Hoss is here!

AND HE IS SOOOOOOOOO CUTE.

I know I say this about every baby animal to ever be born – but baby cows are the cutest things on the planet.

So are baby bunnies (kits) and baby sheep (lambs) and baby chickens (chicks).

It is like a little slice of heaven right here on earth.

Daisy labored like a champ and Hoss slid right out in 3 pushes.  We were in the field watching as Daisy delivered her beautiful calf. Watching new life come into this world is nothing short of a miracle.

It is a privilege to live on a homestead and have these sweet moments with my children.  My oldest son was at work, but the other three were in the field when Hoss was born.

LIVING SLOW

One of the perks of living a slower life is being able to notice and see some of the beautiful moments that slip by when things are rushed.

Because I have nowhere to be or go, I have been home spending gobs of time with Daisy.  Regular checking on her made it easy to tell when she was in labor.

The hours I spent in her field this week watching, waiting, and taking care of Daisy were my favorite.  It is just something most people will never experience and I don’t want to take any of it for granted.

NOTE:  THIS POST CONTAINS PICTURE OF A COW’S BACKSIDE AND A SLIMY NEW BABY

You’ve been warned.

At 10:30am I noticed she was in labor.

The first clue was the discharge from her backside.

Sorry for saying “discharge.”

When I came to deliver her breakfast, she didn’t come or show any interest in her alfalfa hay or feed- which is unusual.

I knew something was up when she ignored her morning meal.

As I watched, I noticed her constant transition from standing to sitting.  Her continued attempt to get comfortable told me she was probably experiencing contractions.

She began marching around with her tail sticking straight out (a sure sign of labor).

After a lap she returned to the soft grass and moaned softly.  I saw her strain and push and her water broke free.

I texted the kids and told them we were getting close and to head up to the cow field so they wouldn’t miss the big event.

About an hour after her water broke she settled down next to the fenceline and began pushing through her contractions.  The second round of pushing brought forth tiny hooves and a nose.

One more good push and Hoss was on the ground!

Daisy delivers calves like a champ.  She has never had trouble with pregnancy or birth which is such a blessing.  DH has successfully pulled two calves on our farm (from other cows).  Pulling calves is stressful, it is much nicer when the cow delivers smoothly on her own.

As soon as Hoss arrived, Daisy jumped up and began cleaning him, like a good mother.

Hoss relaxed in the grass as he received his bath.  It always amazes me how quickly calves stand after birth.  It usually happens in the first 30 minutes and is wonderful to watch.

Once upon his feet, Hoss set out looking for groceries.  How do these tiny things know to find food?  I was in awe of God’s design as I watched the new calf stumble around his mama looking for something to latch onto.

After 30 minutes, I gave up watching the little guy struggle to find the teats and helped him out a little.  I inserted one of my fingers into his mouth.  As he suckled, I led him to the udder and replaced my finger for Daisy’s teat.

Hoss was extremely grateful to find a successful food source and took things from there.

Mama and baby are doing great.

Not a bad day on the farm.

Love this life!

XO,

Candi