Be Prepared.
Be prepared to assist in a birth and for the weather. We have family meetings about calving. We discuss where to put the heavies (cows that have not had their babies yet), we discuss where we are going to put the pairs (cows with calves on the ground), we discuss what pastures we are going to use,we discuss the weather outlook and we discuss the unknowns. It is always good to think about what to do and when to do it. As an example, if we know a storm is coming, or negative degree weather, we will move the heavies close to the house and in a protected area. We want to be able to access them as easy as possible and bring their calves in if they are getting chilled. We also usually feed the pairs in an area close to a tree row (which serves as a wind break). Therefore, the cows should bed down for the night close to the trees where they can be protected better.
"I do a lot more praying during calving." ~My Cowboy