Meet The Cows

Originally we purchased Special to be a beef animal, but as her name suggests she was just to Special to let go!

Special's story gets pretty...umm...for the lack of a better word...Special! We borrowed a bull from a local farmer and bred special in the fall of 2015, as Special's due date grew closer we were beyond excited to see her calf. In the evening of June 23, 2016 we noticed Special was in labor, we expected to find her and her baby healthy and well the following morning. However, when we arrived to the pasture the following morning and saw there was no calf, we knew she was in trouble and called the vet. When the vet arrived and did an exam she told us Special would not be able to have this calf on her own and suggested either a c-section or fetotomy. The vet felt Special was a good candidate for a c-section so that's what we opted for. As the vet delivered the calf she confirmed her suspicions, the calf had a rare fatal congenital defect called, schistosomus reflexus (SR). After the delivery we decided to milk Special, but after about a month it proved to be too much with us working full time jobs off the farm, hay season being in full swing, and fairs starting soon. We reached out to our friends across town that own a dairy farm to ask if they had any newborn calves, we were in luck, they had one born that morning! We knew it may not be easy getting Special to take this calf but were willing to try. And in true Special fashion she took to the calf right away! Special raised that calf as if it were her own and has now gone on to have 2 natural calves that she has delivered unassisted! Special holds a very special place in our herd and our hearts.