Montana Calving Experience

Val culling cows from the herd

In the winter/spring calving season in 2003, I worked on Val's Montana cattle ranch. She had over 60 pregnant heifers (1st time mothers) and needed help during calving season, so I moved into a small cabin at the ranch and had a fantastic experience. Part of my job was to get up every 2 hours during the night to roam the pasture with my flashlight and see if any of the girls were in labor. There were a few nights minus 10 degrees and snowing, so it was important to get a laboring cow into the barn so the new calf wouldn't hit the ground and freeze. Some of the newborns were pretty big for these 1st time mamas and we had to pull several. I was literally up to my elbow in cow a few times guiding the head out. Val was in up to her shoulder straightening legs out and repositioning calves for an easier delivery. And I doctored sick calves and cows with herbs and my CHI machine and did chiropractic on a crippled calf. Pretty awesome experience for me!