Soule: If Only Kennels Would Accept Cattle

Concord NH

28 November, 2021

6:03 PM

Description

As we drove down the hill, I looked back at the farm. What had I forgotten? Did I tell farm-sitter Craig where the electric-fence switch was? Would he remember to check the hay feeder and fill it as needed? Plans for this Thanksgiving trip to visit family in Georgia had been two months in the making, but that morning as we drove away down our dirt road, I was sure husband Bruce or I had forgotten something. You must know what it's like to find a reliable person or kennel to take care of your dog. The plants you nurtured for months must be watered, but not too much. The cat needs to be fed, with maybe a little petting. So much to plan, it sometimes seems easier to stay home. Now imagine you have a herd of 45 cattle. You can't bring 'em with, and no kennel will take them on. So my options are limited. Besides, one of the cows is hugely pregnant. When I purchased Gina, a Scottish Highlander, in October, I was sure she would give birth a few days after she arrived. Unfortunately, a timely delivery was not in Gina's plans. She is enormous, possibly carrying twins. Twice in the 20 years, I've been farming, have my cows produced twins. Those births were done without human help, but when I think back to the single-calf deliveries that went wrong, I can't help but worry about twins. If Craig doesn't watch Gina closely and be ready to assist, she and the calf or calves might die during labor. I left him instructions to call the vet at the first signs of labor and purchased a calf puller, a contraption used to help extract a calf from the womb, and surgical gloves. (Of course, since I have these tools, Gina will now give birth without a problem. There are other concerns, too. It's not like all the cattle can be left to graze. We have a group of newly weaned calves that need their choice of hay or grain once a day, as well as two other groups of cattle on the farm that need hay. Some of our cattle are grazing at the Audubon pasture in Concord. They have plenty of grass, but a hard freeze could turn their drinking water to ice. I hope that the warmish weather we've had lately will continue so that any overnight freeze will thaw during the day. My plans are complex enough; think of the dairy farmers who need to make arrangements for twice-a-day milking. Read More Author Carole Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm in Loudon, N.H., where she raises and sells beef, pork, lamb, eggs, and other local products.