It’s that time of year again! Our weekly calving update is back by popular demand as calving season has arrived! There’s something special and almost magical about calving season. Amidst the hustle of the long days and the challenge of those often exhausting nights, lies the heartwarming reward of witnessing the miracle of new life. Every calf born on our ranch isn’t just an addition to the ranch; it’s a testament to the cycle of life, our dedication, and the relentless spirit of nature. And while the journey might be demanding, the breathtaking moments of watching these new calves take their first steps make every second worth it.
We’re excited to share with you stories, challenges, triumphs, and of course, adorable pictures of our newest calves. Join us on this beautiful calving season journey. Be sure to also follow along with our daily Instagram stories.
Here are the highlights from the first week.
Day 1 – February 29
We have three heifer calves as of this morning! And oh are they sweet! Our first few calves will mostly be from the group of cows that we artificially inseminated last May. They were bred to a couple different Red Simmental bulls. That would explain the goggle eyes!
Day 2 – March 1
After the morning check and chores, the boys worked on their science fair projects. It was quiet for calving today. One beautiful heifer calf was born at the 8pm check. We pulled her into the barn to dry off with her mom. She was already trying to get up and going by the time we got her to the barn!
Day 3 – March 2
The boys had a ski lesson in the morning, which they always enjoy! We put out some fresh straw for the cows as the weather is suppose to cool down again. The boys then finished their science fair projects. It was a quiet day for calves. The girls seem to be waiting for the cold weather. This was our official calving start date. So far, we have 4 heifer calves.
Day 4 – March 3
We had three calves today, two were born during the day and one was born just before midnight. The temperature is dropping again, so we are doing the night checks more often. We like to do checks on the cows and heifers every 3-4 hours. If it is really cold, we almost have to live with the cows and are definitely outside with them every 2 hours. We split the night checks between the family. My mom does the late evening check. My dad does the middle of the night check and boys and I do the morning check at 6am. This helps to give us all the rest we need, while making sure the cows are cared for.
When we see a cow starting to calve, we will either stay close by or check her again in a few minutes, depending on what stage she is at. We always like to see a head and 2 feet coming in the right direction to know the calf is coming correctly. The tip of the toes should be pointed towards the ground.
Day 5 – March 4
My parents spent a good portion of the night up with the cows. One cow didn’t want to follow her calf into the barnyard so they ended up having to take the calf in without the cow. She had licked him off well, so usually they will still accept them in the morning once we get the cow in during daylight. When the boys and I went out to check, we decided to try to get the cow in since nothing else was calving. And after some work, we successfully got her into the barnyard alongside another cow, and then into a pen with her calf. The calf started nursing right away! Success! We had another calf in the afternoon.
Day 6 – March 5
It was a quiet day, no new calves. Our Ritchie tags arrived, so we tagged all the new calves in the afternoon after the boys science fair presentations to their school teachers. They did so well! Both of them did projects about calf weaning weights. William looked at the weaning weights of the calves that were evacuated last summer to the BC Livestock Coop, compared to the calves kept on pasture. He is old enough to take his science fair project to the regional competition in April! Tyson compared at the weaning weights of calves from first year calvers compared to cows. This was a practise year for him as he used too young to attend regionals. It has been such a great experience for both of them! we are very thankful for their teachers and @KOOL for providing them with this opportunity.
Day 7 – March 6
We had three calves today. One early in the morning, one in the afternoon and one around 8pm. This is suppose to be the last night of the colder weather, so hopefully the forecast so right and it starts to warm up again. We are still waiting on the recipients to calve. They were implanted with some Hereford embryos last May. The anticipation is high!
Favourite Item of the Week
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These Walkies Talkies are our go-to every morning. The boys each have one and my parents have one each. So when we each go out to check cows, we take one so that we can call each other if we need help. They would be great for hiking and skiing as well. The boys are looking forward to using them this summer when we are moving cattle.
Have you ever witnessed the miracle of new life? Share your experiences with us in the comments below or send us a message on social media. Let’s celebrate the season of new beginnings together! Check back next week for the Week 2 calving season update. If you want to read more now, be sure to check out last year’s weekly summary.
