12.18.18 Animals

Alongside all the usual December fun were a few animal nights. One night I was asked to have Mark check on a calf who had been caught in a fence. Mark found it struggling to get up and reported it would be fine. An hour later he reported he and John had decided to move it into the warm shop because it wasn't moving. I instructed him to mix up some warm water, yogurt and electrolytes to try and get it jump started. I went down to inspect and found a very cold calf. I frantically called the calf doctors I know and my trusted 4-h leader gave me some coaching and then my dear friend Jack came to help me tube it. WE did that and brought down a heat lamp to try to warm it up. 

The boys were rubbing it with straw to increase circulation. After heat lamping it for 2 hours it was up and moving but after another 2 hours it was cold again and died shortly thereafter. Sometimes that happens. But it's not right to not try to help. The boys did well trying and learned more animal care.

The underweight fair pigs were finally ready to go, we of course all suited up to go help.

Thank goodness for the recent donation of freezer leftovers from a friend. Those old tortillas and tomatoes lured the pigs right up the ramp into the trailer. And to market to market we went. Harold's pig had gained 200 lbs since fair! And Runt was a respectable 276 lbs. Glad to see them go excited to enjoy sausage again.
Loading animals is an intense, patient exercise complete with adrenaline rush and extreme relief when the gate is locked on animals in the trailer. My kids are braver than I! They make quite the team.