04/15/2025
Update on our Saturday wrangling -
First of all, we posted a 30 second video of the several hour long event. It attracted all the internet gnats that apparently donāt like when people are real and share the truth. š«£
If youāve raised animals for any length of time, then you know the more you have the more opportunity for things to go wrong. Weāre here to share the truth and education, not just the cute fluffy cow pictures all the time.
Like with anything in life, unexpected things happen and youāve got to be ready to handle it.
Let me break it to you, a lot of people will lie to get what they want, especially in a pet cow market which is completely different than any other cattle market.
We were āmisledā on this particular cow and since she arrived last Jan sheās been difficult and near impossible to catch. She was around two weeks past her expected calving date so weāve been watching her like a hawk. I go to check her Saturday morning and I can feel it in my gut that something isnāt right because I know my cows (even the problem ones) like I know my children. We watch her for a bit, no real action, and I say a few prayers that she just pops that baby out and everything is easy. I kindly told her we would help her if she let us just walk up to her and get the calf straightened out, but she just laughed and ran away - the nerve of that cow! So we start to come up with a game plan to catch and assist her. When plan A, B, and C donāt work, you have to do whatcha gotta do!
Evan flawlessly ropes her on foot, in the open pasture, and dallys off to the closest fence. We rush to grab a trailer, load her up (they typically donāt really like being roped and drug on a trailer while in labor and I dont blame them. But itās life or death for her and baby at that point).
Get her to the chute where we can help get the calf out and sheās not a happy girlā¦. Actually shes really, really mad. Calf has one leg back, no presentation at all. This means nothing to grab and get pressure on so sheāll stop moving.
With some persuasionļæ¼, a few kicks and charges later, we get the calf out with zero time to spare. Currently both are doing well. š„°
Vegans and Vegetarians stop reading here*
Since sheās not what we raise around here, and she could be very dangerous for someone inexperienced, this cow will live out her ultimate purpose. š„©
Iām tired of chasing cows like this around while 36 weeks pregnant with my own herd of young kids in tote, and I couldnāt sleep at night sending her to someone else. If you have a tender heart like I do, you may feel a little sad about this outcome and trust me that decision isnāt made lightly. But the alternative would be for her to possibly suffer inhumanly if this happens again.
Baby is getting stronger and will soon be grafted on to a foster jersey mama to be raised.
We do all of this because we are extremely passionate about this life. Weāre not new at this, Evan and I (Kodi) have raised animals our entire lives. We love ranching, and we love helping people enter into this lifestyle, even if itās just with two pet steers that mow your grass. Animals are amazing and we want to share that with everyone that wants to receive it!
What a happy ending to the 2024-2025 calving season with this beautiful little highford girl.
We had 71 calves born from last September to now!
Thank you all for your support in our program and we look forward to a busy season starting this September!
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