Winning the Battle

Two weeks ago I posted the story of the birth and problems with this couple.  At the time of the post the cow would not allow her calf to nurse nor allow milking.  Using kicker clamps I was able to milk her some that evening but soon she learned how to circumvent the kickers and fire away unhindered.  Resorting to a belly band and a leg rope I was able to restrain her to allow the calf to nurse a little.  However unrestrained she would kick her baby, knocking him back several feet at times. Concerned for the calf's health and strength I continued supplemental feeding.

By day three I noticed the calf was having problems walking and maintaining its balance while standing.  While I cannot be sure, I suspect that she had injured him with some of her blows. At this point I took him away from her and would only allow him contact with her while she was restrained.  Keep in mind that she was showing every normal mothering instinct by this time except allowing nursing.

Day six I decided to once again allow him to nurse without restraining the cow and after only a couple slurps she struck at him with a powerful blow.  Fortunately I was supporting the calf and able to move him out of harms way.  At that point I finally lost my cool!  Moving the calf to its pen, I opened the stable door and chased her out informing her as she went that she had had her last chance, (yes I do talk to the cows).  A few minutes later I texted my livestock hauler about taking her to market.  He soon responded that he would pick her up the following Wednesday, some six days away.

For the next two days I fed the calf while she spent much of her time standing outside the barn bawling and running frantically from door to door anytime I was near the barn.  Finally I relented and invited her in for one more "last chance", and this time she allowed the calf to nurse without so much as raising a foot!  Keeping the calf in a separate pen and only allowing them together for nursing over then next two days I was able to observe that the transformation was complete.  She is not only the doting mother but also the consummate wet-nurse.

Perhaps even with cattle the old adage, "distance makes the heart grow fonder", is true. Whatever the case the calf now has a good mother and her trip to hamburger land is postponed indefinitely.

Wrapping up 2017, Down on the Farm

As 2017 draws to a close new life arrived on the Hill Farm

This calving cycle began badly when the first calf died shortly after what seemed to be a perfectly normal delivery.  A week later, when doing the morning check of two cows that were due, I found the one to have gone into labor during the night with the calf turned backwards with one leg bent inside, a half breech.  With a little work I was able to clear the blockage and was able to pull the calf.  I thought I was working with a dead calf but was surprised when it was alive at delivery.   Apparently the delivery had been too difficult; for the calf was unable to stand and died during the following night.  So with that recent past and the very cold temperatures I was concerned with keeping close watch on Fairy who was running 11 days over due.

Fairy went into labor around noon yesterday.  As the afternoon wore on I became concerned that she wasn't progressing well and a check revealed that she was attempting to birth a very large calf.  Again it was time for the chains and after perhaps  half an hour of assisting her through her contractions Frosty arrived!

He was slow getting up and with the nasty cold I was concerned.  Fairy was diligently cleaning him and to help keep him warm I blow-dried him.  Still not able to stand I milked two quarts of colostrum from Fairy and tubed it into his stomach and left him on a pile of fresh dry bedding.  This morning he was bright-eyed and strong!  Mission accomplished!

Of course I cannot forget Heinz, the baby we reared on the bottle this past summer.  He still comes in each morning for his scoop of chop.

And Baby Jane is wintering well also.

During the past two years I have withdrawn considerably from posting my writing on social media.  It is not that I have lost interest in wildlife photography and the issues that surround it but rather that the poisoning of social media by the past election has left me disgusted.  I have watched as people have posted and shared obvious false hoods that undoubtedly came  from professional propaganda mills, fought with their "friends" labeling them as Libtards, Snowflakes, Conservaturds, etc etc etc.

As if politics isn't bad enough I have seen the social media fighting between the bird watchers, hunters, and wildlife photographers.  If a photographer get too close to an animal or bird that it moves the photographer is roundly condemned by all and even regulation may be proposed.  However, for an archer to get 7 yards from a "trophy" and dart it with an arrow; Oh that's something to brag about!  Even if the hit isn't quickly fatal and leaves the animal to suffer. Yes, to say it mildly, I'm disgusted.  While I will continue to share some of my photos both here and on Facebook I will try to keep away from controversy and try to enjoy my life in the wilds and down on the farm.

I sincerely hope that Social Media and our country can become a much friendlier environment in 2018.  Thank you for reading and a Happy New Year to All!

Cleaning Up

I have been gathering scrap metal around the farm for the past three years.  Finally tiring of waiting for scrap prices to rise, I arranged with a local scrap dealer to deliver dumpsters last week.  Using our small JD tractor loader filling the hoppers wasn't that bad of a chore.  Now the eyesore is only photographs and memories.

All's Well That Ends Well

According to my records Cow #21 was due to calve about June 29th.  I was concerned for her for when she delivered her first calf last year, as a two year old, she had gone into labor during the night after last herd check. When I checked her in the morning she could barely stand and the calf was stillborn.  Now this year she was going overdue raising the possibilities of a very large calf.

Sunday evening she left the herd so I knew that the onset of labor was imminent.  Not wanting a repeat of last year or worse, I checked her frequently and at 8 PM her water broke.  Two hours later, while obviously in labor, she had not progressed in birthing; it was time to call a Vet.  The answering service told me to call them back in thirty minutes if I did not hear from the vet on call, but in less than ten minutes Dr. Beidel was on the phone.  Discussing the situation he felt that his services were needed.  

