5.7.18 Cow calf operation

We keep getting deeper and deeper into the baby animal part of life. This past week has been consumed with milking and feeding a baby calf. I have so much respect and admiration for dairy people. The stamina and total commitment required to take care of such a situation is truly humbling. Last Thursday on the way back from seeing my newest niece we got a text that a cow had lost its calf and would the kids like to help Alena milk. I said no, but I will get a calf to take over. 

I got a calf from a dairy friend (Holstein-angus cross, 2 wks old).  We had a great dairy tour, watched cows be milked, helped feed calves played in barns etc. We brought the calf home it did great all weekend with kids and grandpa caring and instructing. Monday the restraints of getting to school on time didn’t equate success so Harold and Anna were spared the 1.5 hr senator visit/assembly and came home to milk later in the day. 

By Monday night the calf was weak but Greg coerced it into drinking a bottle. 

Tuesday; it was weak so I spent an hour or more getting a bottle into it and finally broke down and purchased a device to tube it. I tubed it 2x later that day. Calf was good and ready to suck Wed. morning. It did better. I was ecstatic! Wed night not as good but still independent. Thursday I bottled it again as it would not eat, then Thursday night we got serious tubing and giving sulfa drugs and probiotics. Kids milking all the time in-between…Thursday thru Sunday (today) more bottles and milking. I’ve milked this week, shoveled manure, spent lots of time catching up on conference sessions I missed, and praying to know what to do and how to do it. My little girls are great babysitters and pretty patient with all the time I’ve been gone. 

Hopefully this next week will go better. My two milkers --Anna and Harold left for Corvallis an hour ago so not sure how the next few days will shake out.

I have so many pictures of this calf sucking or kids milking. This has truly been a ten+ days of self discovery, determination, and endurance. We have spent a lot of time alone and as a family or groups working, analyzing, and caring for these animals. My ears ring with the admonition of President Nelson to get to the temple... to make any sacrifice to get there. We got there Fri night and then came home and finished milking at midnight. I think the lesson of continual care and the talks about patience are important too. Hard is good and tiring and tired kids and people tend to stay out of trouble.