Thank heaven we have a good hot box. Hot box? Yes and this week we may wish we had two.
A hot box is an enclosed crate or box that a baby calf can be put into to warm up. Ours has two openings... A large one on the side to access the calf and a small one at the top to control the heat. There is also an opening where a little heater can be placed to heat the calf. Ours is a deluxe model(haha) and there is a fan towards the top to help push the hot air back down towards the calf. The fan also helps dry off the calf which is one of the main reasons we need a hot box.
Good momma cows should shell out their calves then quickly get to cleaning them off.... With their tongues. This removes the "goop" from birth and dries them off.
Heifers are usually harder to get to do this to their calves and just two nights ago we lost a calf to a stupid heifer who had her calf then walked off. That calf essentially froze to death, even though my husband was checking every two hours...you just can't help the really stupid ones. However he still tried to save the calf but he knew it was useless because it was in the death moans. That's not good. But it spent its last few minutes nice and warm and cozy in the hot box.
Here is a picture of a calf that perked right up after a little stint in the box!
Ok just because it is so cute....a heifer twin another picture! 
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