Deep, wet snow, wind enough to chill the bones and forecasts for long,
cold nights ahead. Yup, all signs pointed to calving season.
The newborn calf had been shivering in a snow bank for at least an hour
when he found it. Cold, weak, wobbly and as yet unfed, the calf was in
imminent danger of becoming a seasonal statistic.
Warmth was the first order of business, he figured, followed by that
crucial colostrum. And what quicker way to warm this child of the storm
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than by immersion in a warm bath?
That’s when the storm moved inside. The lady of the house was
nonplussed, to say the least, when he brought the calf into the
kitchen, carried it up the stairs and plopped it into the bathtub in
the one and only bathroom.
The calf’s red coat clashed with the pink wallpaper, bathmat and toilet
tank cover, but not so much as the manure, straw, dirt and blood that
shared the water. The sight was enough to make most of the
house-dwellers think with trepidation about their next bath.
Herself included.
But the calf was clearly in dire need, so for the moment that took
precedence over visions of house beautiful. She did notice, however,
that a 90-pound calf looks a lot smaller in the pasture than it does in
the average domestic bathtub, with or without a rubber ducky.
The calf lolled in the bath for quite some time. The kids took turns
holding its head above water, which was no small feat, considering
various users of the facilities had to be periodically accommodated.
Once it had shaken off its cold-induced dopiness, the calf was well
enough to receive colostrum via bag and tube. A milk bath indeed.
By this time the whole family was relaxed and feeling pleased with
themselves over assistance rendered to a hapless newborn.
The newborn was starting to feel better too. In fact, it felt well
enough to stand.
Picture it.
Slippery porcelain made slicker by various barnyard lubricants.
Four soft little hoofs thrashing madly.
Ninety pounds of water displacement.
Multiple hands, some encouraging and some discouraging.
Screeches and hollers and bawling.
In the end, the calf lived to fight another day, which was entirely the
point. But an outdoor heating area was found well before it was needed
for the next rescue effort.
