Well, it's been a while since I've written, we have really been busy. We have some new boarders in The Takota Barn, a mare in for training and have been squeezing a group trail ride in at least once a week. Not to mention we still have many projects to work on in the Takota Barn, and fields that need plowed, planted etc. We have had two calves born, both about 3 weeks early. The first one needed minimal help and is out running in the pasture with the herd. The second one...well she is our little miracle. Her mother started into labor early in the am. We kept a close eye on her since this would be her first. We noticed that she could not progress past just being able to push the tips of the front feet out. We were questioning if the calf was not presenting in a normal position. After a cow is in labor over an hour you are to try to assist her, well after many hours of her pushing and getting nowhere but also not letting us get close enough to help we were able to get her into a stall and assist. I was on the phone with the vet many times throughout the day for advice. She advised me that after such an extended time in labor that the calf is definatly going to need assistance in getting out and that we probably would not be dealing with a live calf. So with each contraction we tried to assist. Jimmy was able to break the sack and grab ahold of the feet but could not pull it out. We got twine to wrap around the feet and again pulled with each contraction, still not able to get it out. Called for help, so now my brother in law and father in law are also pulling with Jimmy. They finally pulled the front feet, head and chest out. The calf was absolutly hugh and ALIVE. She was covered in muconium ( a sign the calf was in distress) We cleared her airway, applied lubrication to help get her the rest of the way out. Again all three guys pulled with each contraction but could not get the calves pelvis to pass. We finally had to hook her to the wench on the Polaris and pull. That finally got her out. The mom had some tearing and was exhausted, the calf was breathing on her own. We cleaned and dried her, took care of the mom and waited. She had been in active labor well over 8 hours. We weren't sure how this was going to end. I ran and got some colostrum in case we needed it. When I got back you could tell the calf never moved and definatly did not nurse. Mom was up and had been cleaning her trying to get her up. We gave her a bottle with the colostrum, ( I'm surprised mom let us in to handle the calf) we started noticing that the calf would not use it's back leggs at all. She would draw them in towards her but could not extend or bear any weight. It was as if the was paralyzed. This went on for two more days. We bottle fed her, tried to work her legs as much as possible and turned her from side to side with still no sign of any use of the back legs. The third day I opened the door, the mom left, came back and called the calf over and over, the calf made no attempts to try to follow. We seperated them and resigned ourselves to the fact that she would not survive. I snuck down much later that night, gave her another bottle, cried ( I had become so attached to her) did my routine of working her back legs and prayed. After many calls to the vet we all pretty much decided she must have a spinal cord injury. I went to bed with a very heavy heart. The next morning I went through my routine of feeding the horses but left the cows for Jimmy, I just couldn't look at the calf knowing this was her last day. While in The Takota Barn feeding, Jimmy came in and told me to go make a bottle. I asked if she was moving her back leggs, he said she was trying to stand. Anything in my way got run over as I ran to the house to make a bottle. I went in the stall, we tried to get her up, she was still extremely weak in the hind end, we held her up with us doing 90% of the holding, but it was more than she had done so far and she chugged her whole bottle. We worked her back leggs and left her rest. Came back a couple hours later and repeated the whole process. By the end of the day we had to get her up but she would stand all on her own. We couldn't believe it. I sent a picture to the vet via my cell phone, she called me back, none of use could believe it. I asked that since mom had not been nursed on since birth ( over 3 days) and had been seperated from the calf was it possible to try and get her to nurse still. She said it will be painfull for the mom but that maternal instinct is really strong and to give it a try. We brought mom in, had to stand the calf lead her over and put her on but it worked. It was a sight none of us thought we'd see. After two days of not having to assist in any way I went down and opened the door. Mom wanted out bad, she went to the run in and called. The calf went out and was trying to run and jump. I was all by myself crying and laughing at the same time. I knew she needed sunshine and exercise to keep going. I opened the gate to the run in, mom went out right away, called the calf but she just didn't understand how to step down out of the barn. I helped her out, she wasn't sure what to do. Mom kept walking out and calling the calf. Well the calf would only go forward when I did so here we were, mom, me and the calf headed out to pasture. We got down to the herd, they all greeted her, and mom was very watchful and ready to protect. I was so happy, I started back up to the barn well here comes the calf, totally following me and not listening to her mom bawling for her. I stopped, she came right up and acted like she did when I bottle fed her. I kept having to turn her around and try to run up without her. I almost just let her follow me, I felt so bad. But I knew her place and the absolute best thing for her was to be with her mom. Jimmy checked on her the rest of the day I didn't want to complicate things. The next day he couldn't find her, I panicked went for the Polaris and into the pasture. I wasn't 20 feet in when I saw her, she stood, I went over and just loved her. Her mom came running up the hill, she let me touch her and the calf a while then they both wondered back to the herd. It's times like this that leave me totally speechless and confirm that God is all around us. We just have to open our eyes and see the miracles that happen every day.

Happy Trails,
Tracy