Friday, April 18, 2008

Calf Pulling

We had to pull a calf yesterday. The momma was in labor for hours and not progressing so Chad and I came to the rescue! Putting the chains on the feet of the calf.
The head is out.
Just a little more.
It's out!
Waiting for the momma to come clean him off.
I have to tell you that Chad was not impressed at all that I was taking pictures of this whole process and not doing my usual "helping". But hey, I wanted you all to get a view of this......I think that birth is just a total miracle!

27 comments:

Treasia Stepp said...

The miracle of birth. I remember being in middle school years ago, and watching this exact event unfold out of our classroom windows during science class. I might have been about 10 years old and thinking they had to be hurting the poor little thing.

Kelly said...

nasty but cool at the same time.

Hope4Grace said...

OH MY GOD........I think I fainted but don't worry, I'm okay.

Amber said...

You didn't get all of the afterbirth!! Now that's the nasty part!

Unknown said...

Very neat pics!! Cant believe you took them!

Rising Rainbow said...

Wow, you'd think those chains would hurt their legs.

Randi Jo :) said...

WOW! a miracle indeed

thanks for sharing this! :)

Unknown said...

Tell Chad that Shane found the photos quite interesting! You were serving the good of education!

kdwhorses said...

It is a beautiful sight! Tell Chad that it makes a great post for your blog! LOL! I know the last calf we pulled I had the camera, but wound up helping and was too nasty to grab the camera! Hubby did look at me and say you are not planning on taking pics are you?!?! Well yes if I could, but since I can not no! I know, as I am sure you do alot of cool things that I wish we had pictures of, but when there is just 2 of you, there is no one to take pics! Great pics! Glad momma and calf are well!

Tracy said...

Oh.My.

I am speechless...

Just Mom said...

O-U-C-H!

Mom to many said...

Well, you sure got the pictures... I remember growing up on the farm, but I don't think I am much of a farm girl. I couldn't pull a calf, that is for sure! Way to go!

Anonymous said...

My DH said the same exact thing: "You're not planning on taking pictures, are you?" He wouldn't let me put up the picture of the cow eating the afterbirth, either. He thought it was gross.

Hope calving is going well for you. We only had to pull one this year, and now we're done and ready to brand soon so they can go out to pasture.

April said...

Great pics. Funny how your dh reacted to you taking pics. LOL.

Joyce said...

What a miracle to save a calf and a mother. I have had the honor to see this in person. Then my friend came over and watched a sow having pigs.

Love and Hugs,
Joyce

Rose said...

It's way different looking at your pictures, understanding the process and seeing the results. The whole anxiety feeling is missing watching it this way. Glad the little calf came into the world without problems.

Great pictures!

SAH in Suburbia said...

When I was a girl, my grandpa never let me view a birth. We used to stick our nose to the barn windows to get a look-see. We couldn't figure out why he was so opposed to us seeing something so amazing!!

Jenny said...

I'm so glad you didn't help, but took pictures instead!! I'd never been able to see this miracle if you hadn't. My whole family looked at your pictures. My daughter thought it was gross until the last picture of the baby. "Aww...he's so cute!" is what she said :0) My hubby wants a pic of the calf standing up. He bets that it's all legs :0)

Michelle said...

Great pics! I wish someone could have helped me like that with my last one. Did the mother cow get an epidural?

OneCowgirl said...

Tell chad I'm glad you shared! Taking pictures is helping!!

Jen said...

UMMMMMMM.....speachless and that doesn't happen often!

Jamie said...

HOLY COW!!! HA - that was funny!!

Those pictures were amazing!! Thanks for sharing!

Kerrie said...

Ho-ly cow! That was ....somethin'.

Crystal said...

Bob would have felt exactly the way Chad did!! I'm glad you captured it though. And I'm glad that you don't have the foot of new snow that we do today. It does not feel like spring here at all!!!

It sounds like you are very organized for grad already! Have a great time - and take lots of pictures so you can show us later :))

Marci said...

Tell him you were helping out all of us!!! You were capturing a miracle to share. Both mom and baby are good??

Unknown said...

And it is too! A miracle.

Although note to all Farm Husbands: Never threaten your pregnant wife with the calving chains. Not even in jest!

BITR Country Girl said...

I found your blog off of Confessions of a Mid Life Trucker's Wife. I'm a country girl trapped in "Yuppie Hell" so finding your blog lets me get my country fix everyday now!

P.S. Documenting the birth IS helping.