I have another entry for the calves lost in holes thread. Our farm actually consists of what was historically two smaller farms. (Both incidentally have similarly inconvenient and miserable cow barns, leading me to believe that the same sadist designed both.)

Anyhow, there is a nearly unnoticeable creek between the two places. It only makes itself known when it is in spate, but then it fairly roars. Therefore we have about a five-foot high oil tank with both ends cut off acting as a culvert to carry it. It is buried deep in the ground, because the little stream cut itself quite a channel over the years. This results in a thick, earthen bridge.

Some years ago, back when we had hired help that didn't share our last name, a newborn heifer calf jumped the fence that serves (sometimes) to keep critters out of the creek, staggered down the fifteen foot drop and vanished into the culvert. It is at times like that when you discover just how much gravel and how many logs and branches and hunks and hanks of other debris that a little creek can carry. For hours everyone tried different means of reaching the terrified animal, which just bored deeper into the nearly blocked culvert every time she saw somebody. Finally our ever intrepid hired man, who was thin as a rake, crawled up from downstream and snagged the calf with a halter, which he tied to a rope threaded from upstream, since there was just too much calf to go downhill. Everyone then did a big old heave-ho and hauled her to safety. It was about as much excitement as we needed for that day, but we kept the calf anyhow. Figured she'd earned it I guess.