11 Mar 2007
Loss

Perhaps the hardest thing out here on the farm is that quite often economic losses translate into emotional losses as well.

Maeg apparently had her calf sometime last week: I can only surmise that it was either stillborn or died shortly after birth, as all I found of the carcass today was a foreleg.

That translates into a loss of about $1400 if it's been raised to maturity and sold for meat at $5/lb, as I've done i in the past. And Maeg - well, your heart has to go out to her. She's still mourning. That's what prompted me to take a hike to the back of the pasture today in the first place - she was out just wandering aimlessly.

Yesterday I found the remains of Francie's spontaneous abortion in the barn - that happened last week, too. Second year in a row she's lost her progeny. Her kid wouldn't have been worth the kind of cash Maegs calf would've brought eventually, but it sure would've added some spark and pizazz to the petting zoo. Francie's still too sweet to eat, but I doubt that I'll breed her again. In fact, this wasn't an intentional pregnancy, but still ...

Two pregnant animals, two lost offspring. We still have two pregnant ewes - and neither of them are proven mothers. It could be a costly season.

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