A big broad in the beam

Matilda is finally pregnant. The last time she gave birth was back in 2013 when she had Amy.

But when Amy was born, Matilda’s massive udder was so pendulous and enormous, it dragged nearly to the ground and Amy couldn’t nurse. I milked out the colostrum and we bottle-fed Amy for the first few weeks until Matilda’s udder assumed more normal dimensions and Amy could nurse directly.

Matilda is getting older — we estimate she might be around fourteen years old — and she missed two seasons of breeding. But I distinctly saw the bull nail her on August 16 of last year, which would make her due date around May 25. Sure enough, she’s been rounding out.

A few days ago I put my hand on her belly and could feel the calf roiling around inside.

Poor Matilda gets all bent out of shape in the latter months of her pregnancy, culminating in the week before when she’s positively enormous, with a swollen beach ball between her legs. But she’s a born mother, loves loves loves having babies, and I’m looking forward to milking her again.

So now it’s a waiting game, with dear Matilda patiently growing new life inside her.