Calving Season And Life

This is one of those weeks when I sat down to write my weekly thoughts and I struggled for something to say. So I started looking for inspiration by ticking off the things happening at home. The strange weather is number one – bitter cold followed by unseasonable warming. And, of course, there is the calving season getting started.

Troy Marshall 2, BEEF Contributing Editor

February 18, 2011

2 Min Read
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This is one of those weeks when I sat down to write my weekly thoughts and I struggled for something to say. So I started looking for inspiration by ticking off the things happening at home. The strange weather is number one – bitter cold followed by unseasonable warming. And, of course, there is the calving season getting started.

So I started out to write about calving season, but only got as far as opining that I don’t know how those hardy folks in the Dakotas and Minnesota manage calving season this time of year. “I don’t think I’m tough enough to do that,” I thought. And that’s when it hit me.

I think calving season is a great microcosm of life in general. When times get tough and it’s -30°F. and things are going in the wrong direction, you don’t pick up and head south; you buckle down and work harder. You simply do what has to be done.

Sleeping through that 3 a.m. heifer check isn’t an option when a newborn on a sheet of ice will be a popsicle in another two hours.

The truth is that the work is worth it if the victories are worth it. There’s nothing like the sight of cows and young calves frolicking on the first green grass of spring. And, if one celebrates the victories of the job, the workload becomes minimal.

There’s also no substitute for preparation. Cows in good rig, proper genetics, ample bedding and correct facilities all combine to make those -40°F wind chill nights a minor inconvenience. But if you fail to prepare, those cold nights can be really tough.

I guess the moral is to do what you love; if you love it, it’s easy.

About the Author

Troy Marshall 2

BEEF Contributing Editor

Troy Marshall is a multi-generational rancher who grew up in Wheatland, WY, and obtained an Equine Science/Animal Science degree from Colorado State University where he competed on both the livestock and World Champion Horse Judging teams. Following college, he worked as a market analyst for Cattle-Fax covering different regions of the country. Troy also worked as director of commercial marketing for two breed associations; these positions were some of the first to provide direct links tying breed associations to the commercial cow-calf industry.

A visionary with a great grasp for all segments of the industry, Troy is a regular opinion contributor to BEEF Cow-Calf Weekly. His columns are widely reprinted and provide in-depth reporting and commentary from the perspective of a producer who truly understands the economics and challenges of the different industry segments. He is also a partner/owner in Allied Genetic Resources, a company created to change the definition of customer service provided by the seedstock industry. Troy and his wife Lorna have three children. 

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