Tuesday, February 11, 2014

#CalfWatch14

#CalfWatch14 is upon us and soon on many farms and ranches around the country new born calves will be running around with their cute little fuzzy faces and uncoordinated frolics. 
Don't you just want to tossel her curly fuzz on her head?
It would be totally fine by me if he licked my cheek right now.
 
Caution: This video is REAL LIFE on our farm shot last year during #CalfWatch13.




I have received several questions in the past year as to what is happening at about the 1:50 mark in the video. Like I mention in the footage, most times cows give birth all on their own but sometimes they need a little help, just as humans do. This particular cow had been trying to push out her calf on her own for awhile and if my dad had not stepped in to help her, the new little calf would have easily died. 

In the video you see a calf puller similar to this one.
http://www.tradenote.net/images/users/000/018/137/products_images/Calf_Puller.jpg 
Also an O.B. chain similar to this one.




My dad reaches inside the cow and wraps the chain around the bottom of the calf's legs then attaches the chain to the ratchet on the calf puller. My uncle then slowly begins to ratchet as my dad helps the calf slip out of the cow as she pushes.

Now, for the average viewer, this may seem cruel and unnatural.  But I can easily tell you the names of several grown men who watched their children being born that I guarantee probably thought "What The... is happening to my wife?" during the births.

Its all part of the natural cycle, birth is a intricate process that brings life to world and sometimes assistance is needed for the mothers. And in the case of cattle, a new born calf weighs around 80-100 lbs. Without the help of the above tools there is no way that my dad could have reached inside this cows uterus and pulled out a 90 lb calf on his own. I don't know if you have ever been an arm deep in a cows uterus, but its a bit slippery in there. So these tools are essential to helping during the birthing process for cattle. And that's all my dad is doing in the video, helping a mother give birth.

...that's what she said

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