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Watonwan County MN | Back when Dad had many more ewes than he does now, we would take shifts in the lambing barn. I was still in grade school, like 5th or 6th grade, Id go to school all day, come home, sleep for a couple hours while Dad did chores, then get up, and take the 8 pm to 4 am night watch while Dad slept. Went on till a couple years ago when we culled out lots of ewes. Now we just check on them every 2 hours, then back to bed.
Lose lots of sleep every calving season because I worry WAY too much. Once in a great while do the cows actually NEED help, but I feel better about being there. Fell asleep one night in the bedding pile, woke up to a 2 year old heifer licking off twins. After that, I figured the cows know more about calving than I do... But on the other hand, I just love to be out there, in the barn watching mother nature in action. Ive sewn up prolapses (not from too much silage either) at 2:30 am, chased steers by flashlight and lightning, and saved many calves from certain death, because they just arent the smartest.
Ive scared the living crap out of my mother as well, as one morning she came downstairs to find a calf laying by the oven in the kitchen. She was not happy. Calf took a chill and that was the only way I had to get him warm. Do what you gotta do sometimes. | |
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another night of lost sleep
