After witnessing my first calf birth this spring at the Bingman Ranch, I asked to be a part of as many births as possible! February is calving month out at the ranch and I have spent the month inquiring about the readiness of the cows. Last week I got a call that at least one mama was nearing delivery and I immediately headed out to the ranch. Although my Aunt Dee (who was busy driving bus for the Special Olympic teams) wasn't able to stay up late for the birth, my Uncle Jim joined Jessie and I on our Midnight Cowgirl Adventure. One of my favorite parts of going out to be a part of the calving is the WAITING! Although we regularly head to the pasture to check the progress of the cows, the cold night air drives us indoors to warm up. I am really loving spending so much time with this particular branch of my family tree! For much of my life they have lived the farthest away and I didn't get to see much of them. Now they are my closest relatives and I am delighting in their company! AND, I am really soaking up all the new knowledge they are passing on to me!
They are going to make a cowgirl out of me yet!
MEET SHORTY THE BULL!
APPARENTLY HE ISN'T NEARLY AS FEROCIOUS AS HE LOOKS!
IN FACT, HE ACTUALLY LIKES TO BE PETTED!
I HAVE TO ADMIT, I WAS PRETTY NERVOUS ABOUT APPROACHING HIM THOUGH!
I HAD TO EXERCISE MY NEWLY ACQUIRED BRAVERY!
UNCLE JIM AND JESSIE'S BRAHMA.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME OUT IN THE PASTURE CHECKING MAMA'S PROGRESS. HOWEVER . . . THIS MAMA WAS SUPER SNEAKY!
WE WENT TO THE HOUSE TO WARM UP AND CAME BACK TO FIND MAMA HAD ALREADY DELIVERED! IN FACT, SHE HAD ALREADY HAD TIME TO LICK THE CALF CLEAN BEFORE WE RETURNED! THERE WAS NO INDICATION SHE WAS SO CLOSE TO DELIVERY OR WE NEVER WOULD HAVE RETURNED TO THE HOUSE! SNEAKY MAMA!
I SWEAR SHE MUST HAVE DELIVERED ON OUR WALK BACK TO THE HOUSE!
I CAN'T BELIEVE WE MISSED IT!
ITS A BOY!
EVEN THOUGH I MISSED THE ACTUAL BIRTH, IT WAS STILL AWESOME TO BE THERE TO SEE THE BRAND NEW CALF! I HAVE A FEW MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO CATCH ANOTHER CALVING THIS MONTH SO I'M KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED!
No comments:
Post a Comment