Laura Read @ ReadWriteShoot

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Laura Read @ ReadWriteShoot

Birth of a Calf, Nagle Farm, Ireland

April 20, 2016 Laura Read

While I was interviewing Oliver Nagle, right, and his father, Pat Nagle, left, about their livestock management practices in the Burren region of County Clare, Ireland, an emergency in the barn put a stop to the conversation. A cow was having proble… — While I was interviewing Oliver Nagle, right, and his father, Pat Nagle, left, about their livestock management practices in the Burren region of County Clare, Ireland, an emergency in the barn put a stop to the conversation. A cow was having problems giving birth. A vet arrived - her name was Geraldine van Leeuwen - and the two men joined her in the birth stall. They allowed me to photographs the scene. These photos record what transpired. WARNING: These are not for the squeamish!

Van Leeuwen (she's Dutch) has a great sense of humor. Every time she spied me through the muck of the scene, she grinned, as if to show her amazement that I was getting to photograph such an episode.

The Nagles and van Leeuwen tugged hard to assist with the delivery by pulling the calf out of the uterus using a rope.

It became clear that van Leeuwen would need to remove the calf by Cesarean section, a procedure that requires cutting into the cow's flank and removing the calf by hand.

Sterilization procedures were important.

The cow was secured in standing position between a special gate and the side boards of the stall. The gate had a large opening in the center of it, through which van Leeuwen could prepare the cow's flank for an incision, which would open up the cow … — The cow was secured in standing position between a special gate and the side boards of the stall. The gate had a large opening in the center of it, through which van Leeuwen could prepare the cow's flank for an incision, which would open up the cow enough to allow the calf to be removed. She meticulously cleaned and shaved the incision site.

Incision in progress.

There's a lot of material to gently navigate through before you can reach into the uterus and grab the wet, slimy calf.

Calves can weight about 60 pounds at birth. It's hard to imagine how a pregnant cow can put up with carrying a body of this size in her belly, with hooves and knobby knees and all intact. Time was of the essence now as Oliver Nagle eased the calf th… — Calves can weight about 60 pounds at birth. It's hard to imagine how a pregnant cow can put up with carrying a body of this size in her belly, with hooves and knobby knees and all intact. Time was of the essence now as Oliver Nagle eased the calf through its mother's side.

The procedure was incredibly intense. It took a long time, and extraordinary effort, as the vet and farmers worked hard to preserve the mother's health and to get the baby out alive. In the end, the calf did not survive. When van Leeuwen could not f… — The procedure was incredibly intense. It took a long time, and extraordinary effort, as the vet and farmers worked hard to preserve the mother's health and to get the baby out alive. In the end, the calf did not survive. When van Leeuwen could not feel a heartbeat, it was a very sad moment. "Tend to the mother!" Pat Nagle called, and everyone jumped back into action to close the mother's incision.

I worked to be unobtrusive during the whole episode - out of the way while trying to capture the kind of personal, action-rich photos I like. Most of the time I stood balancing on slats of a pen shared by these two little buggers. The mother cow who… — I worked to be unobtrusive during the whole episode - out of the way while trying to capture the kind of personal, action-rich photos I like. Most of the time I stood balancing on slats of a pen shared by these two little buggers. The mother cow who lost her calf is a valuable animal to the Nagles. She was sewn up and returned to health so she will have a chance to give birth again.