My wife and I herded #21 in from the pasture and had her in the stable by the time Dr. Biedel arrived.  A quick examination determined that she had a live, very large calf, and that it hadn't entered the birth canal.  The next step was trying to pull the calf.  After using ropes and chains and doing all that two strong men could muster the calf's head was through but its shoulders were too large.  Dr. Biedel thought that any further effort would be futile so he moved on to performing a c-section.  By 2 AM the surgery was done, the calf, slow to wake was still struggling occasionally to sit up, and the mother was resting upright.

By morning 21 was standing but the calf was having problems standing, possible caused by the pulling of its front feet during the attempted delivery.  It seemed most likely that the calf had not nursed so milked 21 and bottle fed the baby.

Checking on them this morning, the calf is walking much better.  It is now able to take five or six steps before its weak ankle buckles.  Again, I milked mama and bottle fed the baby but I expect that he will soon be able to stand and nurse all on his own.

And as for Dr Biedel and Mid-Maryland Dairy Veterinarians I cannot say enough good!  This is the second time this year that Dr. Biedel has came to the farm on the weekend and made the best of a bad birthing situation.  The first time the the calf was already dead and he saved the life of the cow, this time he brought both through.  With a little TLC from me, I'm confident that both will do fine.

Winter Storm Jonas, The Next Day

The snow stopped falling yesterday at dusk.  Its difficult to tell what the actual accumulation was for the snow drifted as it fell.  Today was a day of digging out while keeping an eye out for the occasional photo op to remember the storm by.

Winter Storm Jonas

 After much media fanfare winter storm Jonas arrived yesterday afternoon.  Snowing fell throughout the night and continued until dusk leaving about two feet of white powder in its wake.  The following are a few images I captured when I hiked to the farm today to feed the livestock.

The Arrival of New Life on the Farm

A good friend recently e-mailed asking if everything was alright.  He lives quite a few states away and became concerned when he noticed that Country Captures had not been updated since March 31st.  Frankly time had slipped away without me realizing that nearly a month had passed since I had last shared with you.  This post is one example of the reasons why I have neglected the blog in the past months.

 

When I arrived at the farm Friday evening the first thing I noticed was the cow I had named Bandit standing apart from the herd.  It was obvious that she was in labor.  Notice how she is kicking her belly, a sure sign that labor has commenced.  While labor can run into hours, with a mature cow it can proceed rapidly if all is well.  The first photo was taken at 4:44 pm with the second taken just 33 minutes later.  While it takes a year or more for a newborn human baby to take its first steps, the newborn bull calf was standing up 26 minutes after birth and taking his first shaky steps just nine minutes later! 

 

So while I haven't been posting much recently, all is well and I am still enjoying observing and photographing the miracle of life outdoors.

 

 

Spring Time Creek Sitting

Spring is officially here.  Sometimes it feels like it while at other times its hard to discern it from winter.

 

With half an inch of new snow on the ground, Saturday morning was one of those times that felt like winter.  The ice has thawed from the creek bordering our family farm and that is where I placed my little pop-up blind in hopes of photographing passing waterfowl.  During the course of the morning I was entertained by hooded mergansers, wood ducks, an immature bald eagle, Canada geese, a muskrat, and an early arriving phoebe.  Also present in good numbers were the usual year around residents; juncos chickadees', cardinals, titmice, and blue jays with red bellied woodpeckers drumming in the background.  The following are a few Saturday's better creek sitting photos.

 

 

Spring Babies

Spring signals a time of new life in the world of wildlife.  And down on the farm the cattle are busy birthing a new generation just in time to take advantage of the lush spring pasture that will begin growing shortly.  Human, wild or domestic, babies just can't help being too cute!

 

Tranquility ?

 

What could be more tranquil than a spring evening on a small rural Pennsylvania farm? 

 

I took this photo while making my evening rounds.  Dad loved his cattle and even though both of his hips and one knee had to be replaced over the past decade he still took care of the day to day chores tending to his herd of 25-35 cattle.  With his passing in February a decision had to be made as to the future of his herd. After discussing it with my brother, Willard of Pa Wildlife Photographer, and my wife I decided that I would continue the tradition with only minor downsizing of the herd to take place later this year.  The downsizing will be necessary to provide more land for increased wildlife food plots.  As for now the herd has been increasing with the spring calves still arriving periodically.   

 

As tranquil as the meadows seem one needs only to step to the edge to find some little predators just now beginning to explore their new world.  There is no doubt that they and their parents eliminate any chance for tranquility in the life of their prey living nearby. 

 

With each passing day the little foxes ventured farther and farther away from the den.

 

 

Checking out every nook and cranny

 

And engaging in playful roughhousing

 



 

This fox pup retreated to the one of the den entrances when I approached a little too close for comfort.  From the safety of the den the little fellow watched me intently and unmoving for better than five minutes before dropping below ground for good.

 

Since this series was photographed the fox pups have disappeared.  As they were regularly leaving the den for extended periods of time I don't know I am just missing seeing them or if they have moved to a new location.  This was my first time locating and being able to photograph an active fox den making it one of the high points of my spring.

Springtime has Everyone Running and Leaping

Whether wild or domestic, after a long winter, Spring is SOMETHING TO GET EXCITED ABOUT!

 

UP UP and

Away!

 A pair of three week old heifer calves frolic in the warm sunshine.

Their pair-bond may not last long but hopefully they will remain on the farm for years to come as they are destined to replace some of the older brood cows in the current herd.

While the cattle must remain within the fences the deer cross over easily. 

And no matter whether the fence is three foot high or six foot they nearly always use minimal effort, barely clearing the top strand during their jump.