AS WINTER THAWS to spring in the historic ranch lands of Foothills County, cattle herds are beginning to give birth.
During calving, typically taking place in March and April, rancher John Thomson and his family keep the herd close to home.
He and his son Chad, along with Chad’s wife Candace and son Hayes, keep an eye on the expectant mothers. Once a cow is prepared to give birth, she’ll move off on her own, often shying away from any human presence.
“She’s up to something,” Chad said as one of his herd sequesters herself at the far end of the field.
Sure enough, she gave birth two hours later.
Once the legs start to show, the calf emerges in minutes, and the mother starts cleaning it off as the newborn opens its eyes.
Should a cow run into trouble during birth, at any hour of the day, the Thomsons come to assist.
Such occurrences always seem to happen in the middle of the night, Chad said.
Issues that might arise are bad presentation, with the calf coming out in an irregular position. The rancher might intervene using chains, which hitch onto a calf’s legs and allows the farmer to assist, pulling as the cow pushes.
One calf, whose mother couldn’t produce milk, was staying in a pen near the house, where the Thomsons were bottle feeding it.
In colder years, Chad said, they watch for pneumonia or scours, a gastrointestinal illness.
As the cows give birth, they and their calves are moved out further afield on the ranch while the still expectant mothers remain under a closer watch.
Once the legs start to show, the calf emerges in minutes, and the mother starts cleaning it off as the newborn opens its eyes.
Should a cow run into trouble during birth, at any hour of the day, the Thomsons come to assist.
Such occurrences always seem to happen in the middle of the night, Chad said.
Issues that might arise are bad presentation, with the calf coming out in an irregular position. The rancher might intervene using chains, which hitch onto a calf’s legs and allows the farmer to assist, pulling as the cow pushes.
One calf, whose mother couldn’t produce milk, was staying in a pen near the house, where the Thomsons were bottle feeding it.
In colder years, Chad said, they watch for pneumonia or scours, a gastrointestinal illness.
As the cows give birth, they and their calves are moved out further afield on the ranch while the still expectant mothers remain under a closer watch.
Once the calves have matured a little, the herd is driven out west of Turner Valley to a forestry grazing lease.
There they will graze the foothills around Bluerock Wildland and Sheep River Provincial Parks until October, when they’re rounded up and brought home.
The ranchers have kept their herd going for the better part of a century, with Chad being the fourth generation.
“It’s what my family’s been doing forever and I’m happy to keep it going.”
Photographer’s statement: I met John Thomson and his brother Gary, who also keeps a herd of his own in the Foothills, while photographing their cattle drives—John’s fall drive in 2019 Gary’s spring drive in 2018. Having not been exposed to this way of life growing up, my curiosity drove my interest to photograph and showcase more of the yearly cycles that go into raising cattle. John Thomson, as well as Chad, Candace, and Hayes graciously gave myself and SAIT Photojournalism student Jessica Dezall the opportunity to capture a brief glimpse of yet another part of ranching life.