Cow Drama

It's taken me a while to overcome the drama & high-stress of my cow encounter... my therapist thinks it might be helpful to just write it all down... :)

Baby cow was born on Friday and it was a little weird that momma & baby kept hanging out at the front gate. Any time the gate opened, they tried to come inside. Momma didn't like me getting too close, so there was lots of snorting going on.

Sat evening, we let the cows in to graze down the grass & this momma & calf refused to leave. We noticed the calf wasn't 'right' since it wouldn't nurse his momma, but tried to nurse the truck's tires.

The next am, Clifford texted me that they were near the front barn door & to be careful. When I got up that am, I put on my boots (with my pajama shorts - quite the fashion statement!) and headed out. Momma wouldn't let me anywhere near the gate, so I proceeded OVER the fence and around to the try & open the gate. Momma kept charging me, so it was a slow, nerve-wracking experience. Finally got the gate unlatched and headed back inside. (over the fence again). Later, I realized momma wouldn't push gate open, so needed to open it more. BACK into my boots & TRIED to leave the barn, but momma was having nothing with that. She started charging me IN the barn.

New plan.... go out the back side & over the other side of the barn & around the back side of the fence. She caught on & started charging the fence. Heart rate is now 1000 bpm & I'm soaked! FINALLY got it opened (thank goodness for cow panels that might stop cows. Yes, I did make it to meeting on time, but just barely!

Next day.... calf STILL not eating & the momma cow is now stalking me. Clifford caught the calf & gave it a B-12 shot. Got better

Tuesday... Clifford got called to MI since his dad was not doing well. Calf got worse & I'm still being stalked. Went & got calf bottles & food. Tried to feed, but he wouldn't eat.

Wed... got home & mom was by herself. I went looking for the calf & it found it almost dead. Carried it to barn & tried a for 3 hrs to feed it while momma is charging the fence, bellowing, and basically causing me to have heart palpitations. It was a lost cause and it finally passed away.

Currently...momma is still stalking & I think she's taken a hit out on me.

Findings - calves can get 'simple calf syndrome' where they are born without knowing how to suck. Also, you should never lay a cow's head on your bare legs. You just MIGHT get poison ivy all over your legs & arms.

I think I might survive this experience.... but then there's the story about the snake & the bleach..... stay tuned.