2019 Calving has begun...

[NEFarmwife]

Got our heifers home (a handful more to haul tomorrow) since they're due January 4th.

Today, had our first calf. 26 days early but doing well. We hadn't seen her get up, so we did tube her. Within 20 minutes she was following mom. A good sight to see.

This is an Epic calf. She's dainty but looks good for being so early. Didn't get a weight on her today because scale was in a truck but she'll get weighed when worked tomorrow.

 

[Redgully]

That is very early. But alls well that ends well! My first three are due early february.

 

[bird dog]

Thats way earlier than anything I have ever had. Are you sure you didn't have the neighbors bull over for a visit?

 

[gizmom]

Glad it turned out ok. It always seems if your going to have issues it's at the beginning. Hopefully the rest will hold on until closer to their due date.

Gizmom

 

[NEFarmwife]

Thats way earlier than anything I have ever had. Are you sure you didn't have the neighbors bull over for a visit?

Yes. She's a 1st calf heifer. There wasn't a bull within range of her. This calf is pretty small. I'll be interested in her weight tomorrow.

I don't recall ever having one this early either but pretty darn close. Last year on the 10th, we had 5 calves on the ground already.

 

[T & B farms]

My heifers are due starting Jan 10th. I'm surprised to how many are bagging up and springing. I wouldn't be overly surprised to see a few the last week of December. I've had a few 15-18 days early and they have all turned out fine.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Another calf. Both out of Epic.

We literally got this momma home today.

Should also mention that these were all synced and AI'd.

No wonder he is calving ease, he's spitting them out extremely early.

 

[NEFarmwife]

My heifers are due starting Jan 10th. I'm surprised to how many are bagging up and springing. I wouldn't be overly surprised to see a few the last week of December. I've had a few 15-18 days early and they have all turned out fine.

We saw a few bagging up. Got roughly 20 sorted off. Have a PB out of Black Magic's son that looks like she could calve at any time. I'd love them all to hold off a little longer but this week looks to be some nice weather so I guess if they're going to come early, now is a good time.

 

[T & B farms]

Is epics career over now that he tested positive for NH? Are you going to save any heifers out of him or are they going to the feedlot?

 

[NEFarmwife]

Is epics career over now that he tested positive for NH? Are you going to save any heifers out of him or are they going to the feedlot?

That's a good question. I'm unsure. We bred him terminal. We used him and blackstone on our heifers (commercial) but did use a straw or two on some purebreds. Flushed one of our donors to Epic. If they don't look good, we'll cull hard like we do every year and fatten them out. But if something looks real nice, we'll test them and see what we're up against.

We thought Epic could really help a few of our PB mommas and I pushed him hard. Was a hard blow to take but it ain't over yet.

 

[NEFarmwife]

First calf of the year, was right at 40lbs.

My husband and I were looking at our herd info and quickly realized the dam had an early calf last year also. 3 weeks! But ended up weaning off a good calf.

We've only had 1 more since the first two. With due dates approaching, we have everything ready. 5 were shut in calving barn last night. I expect come Christmas, we'll start seeing a steady incline of births.

A donor we bought in April, has a calf from its previous operation going to the Denver Female sale this year. It's exciting to see her offspring and I'm itching to see more of her calves. We should see 12 ET calves from her in the next couple weeks.

 

[Bright Raven]

Glad the calf took off. In the Fall of 2017 calf crop, one was born 30 days early. Only 55 pounds. He did not get up for 2 days. I tubed him with colostrum and then milk replacer. On day 3 he got up and he did fine.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Have our first Treasure calf making its way into the world as we speak. Bred him to our heifer, I call her "Butterface". She's a PA Fortified (fortitude son) daughter.

I didn't like her when my husband brought her home. But she's grown on me and the men think she's the best looking first calf heifer we have.

Hoping this will be an exceptional mating. She was due on 01/04.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Have our first Treasure calf making its way into the world as we speak. Bred him to our heifer, I call her "Butterface". She's a PA Fortified (fortitude son) daughter.

I didn't like her when my husband brought her home. But she's grown on me and the men think she's the best looking first calf heifer we have.

Hoping this will be an exceptional mating. She was due on 01/04.

Her bag broke at approx 10am. By noon, we were only seeing a little of both feet for the last half hour. She didn't seem to be progressing much and was very nervous. Once she settled down, she went 0-60 in no time. Had the calf at 12:20. Checked camera again at 12:36 and calf was up already trying to suck.
We'll sex it and weigh it later. Looks like a good strong calf.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Having 11-17 calves a night. We're somewhere around 140 calves right now.

Lost 2. Epics have arrived small but growing well and filling out very quickly. Blackstones are tanks. Game Changers are probably the most uniform in growth. Treasures are very nice to look at but slower on growth. I guess all to be expected.

If it gets above 20 today, I might venture out with my camera. The calves are bouncing around like toddlers on pixie sticks.

 

[T & B farms]

Having 11-17 calves a night. We're somewhere around 140 calves right now.

Lost 2. Epics have arrived small but growing well and filling out very quickly. Blackstones are tanks. Game Changers are probably the most uniform in growth. Treasures are very nice to look at but slower on growth. I guess all to be expected.

If it gets above 20 today, I might venture out with my camera. The calves are bouncing around like toddlers on pixie sticks.

140, and only 2 losses, sounds like things are going very well. I thought I was having a lot of calves, averaging 5-7 a day. Can't beilve I haven't had any twins yet. I'd love to have a couple early so I have some spares. Watching a heifer have one as I type this. A lot of mine are coming small and early. Last year I had the exact same calves coming 90-110 lbs, this year more like 65-80. No wheat this year, so maybe that makes a difference after all.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Having 11-17 calves a night. We're somewhere around 140 calves right now.

Lost 2. Epics have arrived small but growing well and filling out very quickly. Blackstones are tanks. Game Changers are probably the most uniform in growth. Treasures are very nice to look at but slower on growth. I guess all to be expected.

If it gets above 20 today, I might venture out with my camera. The calves are bouncing around like toddlers on pixie sticks.

140, and only 2 losses, sounds like things are going very well. I thought I was having a lot of calves, averaging 5-7 a day. Can't beilve I haven't had any twins yet. I'd love to have a couple early so I have some spares. Watching a heifer have one as I type this. A lot of mine are coming small and early. Last year I had the exact same calves coming 90-110 lbs, this year more like 65-80. No wheat this year, so maybe that makes a difference after all.

We had 154 as of last night. 3 arrived within 15 minutes of each other.

We have had very good luck thus far. We do give them that scour/ecoli paste to help their gut. We had moved back to Bovi Gold this past year too after quite a few losses steering away from it last year for something else.

Weather is now getting bitter. While it's been cold, it hasn't been bone chilling cold. Hopefully this won't bring on the pneumonia like it did last year.