New Calves and My Hair Dryer

We all become midwives at this time of year...for cows.  The boys and I have learned what 'she's bagging up' looks like.  We know the signs before the cow is going to calve.  And with temperatures like this...-30....we are checking the cows every hour during the day.  The alarm went off at 1:30am last night just so Terry would get up and go out to check on them.

Just yesterday Jack went out by himself to check on them in the yard.  We had put all the cows outside to have a good drink. When he came in, the front of his coat was all wet.  He announced that the tan cow had calved and not to worry....he had put her and the calf in the barn.  He just wanted an extension cord and the hair dryer.  He was going back out to dry it off.  A couple hours later and the calf was sucking well...all was good.

Don't even get me started with the hair dryer....he was using my NEW hair dryer.  I had to buy a new one because mine was at the barn....because the one in the barn was worn out....AGAIN.  But now the one in the barn was worn out...and so my new one was needed. We buy several hair dryers a year.  I bet the hair dryer industry has no idea that farmers are even using their product.  The hair dryer is saving the life of a newborn calf here all the time.

Note to self....put 'hair dryer' on the shopping list.

Brenda