemination on our farm (we do it the old fashioned way- with a bull) the due date for a cow is approximate. Also, a cow can't tell us when her "water breaks" of if she is having contractions. I became pretty good at telling when a cow was about to calve, but I really think it was just luck.

I had motivation to learn how to tell when a cow was about to calve because if I didn't bring her in the barn before she calved, I had the strenuous task of bring the calf back up from the pasture to the safety of the barn, which some times is over a mile to walk. You would think, aw a cute little baby cow, that must not be too hard! Wrong! A new born calf weighs about 100 pounds, is wet and slimy and isn't too sure on its feet. Many summer days I would find a calf, pick it up and use all my might to bring the little thing back to the barn.

Other days I would go check on the dry cows and I would find a mother cow with two little hooves sticking out of her. Most cows calve fine by themselves, and if a birth was progressing smoothly, sometimes I would just take a seat and experience the miracle of life.

Other times, the cow has a little more difficulty and we have to help her by puling on the calf. Cow OBGYN was a hat I wore some days, pulling on the calf until she birthed, then making sure both the mother and the calf was ok.

1528 is my baby. She was the first calf that my boss had me help birth. We yanked her right out and made sure that her mom, an older cow, was ok. She is big now, and is outside with the other heifers. I make it a point to find her every time I visit the farm and give her a little love. I like to think she remembers me. I can't wait to watch her grow into a milking cow.

Birthing calves is what makes dairy happen. At the other farm I work at currently, cow number "501" a beautiful Swiss Brown Cow, is about to calf.

I secretly bet to myself that she would calve sometime this afternoon.... so if I'm right I will post a photo of the little one tomorrow. :)