This has been an incredible week!  It started with actual rain! We are thankful we received 12mm of rain on Friday. It came down slowly all day giving the ground a good soak.  For those acres already seeded this will be great for germination and those yet to go in will make a good seed bed. More rain is scheduled for next weekend!

At the hub of this week though, it has been raining calves!  We have averaged 12 calves per day in the last 10 days.  We have a very busy maternity ward! Last July we tried something new and artificially inseminated heifers (cows that have not yet had a calf), in an effort to increase the genetic profile of the herd.  Needless to say, we have been busy this week.  Out of 230 heifers, we have had 50% of the group calve with 117 calves.

Mobile maternity pens

As in any maternity ward, the duties of attending to newborns are busy. We check
regularly based upon the need of the soon-to-be mothers.  Of all 117 calves, only 7% were assisted births.  With any new calving initiative, we risk complications or even failure.  We are happy to say that so far this has not been the case.

We also maintain maternity pens in the field for safe, dry, and warm shelter from the wind. They also provide a quiet, private spot for the calf to bond with its mother.

New calf soaking up the sun

The sunshine today means the calves are at play! We are so thankful for sun!