Home on the Range

Cows have been a part of my life since I was a girl.  When I was about 12, Daddy bought 25 registered angus cows.  They and their calves were a part of my life until I went away to college.  I remember well our first calf, a bull named Prince.  My brother and I led him around like a puppy, even when he was full-grown and the sire of our small herd.  

Daddy gave Allan and me each a heifer,with the understanding that their calves would be sold to help fund our college tuition.  Allan, as I recall dutifully put his money away.  

I, on the other hand, talked Mother and Daddy into letting me buy a horse with mine.  Bonnie, a four-year-old quarter horse mare, helped me survive my teenage years, and also gave us five foals that helped fund my college education.  

I well remember our first cows and all they taught me.  In the beginning, Allan was too young for most chores, but I was Daddy’s right-hand.  One of my most vivid memories is the birth of twin calves to a big, black cow called Fuzz-top because of a tuft of hair on top of her head.  When she calved, those two healthy youngsters were hungry, but Fuzz-top’s udder was so full and her teats so sore that she couldn’t stand for them to nurse.  For several days, Daddy and I (and probably Mother, too) had to tie the cow’s head to the fence, as well as one of her hind legs, while her calves nursed.  Getting her secured was always a rodeo, but well worth the effort.  After a few days, she accepted both calves and had plenty of milk to raise them.

Today’s cow adventure, however, took my cowgirl experiences to a new level.  It revolves around one of our favorite cows, ten-year-old Red Cow, an angus/bonsmara cross tipping the scales at well over 1000 pounds.  She is calm and gentle, has beautiful calves, and is one of our favorites.

Last year shortly before Red Cow calved, she developed a vaginal prolapse.  This condition generally occurs before calving when the increased size of the uterus puts pressure in the abdomen and causes the ligaments in the pelvic region to relax.  This may allow the vaginal tissue to prolapse, or bulge outward.  Last year, Red Cow had a mild prolapse, which resolved itself in a few hours.  

This year, however, has been different.  Her calf is due soon, and she is enormous!  In fact, we are being overly cautious since she lost twin calves several years ago when her labor took too long and they did not survive.  Yesterday we noticed Red Cow had begun to prolapse.  We hoped the condition would again resolve itself, but by this morning the prolapse was noticeably larger.  And so began another adventure.

We consulted our how-to cow books and called a veterinarian friend for advice.  Then we went to work.  I have been up close and personal with our cows before…in particular several years ago when I spent a large portion of the evening crouched mostly under one of our cows helping her calf learn to nurse.  Granted, she was confined in the chute, but I was within reach of one of her large hind feet if she decided to kick.  Fortunately she did not.  

Replacing Red Cow’s vaginal prolapse wasn’t easy, but she was cooperative and didn’t try to kick us.  Once it was tucked safely inside, John put in two sutures to hold the vulva together and hopefully prevent further problems.  Quite a tidy job, don't you think?  We will have to watch her closely in order to cut the sutures when she goes into labor.  We hope it’s not too long!  In the meantime, she is in the lot with one of her sisters, a bale of hay and plenty of water.  

As a girl, I always pictured myself galloping across the prairie like Dale Evans, with perfect hair, hat in place and a bandana around my neck.  This for-real cowgirl stuff is quite different, but I wouldn’t trade it.