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My New "Baby Sister" is 50 Pounds and Furry
My dad called last week with news that I have a new baby sister. No, not a human baby. My mom was very content after having me and my brother! My dad’s news was in regards to a new bison calf.
I grew up on a bison ranch in the middle of Kansas – The White Buffalo Ranch. While we don’t have “white” buffalo, it is a bison cow-calf operation. Most of our calves are sold when they are about six months old at the Kansas Buffalo Association auction in my hometown.
I now live in Kansas City now and miss being directly involved in production agriculture. That’s why I try to make it home to my parents’ ranch at least once a month. Dad’s news that I have a new “baby sister,” the first calf of the season, makes me appreciate it even more.
Calving season on a bison ranch is pretty low-key – bison have a lot of wild instinct and the bison cows very rarely need any assistance calving. Still, it’s a special time of year. Just as wheat farmers get excited at harvest, my parents get excited about each calf born. It helps too when they’re just so darned cute, born orange and reddish-brown, soon shedding that baby hair in favor of the characteristic “buffalo brown.”
Their new calf is doing well. She’s from an older cow with crooked horns. My dad said “momma” was very cautious, preferring to stay sheltered near the treed area of the pasture. He still got a good look at both of them to make sure everything was ok. Caring for them is a top priority, making sure they’re healthy. It’s important to my dad because he’s a good rancher and cares about their livelihood and well-being. You can tell just how much he cares in the excitement in his voice when he calls to tell me about my new “baby sister.”
Posted by Abby.