2021 calving!

[Nesikep]

First calf of the year is here, 5 am this morning, backward presentation, needed a little help, nothing serious... darned cold week we got here, -15c/8f and supposed to drop to -24C/-10f tonight... Baby has a jacket on, momma wouldn't keep his hat on, but his ears are dry now, he knows where the milk spigots are

I just installed some cow cams.. I'm sure liking the option of looking at what's going on while I"m inside, have it set up on a second computer monitor.. It took me a while to find cameras with the features I wanted that didn't cost an exorbitant amount.. I got them off amazon, Genbolt GB203X I think.. PTZ, wifi or wired (need power though), floodlight, infrared, tracking, 5x zoom.. they're actually picking up the wifi from my neighbors across the river!

Brought one of the heifers into the corral, she's the daughter of the cow that calved this morning, she's due on the 12th.. She completely forgot how to lead on a halter and it was a lot of roundy-rounds.. I'm really liking how she's turned out, she was a pretty girl as a calf and she's kept it up... now she just has to calf and make lots of milk

Baby was bouncing a bit and exploring,

 

[Bez]

It is cold here as well and the snow is about 2 to 2 1/2 feet deep. That is why we we do not start calving until 15 April.
Love the camera set up. Might have to go that way in the near future.
Glad the calf is doing well. I like the blanket. How long before you take it off and how tough is it to catch the youngster to get the blanket back?
Looking at selling and moving west this spring/summer if all goes well. Got to get out of this part of the world. The politics and taxes and people are driving us crazy around here.
My very best to all.

 

[wbvs58]

Yeh, that camera is great Nesi. That would save a lot of trips outside for you. Even at our temps I'm not that keen on going outside to check on a heifer before heading off to bed. We calve at about the same time of the season as you do and where we will often be down in the minus 4-6 C at night which is considered cold here. Cold nights equals beautifull balmy days here, we are spoilt.

You would like it here Bez. We still get 4 distinct seasons. Summers are pretty good too, an occaisional hot day but with low humidity you can always cool off a bit in the shade with a slight breeze.

Looks like the calf has a bit of growing to do to fill out the rug Nesi, a bit like my mother, would always by my clothes with a bit of room for growing.

Ken

 

[MRRherefords]

Calf looks good Nesi. Have to love good technology that helps in situations like that. Hope it starts to warm up for you!

 

[Nesikep]

Here's the camera I got... there are others like it with better zoom, but this one had the features i needed.. Floodlight was one, because it's nice to be able to turn on a visible light when you have to go walking out there, though the view through the camera is better using infrared than visible light at night. Getting good software is a bit of a pain, and some of the advanced setup as well, nevermind the chinglish used in the instruction manuals and the software.

[9X ZOOM] Floodlight PTZ WiFi Security Camera Outdoor,GENBOLT 5MP AI Auto Tracking Dome Camera,5X Optical and 4X Digital Zoom Auto Focus IP Camera with Color Night Vision,Wireless Surveillance System with Humanoid Motion Detection, Pan Tilt 2-Way Aud

[9X ZOOM] Floodlight PTZ WiFi Security Camera Outdoor,GENBOLT 5MP AI Auto Tracking Dome Camera,5X Optical and 4X Digital Zoom Auto Focus IP Camera with Color Night Vision,Wireless Surveillance System with Humanoid Motion Detection, Pan Tilt 2-Way Audio,Instant Image Activity Alert,Array LED with...

www.amazon.ca

I'll leave the blanket on him for the week, Momma is a very friendly cow so the calf will be too, no problem catching him.. I might swap out the blankets today, I think he pizzed the bed and one side seems a little crunchy and frozen, so I'll get it dried off

Now I'm just waiting for Dusty, udder isn't quite full yet but she's got flabby butt, she's due on friday


Pic from this morning, It got really nasty last night with snow and wind, I put him in a more sheltered spot with a heat lamp

 

[Nesikep]

-20C here this morning, (-3F), sun is out so I took his blanket off, he was happy to be a bit more mobile

 

[Nesikep]

He was a lot more active today, exploring everything, did a fair bit of bouncing too!
He's clearly starved

 

[Nesikep]

Tommy is feeling adventurous today, exploring the other corral and rubbing noses with the yearlings, who are equally curious about this little thing

Dusty the sister there is actually due today, I think she may wait a day or two, which is just fine by me, it's -20C (-3F) and it's supposed to warm up tomorrow a little bit

 

[Nesikep]

 

[Nesikep]

Well, Cenci had a bull calf, I saw her off alone in the field today and could tell she was close, haltered her and brought her up.. once her water broke she sure made a fast job of calving.. Calf wasn't born for 5 minutes before he was up on his legs, nursing in about 15.. then bouncing around the pen, pretty vocal guy... About -5C (23F?) here and windstill so it feels pretty warm. I stole a quart of colostrum, he probably drank close to 3 quarts, he's good for a while!

