SILVER CITY, Iowa (KMTV) — Spring is a busy time for cattle farmers. Before planting season, it's calving season; when the babies start to arrive and the herd requires regular monitoring. Mills County farmer Larry O'Rourke had twin calves born the day before last week's blizzard. The mothers, babies, and mothers about to deliver, were ushered into shelters to protect the fragile newborns.
- O'Rourke prefers raising Red Angus, a hardy breed with a pretty colored coat.
- The O'Rourkes sell some of their steers directly to customers who want to buy local, high-quality beef.
- Larry's wife Nancy says he knows his cows like most people know their children.
WATCH KATRINA'S STORY BELOW
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
One of the great joys of spring on the farm are the new baby animals. I'm Southwest Iowa Neighborhood Reporter Katrina Markel.
I'm on the O'Rourke farm just outside Silver City, Iowa to talk about spring calving.
"This is one of the twins right here."
Larry O'Rourke has been raising cattle for at least 60 years. His wife Nancy told me Larry knows his cows like most people know their children.
"Mommy's over there. She'd like — like to find something to eat, wouldn't ya?" Larry said talking to a week-old calf.
It's a busy time of year for a cattle operation. When the calves are arriving, they take regular monitoring.
"We have the cows up close in these pens, so we can watch 'em while they're calving or getting ready to," said Larry.
The cows usually deliver on their own, but newborns are still fragile.
"Most of these calves are just a little over a week old,” Larry said.
The twins were born the day before the blizzard and were moved with the mothers into the calving sheds. Their arrival was especially exciting for the oldest O'Rourke granddaughters: twins who live in the twin cities.
"When they found out they were twins they wanted to be the ones to name these calves,” said Nancy. “So that's what they did, and we have Flynn and Sunny.”
Another one was born Monday night.
"Girl!" shouted Larry, lifting up a tail to check the sex of the calf.
The dry weather is terrible for crops but the dry pens help the calves and, so far, there are 21.
Larry says his cows are about halfway through the calving season. In Silver City, I'm your Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel.
