Cow Care

          For my first story I would like to tell about the time I was on a field trip at a cattle farm, which was a time in my life when I wanted to became a veterinarian. After learning about the different ways that the animals are treated, the farmer took us to see how pregnant cow's are cared for. I don't remember if he gave us a demonstration about how to check a pregnant cow, but I do remember me being the first brave student to give it a try. 
          Now the way you check a pregnant cow is by reaching you're arm into the cow's rear end and feeling for a fetus in the uterus. So I stepped up and had a giant rubber glove placed on my arm. Since it was a "one size fits all" deal I had to take off my jacket, which was a pain because it was cold out. Than they started rubbing a tremendous amount of lubricant on my arm. When they felt I was ready they lifted up the cow's tail and told me reach on in. At this point I felt it would be best to just let my mind go blank and avoid the idea of what I was about to do. 
          Slowly my hand began to slip into the cow's back side. The moment this happened a huge amount of feces spilled onto my arm. The best comparison that I can make for what had happened would be someone sticking their hand in a bowl of chocolate pudding and having it spill out over the sides. The problem was that unlike pudding, it was much thicker. In fact, it was so thick that I couldn't get my hand in any further. 
          After explaining I couldn't go further I was told that I had to start scooping some of the dung out in order to make room for my arm. So after doing some digging, I was able to get up to my elbow. At this point I was feeling pretty cold with no jacket on, so as sick as it is to admit, I felt pretty cozy in the warmth of the cow. I was than asked if I felt anything that was like a turkey neck. After replying no I was told to go deeper. While it took some effort, I was able to push myself in all the way up to my shoulder. 
          While taking a rest I noticed how tight the cow was squizing on my arm. The pressure was so strong that it felt like the blood had stopped flowing to my arm. The image of me getting stuck inside the cow began to flash through my mind. I could just see the teacher and farmer attempting to pull me out. I told the farmer I was in as far as I could go, again he told me to feel around for a turkey neck. After about a minute of feeling around my hand touched what felt like a hunk of meat. I told him what I had touched and he said that it may be the fetus. I than began the laborouse process of pulling my arm out. When I was free the rest of the class stared at my arm, which was covered in cow manure. I than had the glove removed from my arm and had it thrown in the trash. 
          The farmer than asked who wanted to go next. One girl decided that she wanted to give it a try. Once she was prepped with the glove, she turned to me and asked "What it does it feel like". After giving it some thought I replied "It kind of feels like warm spaghetti". Slowly she reached up towards the cow and before she even touched it, her eyes bean to tear up. However, she was able to fight her emotions and was able to complete the task. We were the only two brave enough (or dumb enough) to participate in the job.