Possibly the most unique evening activity I've ever been invited to.
Between 8pm-10:30pm this evening I was doing something I never, ever thought I would ever be doing in my entire life.
I helped some friends with the c-section delivery of a calf for a local dairy farmer at the Vet school. That was very very cool! The cow wasn't able to deliver on her own because her hip was broken later the same day she conceived the calf, and just getting through 9 months with a broken hip (because apparently those don't heal on cows, that's all I know about it) is nothing sort of miraculous! The poor girl was moving around on her belly and chest quite a bit at some point because she was covered in filth and some of her skin was raw. She just would not have been able to deliver safely on her own.
It was just so wonderful to be part of helping her and bringing that little calf into the world for the first time!! She was soooo cute, new, and just beautiful!! We rubbed her down with towels to clean her off and mimic the action her mother would have done if she was able. The little one actually nuzzled my legs and sniffed them while I was rubbing her down. Just so adorable! I felt so bad for her that her mom wasn't able to be with her. Then someone told me that dairy cows are not nursed on their mothers but fed by large bucket-like "bottles" instead so she wouldn't have been able to nurse on her mom anyway.
Unfortunately, since her mother would not be able to heal up her suffering needed to be ended by killing her. This was not a part I watched much of at all, and fortunately I did not need to participate in this part. The Vet took care of that. It was quite shocking to witness what I did see, but there really wasn't anything better we could do for her. :(
Then, there was the skinning. This was interesting for me.. and work. We skinned the body, and as we did we lifted her on a singletree which was on a hook so that we could get the skin all the way off. Then removed the peritoneal sac with the organs and such from the body cavity. Because every effort was made to keep this intact their really wasn't the expected nasty smell, which was really nice. Then we cut quartered the rest to hang for a week before we will cut up the meat for processing and use later. Lots of work for a roast or burger. And since this cow carried a calf to term the meat will not be particularly tender, but at least it will not go to waste.
Altogether, it was thrilling experience even though it was mostly bittersweet, for obvious reasons. I am changed by it but in really good ways and I am so very glad I did choose to go, and was able to do all that I did. Just, Wow!!!
(pic of the calf as soon as the email arrives from the friend who took pics!)
I helped some friends with the c-section delivery of a calf for a local dairy farmer at the Vet school. That was very very cool! The cow wasn't able to deliver on her own because her hip was broken later the same day she conceived the calf, and just getting through 9 months with a broken hip (because apparently those don't heal on cows, that's all I know about it) is nothing sort of miraculous! The poor girl was moving around on her belly and chest quite a bit at some point because she was covered in filth and some of her skin was raw. She just would not have been able to deliver safely on her own.
It was just so wonderful to be part of helping her and bringing that little calf into the world for the first time!! She was soooo cute, new, and just beautiful!! We rubbed her down with towels to clean her off and mimic the action her mother would have done if she was able. The little one actually nuzzled my legs and sniffed them while I was rubbing her down. Just so adorable! I felt so bad for her that her mom wasn't able to be with her. Then someone told me that dairy cows are not nursed on their mothers but fed by large bucket-like "bottles" instead so she wouldn't have been able to nurse on her mom anyway.
Unfortunately, since her mother would not be able to heal up her suffering needed to be ended by killing her. This was not a part I watched much of at all, and fortunately I did not need to participate in this part. The Vet took care of that. It was quite shocking to witness what I did see, but there really wasn't anything better we could do for her. :(
Then, there was the skinning. This was interesting for me.. and work. We skinned the body, and as we did we lifted her on a singletree which was on a hook so that we could get the skin all the way off. Then removed the peritoneal sac with the organs and such from the body cavity. Because every effort was made to keep this intact their really wasn't the expected nasty smell, which was really nice. Then we cut quartered the rest to hang for a week before we will cut up the meat for processing and use later. Lots of work for a roast or burger. And since this cow carried a calf to term the meat will not be particularly tender, but at least it will not go to waste.
Altogether, it was thrilling experience even though it was mostly bittersweet, for obvious reasons. I am changed by it but in really good ways and I am so very glad I did choose to go, and was able to do all that I did. Just, Wow!!!
(pic of the calf as soon as the email arrives from the friend who took pics!)