So I have the whole birth of my calf on my Facebook page for those interested. The story is fun!
It rained all morning and when I went to check on her, she was hiding in the trees and moaning softly. One of my neighbor's angus cows was standing watch for her too.
Then the rain stopped and everybody went out to pasture like nothing was going on. A few hours went by, I gave up and was gonna head to the store, but decided to check on her real quick first.
I found her in another copse of trees. Birth had started with the membrane and what looked like 2 little hooves and a nose contained inside sticking out. She went through delivery mostly laying down, but still pretty fast. The membrane had split below the umbilical cord, exposing the calves hind end and leaving his face covered. He tossed his head a few times, but couldn't get it off. Mom was still laid out flat. I gave mom a little time, but as the calf made less movement, pulled the calf toward me a few inches and split the membrane over his face. I cleared his airways, even having to scoop mucus from his tongue and throat. As soon as I got him breathing on his own, I backed off and let him sneeze it out. Momma didn't get up until he kicked her a few times sneezing. (I'm glad I was there!)
She cleaned him off the rest of the way. When I came back a bit later, he had milk foam all over his mouth and I checked each teat with him racing my hand around the udder.
She hid him most of the next day. When she finally brought him out, I was a little nervous she would be hormonal and not let me close, but I greeted her first, gave her neck a scratch, checked her udder, and just stood talking to her. Little Ribeye came dancing around from the other side and stopped in his tracks a few feet away. He bawled at momma Vivienne and she looked up from grazing. She looked at me, looked at him, and back again and then bunted him toward me softly to say, "she's fine." So I got to scritch his head and walk away grinning.
Meet Ribeye: