March Madness is just gearing up
here at G&G Cattle Co, but this madness isn’t made up of team brackets and
basketball hoops. Instead, our March will consist of calving out 43 cows in 30
days. You may ask why that would be challenging…the cows do all the work themselves,
right? While we do everything we can to ensure cows can calve easily on their
own, it is still our responsibility as animal stewards to make sure that we can
assist our animals when needed promising an outcome that includes healthy cows
and calves.
This time of year the girls at
G&G are separated into groups based on their due date. The group of cows
labeled ‘close-ups’ - or if you’re a baseball fan like me think of them as the
girls ‘up to bat’- are due within the next two weeks. The group ‘on deck’ is due
within 3-4 weeks. These two groups are pastured closest to the barn during the
day so that we can keep an eye on them as we are out and about around the farm
feeding and doing other chores. At night these girls are brought into pens in
the barn for easy observation. My husband and I currently have an apartment in
the barn that includes an observation deck overlooking three large pens. At
night you can walk out onto the deck and all that can be heard are the low
rhythmic grunts of very pregnant cows. Having the girls inside makes life
easier, however there is still little sleep to be had as my husband is up every
two hours checking on each and every one of them. Once a cow is in labor or has
given birth she is then moved into what we call a ‘calving pen,’ where the
cow-calf pair can have some privacy away from the rest of the herd to ensure
that the calf receives the best start possible. I have been blessed with the
opportunities to see puppies, calves, lambs, and kids (baby goats) born yet the
miracle of birth never ceases to amaze me; it is truly a beautiful gift from
god.
Stay tuned-in for blog updates on our
calving season, and I will be sure to include pictures of the adorable babies!
