Why would a cow decide to calve on the edge of a ravine with a 20 foot, rocky decline? (rhetorical question). Found her just as she was licking off her calf and had a baaaad feeling so I camped out to make sure the calf could get up and over to a relatively flat, grassy area. He got up all right - and immediately fell down the ravine, landing on his back between two rocks with his head facing downhill. I'll be darned if that cow didn't just follow him & continue licking, like she had no clue. I bolted down the other side (okay, I actually slipped on the leaves & went the rest of the way on my a$$) and climbed up to the calf. I was able to get him out of the rocks & flipped over but he was a big, slippery calf, no way could I drag him up the ravine - especially since his mama was blocking the only logical way up - so I drug/half-carried him down to the bottom. He's doing fine now, I'm extremely fortunate his mama is docile (I had the adrenaline shakes for an hour) but I seriously doubt he'll be able to get out for a few days.
We're halfway thru Spring calving - here's hoping no more drama!
We're halfway thru Spring calving - here's hoping no more drama!