Ice. Snow. Mountains. Big, beautiful mountains. The landscape of Montana could be described as barren, cold, and isolated. But inside a warm calving barn up on top of a hill, a new baby has come to life. It wobbles back and forth attempting to stand while it’s mother licks it off, and you can hear other mothers in the barn, softly moo-ing to their babies as they figure out the world.
60 days in Montana in January. I had many questions before I left of “You do realize you’re going to Montana in the coldest part of the year, right Lauren?” My answer came with a laugh and simple ‘yes,’ but let me tell you, through the cold, there were some bright moments that made it all worth it.
I worked with a variety of people during my tenure, each of them bringing a unique perspective to the table. Most days, I started and ended my day working alongside our night calver, Cole. He told several stories about roping cattle and laughs from the bunkhouse from previous jobs – making me sit and think, “I really haven’t lived!”
One of the first times Cole and I worked closely happened to involve a heifer and a pulling chute. Having not worked together before, we had a conversation about who was going to do what and we started in on getting this calf out of the cow. She wasn’t completely dilated, but she had put enough time on the clock that it was time for the calf to come out. Ever so carefully, Cole and I took turns gently pulling the feet out of the cow, making sure the head stayed close behind, and before we knew it, out slipped the calf. As we’re kneeling over the calf, getting it to sputter and come to life, both of us had the biggest grins on our face, relieved that the baby was out and alive. The miracle of life, no matter the species, is precious.
This was a journey about learning. Learning about calving cows and management of newborn calves. Well, maybe I learned a bit about myself, too.
Every day on the ranch was different, which is not atypical in the world of farming and ranching. However, ever day started about the same. Roll up to the barn at 6 AM, grab an update from Cole on night calving progress, check the side pens on both barns, making sure all babies are up and sucking, and then head into the barns to check on the newborns. Some mornings, everyone was awake and alert, getting licked off or sucking, depending on how old they were. But other mornings presented challenges, going so far as to run cows down a chute to get a calf sucking, pulling a calf, or getting a baby into the hotbox to warm up.
Romans 12:12 reminds us that we are to ‘rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be constant in prayer.’ Let me tell you, getting some of those cows in to work on them was challenging and frustrating at moments. And then, top it off with a calf that just can’t quite get the sucking program figured out, it creates another layer of discouragement. You know exactly what they are supposed to be doing, but they just can’t quite get it.
The best sound though, every time, hands down, was that first loud suck a calf makes when they get the program figured out. And then it’s all uphill from there. But patience is the key.
To a cattleman, what were some of the biggest takeaways?
1. Find a system that works for you and stick to it. We all have different time constraints, various ways of keeping notes and records, and we all perceive a calf coming into the world a different way. Finding a system and protocol that works for you based on labor and time is the key to success in the calving barn.
2. Make sure those little ones get their colostrum. Yes, the studies on colostrum are true and if they don’t receive enough within the first few hours of life, there can be serious and expensive complications down the road – even if they are 12-18 months old. For more information on colostrum, check out this resource!
3. Keep learning. You know that saying, “be a lifelong learner”? Apply it! I may be in my 20s, but I’m attempting this every day. While in Montana, I became acquainted with a few Facebook groups and podcasts that are now part of my daily routine of checking and keeping up with. Check out the ‘Bovine Veterinarian’ on Facebook, and be sure to give ‘Have You Herd?’ by the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) a listen wherever you get your podcasts!
If I could go back and do this experience all over again, I would in a heartbeat. There were some pretty awesome days (especially when they were spent on horseback!) and like anything in production agriculture, there were hard moments, too. Losing a calf never gets any easier, especially when there’s a lot of time spent to keep it alive. But the sweetest moment is watching a newborn run around its pen with a full belly and thinking about how the Lord brought that baby into this world.
Big, beautiful mountains contain valleys that can be difficult to navigate. But patience and the occasional smile make the hike all worth it.
ALWAYS EAT BEEF,
Lauren