Well, it’s almost that time again. The time for green grasses, planting, and popping out baby calves.
Wait…we have had green grass for at least a week and we have already planted some Oats…
Now, to get ready for those calves.
Our Expected Calving Date (or ECD) is April 8. Approximately 5 days after my …Expected Birth Date?
My husband and I have already had the talk. The one we have every year around this time…who is going to do the 2 AM checks the most…hmmm…Well, last year I did most of them. I vote this year since I will have a new baby to feed he should do them. He disagrees and says since I am already up I should have to do it. We shall see…I vote since I am going to be sleep deprived he should be right there with me.
Normally what happens is my alarm goes off at like 1:45 AM. I roll out of bed, walk down the hall, open the door to the garage, slip on my muck boots, hop in the pick up and start driving. I don’t even bother to change, get warm clothes, nothing.
One of these times I am actually going to have to do something at the 2 AM check and I am going to kick myself in the butt for not gearing up.
We have periodically been checking the cows the last week, just to see how they are looking and if it looks like any are going to be coming earlier than expected (they tend to do that you know!). Everyone is looking good, and I have written down my guesses for which couple of cows will calve first.
One thing I am excited about this year is the new calving books I had made.
This is my calving book from last year:
It isn’t that it isn’t great or anything- it was a free book. But, you will notice how tiny the columns are and how a lot of them are blank.
So, this year I had some books made with the columns we mainly use for the calving we do:
Notice how the columns are much bigger, allowing for more room to write.. And there are only 7 columns here vs the 9 from above. Believe me the super organized side of myself knows this is going to be much more efficient and much less sloppy.
I had two styles made. One bound (above) and then the other two books are just stapled. I am thinking I will like the bound version. My sister in laws will have to test theirs out and see which they prefer!
We take these calving books with us every time we go into the pasture to check on the cows. We have it handy to write down cows that have calved, any problems they may have had while calving, and sometimes which calf belongs to which Momma. During a calving season I keep this written book with me and then each week I make it a point to sit down and update the computerized copy we have at the farm.
Now that these books are made the computerized copy looks just like the book..which will just make the organizing side of my heart sing.
Here is to starting a calving season off fresh!
I vote he does it. Tell him to stop kidding himself, he’ll be up too. ;} ‘Course if you wake up in early labor you may as well walk out to check on the cows to get those contractions going. (I got up and milked cows with this baby).
I totally vote he does it. You will be way too busy unless you are trying to start your labor, then you still better take him with you? How far are you from the hospital? Save your energy and any precious sleep time you can while you can because your sleep hours are definitely numbered!
Hubs definately should do it most early am’s…..do not underestimate how exhausting breast feeding is. It draaaained me….in more ways than one!!! 😉 Good luck with it all! I looove the custom book, where’d you have them done & what was the minimum quantity?
Hubs definately should do it most early am’s…..do not underestimate how exhausting breast feeding is. It draaaained me….in more ways than one!!! 😉 Good luck with it all! I looove the custom book, where’d you have them done & what was the minimum quantity?
We take pictures of the calves when we tag them now and send it in an email with the all the important info as we tag each calf! Then I just copy that into the paper copy and the computer copy of the calving records each evening! Beats having to keep track of mulitple books, or trying to read it after it gets wet, stomped on by a cow or 2 and some other un-known substances smeared all over it!
Such a good idea!