we got to go to a calving barn at a dairy and watch some babies being born today. what excitement!
first off, this was a very large dairy and i was so surprised at how clean it was and how healthy the cows looked and how accommodating the staff was! our instructor made it seem like the managers didn't really want us there and that we would only be able to watch the births. WRONG! we were told to jump right in, for the most part. i even delivered a calf today!
here is the story with pictures (i apologize for the less than stellar quality. all i had was my cell phone):
i *see* you. these were calves born last night. it was so much fun watching them trying to walk around and get their bearings.
one of my classmates also delivered a calf. this one just didn't want to come out, like- at all. we had to get the calf jack which is a tool that does just what it sounds like. it's like a car jack, except it's used to pull a calf out. i can't say i blame this little guy for wanting to stay in, though....it was freezing this morning!!
classmate pulling the feet out with the jack.
almost there!!!
ta-da! welcome to the world, little one.
mama cleaning up baby after that traumatic incident
shortly after that last calf was born, the dairy worker spotted a cow that was already starting delivery! he had to chase her down and round her up into the calving barn. this poor little thing had his head out to the world and what does mama do? runs!!! eep!
soon he was born and the dairy worker reached in and said "twins!!" i got to deliver the baby sister. we had rope tied around the little calf's front feet and i helped to pull her out into the world. it was a tough job, i didn't realize how strong those little neonate calves are. and it didn't help that mama stopped pushing for awhile. but as soon as it was time, that baby popped right out and onto the ground.
the black one on the left is the one sticking out in the picture above. the little white one on the right is the one i delivered. she had just barely popped when i snapped this. she's not dead, i promise! he was just trying to get her front limbs untied so she could sit up and start looking around.
it was quite an awesome experience!
first off, this was a very large dairy and i was so surprised at how clean it was and how healthy the cows looked and how accommodating the staff was! our instructor made it seem like the managers didn't really want us there and that we would only be able to watch the births. WRONG! we were told to jump right in, for the most part. i even delivered a calf today!
here is the story with pictures (i apologize for the less than stellar quality. all i had was my cell phone):
i *see* you. these were calves born last night. it was so much fun watching them trying to walk around and get their bearings.
one of my classmates also delivered a calf. this one just didn't want to come out, like- at all. we had to get the calf jack which is a tool that does just what it sounds like. it's like a car jack, except it's used to pull a calf out. i can't say i blame this little guy for wanting to stay in, though....it was freezing this morning!!
classmate pulling the feet out with the jack.
almost there!!!
ta-da! welcome to the world, little one.
mama cleaning up baby after that traumatic incident
shortly after that last calf was born, the dairy worker spotted a cow that was already starting delivery! he had to chase her down and round her up into the calving barn. this poor little thing had his head out to the world and what does mama do? runs!!! eep!
soon he was born and the dairy worker reached in and said "twins!!" i got to deliver the baby sister. we had rope tied around the little calf's front feet and i helped to pull her out into the world. it was a tough job, i didn't realize how strong those little neonate calves are. and it didn't help that mama stopped pushing for awhile. but as soon as it was time, that baby popped right out and onto the ground.
the black one on the left is the one sticking out in the picture above. the little white one on the right is the one i delivered. she had just barely popped when i snapped this. she's not dead, i promise! he was just trying to get her front limbs untied so she could sit up and start looking around.
it was quite an awesome experience!
