2021 calving!

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Well had one short shift on Friday and didn't come in last night because I was hauling my cattle home all day yesterday - I start calving in a couple weeks.

Came in tonight and it's been busy last couple days. 16 calves 2 days straight. Brings us over 100. 2 lost - one premature doa off a heifer and one was deformed and euthanized. 3 sets of twins so +1 calf.

It's approaching -30 tonight then the weather is supposed to stay close to freezing which will be a relief. The barn is beyond full for the night. Have a couple calves stacked in one stall and cows kicked out for the night. Had 3 calves in 45mins a little earlier but it's been quiet for a bit now.
 
Well had one short shift on Friday and didn't come in last night because I was hauling my cattle home all day yesterday - I start calving in a couple weeks.

Came in tonight and it's been busy last couple days. 16 calves 2 days straight. Brings us over 100. 2 lost - one premature doa off a heifer and one was deformed and euthanized. 3 sets of twins so +1 calf.

It's approaching -30 tonight then the weather is supposed to stay close to freezing which will be a relief. The barn is beyond full for the night. Have a couple calves stacked in one stall and cows kicked out for the night. Had 3 calves in 45mins a little earlier but it's been quiet for a bit now.
wow, that sounds real busy!! Still being above par you're doing something right, and the ones you lost certainly aren't your fault
 
wow, that sounds real busy!! Still being above par you're doing something right, and the ones you lost certainly aren't your fault
We beat it today. 31 calves with 5 sets of twins. It's warming up so that's a good thing. On my way to work got a text. One of mine was calving at home. Not due to start calving till the 15th. There's a 40lb heifer in the house warming up.
 
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We beat it today. 31 calves with 5 sets of twins. It's warming up so that's a good thing. On my way to work got a text. One of mine was calving at home. Not due to start calving till the 15th. There's a 40lb heifer in the house warming up.
5 sets of twins in one day is more than one should have to deal with lol
 
5 sets of twins in one day is more than one should have to deal with lol
Lucky there's lots of hands I "only" had 2 sets on my night shift. We have a willing participant and are making plans to by a holstein or two any day now, lol. Last night I only had one calf then all hell broke loose right after I went home. 20 more today. I've got three in labor now.

My 40lb wonder was slow and weak but we got her going. Couldn't really stand so we bottle fed it colostrum through the night and next morning I put her on the cow. She got stronger and figured out nursing after that. Pretty much sucks and sleeps at this point.
 
Well, two more calves
Saturday night Durga had a big bull, she always makes big ones, he's a beauty and a a real chunker

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early this morning Zippy had her calf, 90ish lb bull, hard pull but both are doing well, calf and momma were up in an hour and he's had a good breakfast, he's exploring the big wide world now

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Yup, that's 7 bulls out of 7 calves.. I better get some heifers here soon!
 
the bull streak is over!!.. not sure this one will make a replacement, I'll have to see how she does.. this cow is 14 and makes great bulls, but hasn't made good heifers.. Big girl, Zeus is the dad, Momma is dumb like a sack of bricks, after 14 years still tries to bluff me, got lots of milk but the calf can't find the back teats until it's about 5 month old, kicks like a mule too.. Fine, be that way. Calf did finally find the spigots on the front and got a good drink

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Well, the heifer drought came to an abrupt end... 5 heifer calves in a row now!


This is Coda, a bit a funny looking cow to me, not my idea, I did keep a heifer from her last year.. a bit leggy and lacking depth, but she's a troublefree producer.. This one is sired by my short legged Gelbvieh bull, so maybe this heifer will be better
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My first purebred calf from Robin, I'll see, maybe i'll register her.. I think the mating is a good match for modesty, the bull strengthens the cows' weaknesses and vice versa.. Calling this one Java20210317_092434.jpg


This is Kama, full sister to my best cow, but she just isn't as good so unless I have nothing better, I probably won't keep this heifer, but she looks nice
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Finished up the calving season yesterday at 47 days, stockpiled fescue pastures and no bales of hay. Good ol' KY-31 strikes again.
 
From what I can see of your Kama cow I like her.

We crossed over the 50% done mark yesterday 16 days into calving. Heifers are almost 60%. Might be hard pressed to be 2/3 done by 21 days again this year, but it could happen.
 
From what I can see of your Kama cow I like her.

