Back in the Habit

Well, it is time to get out the flashlight & jumpstart my late night cow checks again.  We take a "break" during the later part of December & January from calving, but we are starting again with gusto, and it isn't going so well.  After going 2 for 2 with live heifer calves in January, we have followed that up in February by 2 bull calves & 2 dead calves - not the wonderful start I was hoping for with a maternity barn full of expectant mamas.  Several of them are starting to get overdue, which potentially means big calves that may need some assistance.
So, it's back to the late night & early morning check.  I have to admit that it is so much easier to do when it isn't cold outside, and when I'm not sporting a marvelous head cold.  (Yes, I'm whining!)  I swore that 2 of them were "thinking about it" last night, but no babies then or this morning, so we'll have them on a close watch until they calve.
It's always good to get out on the farm at night - it's amazing the things you catch.  For instance, last night, Lucke, one of our older cows that is getting "babied" & getting to stay in the heifer lot was breathing heavy & moaning.  I'm beginning to think that she is a little melodramatic, as she did this Friday (as Brent & I were trying to leave for the Farm Bureau Young Leader Conference).  We treated her, and the next day she was up & out eating and seemed fine.  She repeated this last night:  moaning, treatment, chewing her cud looking content this morning. 
So, we are always wondering around - on the lookout for things or animals that look out of place.

Enjoy these quotes of the week - only heard on livestock farms:
"I saw your nice centerfold in National Hog Farmer" - (to me by a University Professor)
"Hand me that purse - I need the pocketknife in there." (from me to our neighbor who was patiently waiting in our living room while Brent & I were still finishing treating Lucke & bedding pens before we could travel down to the Young Leader Conference)