We were lucky for a while...

Yesterday we had to pull our first calf. Since we have been in cattle, we haven't had to assist any of our cows, so I guess you could say we were lucky for a while. We did have to get rid of our Brangus bull, Mojo due to any injury to his hoof separating from his leg. We put him in a pasture by himself to try to let it heal, but Shane took him to the stockyard once it did. The vet said it would be a risk to keep him because chance were it would happen again when breeding time came around.

I checked on the cows earlier in the day yesterday, and didn't notice anyone with a new calf. When Shane came home from the West Alabama Marketing Ruminants Conference (Livingston, Alabama), he noticed one of our cows in labor with 2 legs coming out. He watched her and she seemed to be having trouble, so he and I had to get her to the back of the field to the catch pen. We finally got her back there and put her down the alley toward the head gate. Luckily she went on in and Shane was able to shut her head in the head gate so we could check her. Long story short, we ended up having to pull the calf. It ended up with it's head completely backwards and Shane was unable to turn it around. Of course after 2 hours of us trying to help her with laboring, the calf didn't make it. Now we are watching the cow because she hasn't been able to stand on all four legs. Her back legs can get under her, but she seems weak. We are hoping that she will improve, but she did go through a difficult delivery. She is getting a little TLC for now. We will give her a few more days to see how she does.