KREMMLING, Colo. — At 10 p.m., Caitlyn Taussig trudged through the darkness toward her Chevrolet Blazer. The car groaned to life as Taussig maneuvered through the pasture, shining a flood light outside the car window to search for cows in distress.
Calving season is one of the most stressful times of year for Colorado ranchers like Taussig. Cows give birth with little warning and ranchers must vaccinate, tag and care for newborns. When births go awry, ranchers must act fast to save calves.
Beginning in April and lasting through June, Taussig and her mom, Vicki Taussig, alternate checking their 140 mother cows and calves throughout the night at 7 p.m., 10 p.m., 2 a.m and 6 a.m. In mid-April, roughly half of the heavies had given birth, most without issue.
“From an economic standpoint, every calf is a big percentage of our bottom line,” said Caitlyn Taussig.
