Just the sound warned of an ani
mal in distress.
From the end of the dairy bam
where the box stalls are located
came the long, low bovine bawl of
pain. Though we were halfway
through the evening’s milking and
several dozen yards down through
the dairy bam, the problem was
evident without looking. But we
had just milked her boxstall part
ner a half hour before and the
bawling heifer hadn’t appeared
ready to calve.
For several days, we’d kept her
in a boxstall where we could
watch for calving signs. A couple
of times, we’d found her stretched
on her side as if in labor, but they
had all been false alarms.
This did not sound like a false
alarm.
Leaving my milking partner,
Angie, to handle the milker equip
ment alone, I checked the heifer.
When she had finally decided to
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calve, she’d been quick about it
The calf’s nose and front feet had
already cleared the birth canal and
it’s tongue hung limply to the side.
But the heifer was not pushing and
this delivery seemed to be some
what on hold.
A half-bom calf can be Ipst
pretty quickly; it was time to lend
this mother-to-be a hand.
Over the loud hum of the milk
ing equipment I shouted to Angie
that I was going for help. While
I’ve delivered,one or two calves
by myself in emergencies, these
babies usually take more pulling
strength than I can muster.
No trucks around. No tractors
around. No one in the machinery
shop.
Great At this point there was
no time to wait for someone to
show up.
One of the most useful calf
delivery tools is baling twine...l
fastened pieces of clean twine
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above each soft, sticky hoof, tied
their other ends to the gate
between the two stalls (luckily the
heifer was standing at the perfect
spot), leaned one shoulder into the
gate and tried to get my hands
between the calf s head and the
outer edge of the birth canal to
help stretch it a bit
That just wasn’t enough lever
age. A plea for help brought Angie
running from halfway down
through the bam; milking would
have to go on hold. She backed up
against the gate, applying the
needed steady, gentle pull to help
deliver the calf, while I worked to
free its head.
Within about thirty seconds, the
calfs white head slipped free.
While Angie continued her
steady, firm, reverse-push against
the gate, I grabbed the calfs front
legs for added leverage.
Moments more, and we had its
shoulders free. Big calf. Bigger
than expected for this average
sized heifer.
With a few more leamwork
tugs, the calfs hips cleared the
birth passage and the large, white
calf fell to the clean sawdust bed
ding. After cleaning birth fluids
and mucous from its nose, and
brushing the bobbing head free of
sawdust, I dragged the calf front to
the heifer for her to sniff and lick
clean.
This heifer had no great mater-
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nal instincts. She made a few per
functory sniffs -of the calf, that
buried her muzzle in the feed
trough that had teen made avail
able with the opening of the gate
to the adjoining pen. An hour
later, her muzzle was still buried
in silage.
Maternity is hard work; a
mother must replenish her energy.
The evening was airy and
warm, and Mother Nature soon
In The Pantry...
Stock your pantry with a variety
of canned beans; cans of tuna, sal
mon, sardines; soups and broths;
roasted red peppers; pastas; lentils
and split peas; quick-cooking rice
and barley, as well as instant pota
to flakes; handy seasoned rice and
pasta mixes. Also, jarred gravy,
canned broth or bouillon cubes;
croutons and taco shells. Don’t
overlook condiments such as mus
tards, chutneys, pickles, relishes
and sauces (including all the
Asian-inspired, from the basic soy
to hoisin, oyster and beyond), and
a wide variety of spices, particu
larly the seasoning blends.
In The Refrigerator...
Keep handy a supply of
chopped garlic and ginger, fresh
pasta, bags of ready-to-serve
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The Old Country News
A New, Unique Magazine with art, history, new
& old interesting articles that everyone will en
joy—but will be of particular interest to the
older generation & to plain folks.
* A Beautiful Painting on Every Cover
v pa Dutch Writing by Bill Clouser, Spring Glen
* Herbal Section by Patricia Leaman
v Kathryn's, Korner - A Section for the Ladles
v Childrenls Korner - Stories and Puzzles for Children
ep A Power Section - Early Uses of Steam & Electricity
* Old & New Articles on Farming
v Interesting Wildlife Articles
Lancaster Arming, Saturday, Juna 3,1996»87
dried off our newborn to a soft,
silky white. Since "Mom” didn't
seem too interested in her new
responsibility, the calf's critical
first meal of rich colostrum came
out of the freezer, selected
reserves from mature cows we
always keep on hand.
Anyone interested in midwifery
services, let us know.
We’ll even bring our own bal
ing twine.
Cooking Tips
salads, precut coleslaw and precut
vegetables. Stock a wide variety
of cheeses, from processed
American for instant sauces to
classic Cheddar and Swiss; try
new flavored varieties, like sea
soned fetas and peppered Monte
rey Jack. Remember eggs or egg
substitutes. Also salad dressings,
horseradish, cottage cheese and
yogurt.
In Your Freezer...
Load up your freezer with bags
of mixed veggies cut in chunks
(some preseasoned); cooked,
cleaned shrimp; precut boneless
chicken and turkey, thinly sliced
beef for quick stir-frys, sautees
and grilling (naturally all properly
wrapped for freezing). Also pizza
bread shells, flour tortillas and egg
roll wrappers.
'Tjr-r
This Is a monthly magazine -you will receive
12 issues for I year for $2O.
Send your check or money order in the
amount of $2O (for US residents), $25
Wn US. funds for Canadian Residents
or $29 in US. funds for Residents of
all other countries to;
The Old Country News, Dept. L, 420 Weaver
Rood, MtUersburg, PA 11061
;
\* ' *