New video by Efrem Hug

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[Nesikep]

This boy is a lively one! 4 hours old, he had another good drink, then it's play time

 

[wbvs58]

Looks like a better day there Nesi.

Ken

 

[Nesikep]

Looks like a better day there Nesi.

Ken

Only about -8C now, was a pretty nice day overall, no wind at all, so that really helps too
I'm waiting on Dusty to calf.. baby maybe?.. she's taking her sweet time about it for sure.. goign to go out now and feel her ligaments and have a walk around.. Pettings will be doled out of course too

 

[JParrott]

Baby has a jacket on, momma wouldn't keep his hat on, but his ears are dry now, he knows where the milk spigots are

View attachment 2135

I'd never seen or heard of calf jackets until this year. New(er) neighbors (Man, wife, & daughter) came up from Texas about three years ago and bought 1500 acres of piss poor Ozarks hills and hollers. Anyway, the wife got cancer and died about a year or so ago and the daughter has an absolute love of farming so her and her dad raise a couple hundred head. Good folks (deeeeep pockets). Daughter is in her 30's and single, posts a lot to Facebook and I saw a picture of her new calves last month with jackets on. I liked to fell out my chair laughing thinking this must be some Texas hobby farm thing to put a coat on an animal with a hide full of fur. Long story short, I don't have any of those jackets yet but if I wasn't dead set on moving to fall calving after this year, I'd buy me a whole bunch and use the snot out of them.

 

[Nesikep]

I'd never seen or heard of calf jackets until this year. New(er) neighbors (Man, wife, & daughter) came up from Texas about three years ago and bought 1500 acres of piss poor Ozarks hills and hollers. Anyway, the wife got cancer and died about a year or so ago and the daughter has an absolute love of farming so her and her dad raise a couple hundred head. Good folks (deeeeep pockets). Daughter is in her 30's and single, posts a lot to Facebook and I saw a picture of her new calves last month with jackets on. I liked to fell out my chair laughing thinking this must be some Texas hobby farm thing to put a coat on an animal with a hide full of fur. Long story short, I don't have any of those jackets yet but if I wasn't dead set on moving to fall calving after this year, I'd buy me a whole bunch and use the snot out of them.

we did without them for 30 years, but in crappy weather, for the little cost ($100 each) it sure helps the newborns, especially until they're totally dried off and they lay down on ice and snow

 

[Nesikep]

Dusty, the first timer FINALLY calved, she was due LAST friday, helped a little bit, (just some steady pressure), put the calf in front of her and she did a good job licking, then got up and continued.. cooperated very well with getting the calf latched on, he had a good breakfast and bounced around a bit... good day to be born, 32F, no wind at all, even a little sun

 

[Nesikep]

Happy momma

 

[Nesikep]

He's all bouncy, he's had 3 breakfasts already, did a bit of exploring... Decent size, I'm thinking about 80 lbs

 

[Nesikep]

This just doesn't get old...

 

[Rydero]

Here's the camera I got... there are others like it with better zoom, but this one had the features i needed.. Floodlight was one, because it's nice to be able to turn on a visible light when you have to go walking out there, though the view through the camera is better using infrared than visible light at night. Getting good software is a bit of a pain, and some of the advanced setup as well, nevermind the chinglish used in the instruction manuals and the software.

[9X ZOOM] Floodlight PTZ WiFi Security Camera Outdoor,GENBOLT 5MP AI Auto Tracking Dome Camera,5X Optical and 4X Digital Zoom Auto Focus IP Camera with Color Night Vision,Wireless Surveillance System with Humanoid Motion Detection, Pan Tilt 2-Way Aud

[9X ZOOM] Floodlight PTZ WiFi Security Camera Outdoor,GENBOLT 5MP AI Auto Tracking Dome Camera,5X Optical and 4X Digital Zoom Auto Focus IP Camera with Color Night Vision,Wireless Surveillance System with Humanoid Motion Detection, Pan Tilt 2-Way Audio,Instant Image Activity Alert,Array LED with...

www.amazon.ca

I'll leave the blanket on him for the week, Momma is a very friendly cow so the calf will be too, no problem catching him.. I might swap out the blankets today, I think he pizzed the bed and one side seems a little crunchy and frozen, so I'll get it dried off

Now I'm just waiting for Dusty, udder isn't quite full yet but she's got flabby butt, she's due on friday


Pic from this morning, It got really nasty last night with snow and wind, I put him in a more sheltered spot with a heat lamp
View attachment 2146

I've got a really similar camera (Foscam) also from Amazon. This will be my 4th year with it, definitely saves lots of trips out. I ordered another one today to cover off another angle and give me better coverage in the dark. Only thing better than a camera is more cameras!

First nightshift at the bosses is tonight, just watching one starting to calve on his "fancy" cow cams. The infra-red is better and they move a little quicker but they all do much the same thing. If your pens aren't giant the Amazon ones are a great investment.