Calving Season

A Farmer's 40-Year Journey

Story and photos by Joseph L. Murphy

After glancing at the TV one last time, Duane Ohnemus pulls the laces of his leather boots tight. The TV is the first thing he looks at when he wakes up and the last thing he sees before going to bed during calving season.

In late winter and early spring, Ohnemus, a cattle, soybean and corn farmer from Milo, is in the midst of calving season. The two to three-month process demands constant attention and braving harsh weather.

His TV provides a video feed of the barn, allowing him to keep an eye on his “maternity ward” while saving trips to the barn for emergencies. He is quick to say the technology helps, but it will never replace in-person welfare checks to monitor labor and ensure calves are healthy.

“Normally, one of us wakes up in the middle of the night and flips the TV on to check in,” Ohnemus says. “Hopefully, that makes it so we don’t have to go outside to the barn. You can get pretty grouchy this time of year from the lack of sleep.”

On this chilly day, Ohnemus pulls his hood over his head while he walks across the farmyard for the daily grind of checking calves, providing bedding and, of course, twice daily chores.

The hard work over Ohnemus’ 40-year career has taken its toll on his knees and back.

“If a 70- or 80-pound baby calf is stuck in the mud, you have to lift them and that’s a load when you are in the mud, too,” he says. “If the calf is squirming around, it’s hard on your back. You can end up lifting a way you shouldn’t.”

He wears a lumbar support belt and is as careful as possible because he can’t afford to be sidelined.

“This time of year is a real challenge, and I can’t afford to get sick or injured,” Ohnemus says. “You have to figure out a way to tape it up, strap it up or whatever and go back out. Agriculture is a young man’s sport.”

Ohnemus doesn’t spend much time focusing on his cuts and bruises. He’s more interested in making sure his cattle are fed, have access to water and the new calves are content.

Ohnemus doesn’t expect his last calving season will come anytime soon, but he is already seeing his sons take an interest in becoming the fifth generation to work on their Century Farm. That gives him a great sense of pride in the farming foundation his ancestors started nearly 150 years ago.

The day ends much like it started. Feeding the cattle and doing health checks before going into the house for a hot meal and, of course, watching the TV.

Editor’s note: This story was originally shared by the Iowa Soybean Association in Spring 2016. Duane Ohnemus continues to farm near Milo and his dedication, determination and passion for calving remains strong today.

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