A new season

This is the time of year the new season begins on the farm and its the busiest time of year for the dairy farmer.  The start of calving coincided with the school holidays giving farm children another opportunity to learn about the miracle of birth.

Georgia came in and said, "Did you see us pulling that calf out?"  (referring to an assisted birth)
I told her I'd seen her in the paddock with her mum and dad but no, hadn't seen that.
"Do you know why the other cows gather around when we are in the paddock with a cow that is giving birth?"
Knowing there was a gem of wisdom on its way I said no, why did they do that.
She explained that they do it to for protection.  To protect the cow while she is pushing out the calf, or to protect the calf when it is born.  "You know, from wolves and that."
I smiled and said, "But we don't have any wolves in this country!"
She tries so hard to be patient with me, although her impatience with me is barely concealed as she tells me, "Granny, they are cows!  They don't even know what country they are in!"

No matter how many times I see an aminal being born, I never tire of it.  I love watching motherly instinct at work, the compulsive licking to clean up their offspring and the gentle lowing as they talk to their baby.

  

This one is a few hours older than the two above but still tired from his birthing ordeal and refusing to get up and move.  His mother was nervous at my presence and positioned herself between me and her stubborn little one.

There are a number of calves already in the calf pens.  I thought for a minute I was going to get these four in a line but there's always one who doesn't co-operate.

In the paddock opposite the pens are the babies' big sisters, last season's heifer calves.  They are quiet and curious.