Memories in the cow lot

I believe God sends His angels when help is needed and at times, they must be livestock wranglers. Several years ago, we sold our cow herd to our older son. He pastures some cattle at times on our place so I still get to see the baby calves as they buck and preen and play fight with each other.

Our son has started calving and it brought back some memories I experienced one calving night.

While taking a turn at checking the cows, from certain signs, such as the heifer twitching her tail, and the fact that she was sniffing the ground, I knew that I had another one in the early stages of labor.

“My” heifer and two others were fighting, butting heads and generally going at it. The labor process was being interrupted due to the distraction. As it continued, I thought I should attempt to get them separated into different corrals. I was a little concerned that they might not want to have their fight broken up, but I wanted to try. Heifers having their first calf sometimes get confused and think that another’s calf is theirs, when in fact they haven’t even had theirs yet. It’s easier to separate them before they are “decalfinated,” if you get my drift.

I opened the gate into the adjoining corral and turned around to go herd the group. That’s when I knew an angel was helping me. The three heifers had quit grappling and were even joined by a fourth. They were walking toward me and the open gate, just as pretty as you please. I didn’t want the heifer that was in the lead to go through the gate so I had to step forward and gently wave her off. Normally my presence so close to the gate would have caused them all to turn around. When I had to turn one away, I just knew that would blow the project. But that angel kept them coming. The heifer I needed was then in the front of the group and she walked through the gate. After I closed it behind her, I thanked God for sending His angel to be my herder when I really needed a second presence in the cow chase.

When the winter went on and on, hubby got tuckered out with night checks of the cows. Then I took a turn. I always pray that I don’t find anything going on because I’d have to get him up to help me anyway. When I went out one night it was 20 below, but there was not even a breeze. After I got bundled up, I stepped into the yard and found several inches of new snow, but the moon was out and it was like daylight. I walked through the cows dreading what I might find, but there was no action. 

That was a relief and I pondered that it was a lovely night for a 2 a.m. stroll.

Sanders writes award-winning columns from the family ranch in South Dakota. Her internet latchstring is out at peggy@peggysanders.com.