And The Winner Is...

It's calving time again. That time of year when anxiety tickles as we watch for switching tails, aimless wandering,  and a cow lying down, then standing up, then lying down again, then standing up, wandering around...you get the picture. The anxiety turns to guarded relief when we see the calf on the ground and the cow earnestly licking it. A few minutes later a small smile appears when ol' wobble-legs find his way to the milk bar. And then, in several days when the calf is running with gawky abandon, the smiles turn to LOL moments.

Every year Goddy and I play "spot the first calver." This year, a nice breakfast was on the line so we chose carefully. Now, Goddy sees the cows every day when he feeds; me, not so often. But I was willing to pick my cow on the basis of one objective look rather than the gradual changes Goddy sees happening.

We named all the cows this year, just for fun. The numbers were starting to seem a bit institutional. (FYI, we don't name any that are going into the beef program.)

So, on the basis of proven scientific observation - udder development and floppiness of vulva, if you must know - we chose. I picked Betty because, as Goddy said later, "You could drive a truck through her vulva." He selected Echo because her udder looked, well, I don't know just what the term is. Springy? Fullish?

Echo and her really full udder

Betty had a lovely heifer that will likely stay in the herd

Echo and Betty were put into the calving paddock, and they hung on for a few more days through a late snowfall, unseasonable cold and then a muddy melt. Finally, the happy event occurred. And it was...a tie. They both calved on the same night. Bonny, healthy calves that are up and running around and causing smiley moments.

Now we just have to decide where to have breakfast, Dutch treat.