Country diary: A push, a pull ... and the first calf of spring

Long Dean, Cotswolds: It's always a happy occasion, but this little heifer in particular carries great significance for our farmIt is calving season. By my estimation, having tracked her cycle from when she ran with the bull last summer, this beast is overdue. That's not unusual, but she is a heifer - a first-time mother - so I have been monitoring closely.She had behaved normally at feeding, giving no reason to suspect change, but later on as I pass through the woods with the dogs, I see her down. By habit, I inspect. She seems uncomfortable, her breath pulses shallow and quick, though she has been doing this intermittently for days. Continue reading...