Eli kept looking back and forth between his dad and the calf... not sure what to think! He'd smile when Bill would say, "see the baby cow?" It was sweet!
It feels weird typing this (this is precisely why Bill won't let me name the animals), but the bottle calf died Wednesday night. Bill found it Thursday morning. Is it the mom in me that makes me want to cry typing that? The calf's momma had abandoned it, which happens occasionally, and Bill and their farm helper Cody had been bottle feeding her. When Bill's dad found her (she had been born the day prior in the snow), she was "down" (meaning she couldn't stand up) and alone (normally at this age, the mommas are right beside their little one - to nurse and protect). Rick picked her up and put her in his truck to warm her up a little. She was later moved to the pig barn so they could keep her warm and feed her there. Bill had to give her the first feeding through a tube inserted down her throat!
She had seemed to be doing better when we saw her on Sunday, but Bill thought she looked "poor" on Tuesday. Bill said she had "scours," which basically means she had diarrhea, and I guess that hadn't gotten any better.
Definitely a sad story, but a reality of ranching.
To end on a happy note, I am submitting our registration to sell at the Cherry Street farmer's market this summer! This will be our 4th summer to sell there! You know what that means? Produce season is rapidly approaching! Exciting and daunting, all at the same time!!
More about that next week, unless something more interesting comes up!
0 comments:
Post a Comment