We crossed over the 50% done mark yesterday 16 days into calving. Heifers are almost 60%. Might be hard pressed to be 2/3 done by 21 days again this year, but it could happen.
I'm going to be down a few calves this year from normal, just going to have 17, got 11 so far.. I bred all the ones that were Feb calvers before the official bull release date, looks like I'll have about 12-13 out of 17 done at the end of the first cycle.

I had 2 cows abort from eating #$%#$ pine needles, one old cow and one heifer.. Old cow is definitely going on the truck, heifer, well, I'll see if she bred back, but there's a good chance she's going as well..
 
Cenci's bull calf, I'm leaving his nuts on, he's Zeus and Pozzy's brother and he looks like he's going to turn out good and thicc.. he had a navel infection but I think I've got that taken care of now
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Chroma and her bull, he is a little less thick but he's really smooth, momma has an awesome udder
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I'm having a hard time getting a good pic of Prada (Chroma's full sister) and her bull calf, he's always coming up to me so a side shot is darned near impossible, he's real stout too, She's the one that had twins last year, though she only raised both for about 6 weeks til I adopted the other one off.. good milk and udder, only her hind hooves get a little long
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Prada's daughter from 2 years ago is looking like she's doing a good job, she's pretty and the calf is really nice too.. being a first calf I did nut him and I'll see how she does
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Prada's granddaughter Zippy with her 8 day old boy.. I think he'll grow to be a nice steer too
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Winding down at work. Think we have about 380 on the ground. Only got 2/night last couple shifts so I think this will be my last week.

Mine are just winding up the heifers were bred a little earlier and we've been getting about one a day. Last night was the first cow besides the premature one. She's doing just fine but most of the heifer's calves are bigger than her still, lol.

Created a little wonderland for the oldest pairs and put 4 out into about 10 acres. I like to hold them back for about a week before we let them out so the calves are getting around good beforehand. PXL_20210317_184205075.jpg

My favorite heifer had a little clone of herself. I guess that black angus heifer bull has a red gene. She's a sharp little calf.PXL_20210317_184226559.MP.jpg
 
Winding down at work. Think we have about 380 on the ground. Only got 2/night last couple shifts so I think this will be my last week.

Mine are just winding up the heifers were bred a little earlier and we've been getting about one a day. Last night was the first cow besides the premature one. She's doing just fine but most of the heifer's calves are bigger than her still, lol.

Created a little wonderland for the oldest pairs and put 4 out into about 10 acres. I like to hold them back for about a week before we let them out so the calves are getting around good beforehand. View attachment 3176

My favorite heifer had a little clone of herself. I guess that black angus heifer bull has a red gene. She's a sharp little calf.View attachment 3175
She is a cutie! My previous bull Hector was a cloning bull.. just about every calf was a spitting image of the momma.. if you liked the momma that was a good thing!
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apple doesn't fall far from the tree!
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These two are pretty much identical
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Another heifer born last night to a first timer.. (that's 6 in a row for the heifers now)... Momma is dumb, calf is dumb.. of course it was at 2am, so I didn't get to bed til 4.. calf would suck my finger but would not take a teat, ended up bottling it some colostrum and left it for the night.. I did get it to nurse a bit this morning but I'm not confident it can find them on its own.. Momma isn't paying any attention to it (I'm just happy she's not trying to kill it at this point)... she wandered off, calf was bawling, she didn't care.
I'm going to go feed it some more and try and get it on the teats again
 
Another heifer born last night to a first timer.. (that's 6 in a row for the heifers now)... Momma is dumb, calf is dumb.. of course it was at 2am, so I didn't get to bed til 4.. calf would suck my finger but would not take a teat, ended up bottling it some colostrum and left it for the night.. I did get it to nurse a bit this morning but I'm not confident it can find them on its own.. Momma isn't paying any attention to it (I'm just happy she's not trying to kill it at this point)... she wandered off, calf was bawling, she didn't care.
I'm going to go feed it some more and try and get it on the teats again
That's aggravating right there. Hope they get things sorted out soon. I had a calf born few weeks ago that took close to a week before it could nurse good on its own. Just seemed like a dumb calf. She would suck all over her momma except the right places - front, back, Too high, Too low. I could put her right up to the teat and she would just push back against me and not nurse her. Cow has a decent bag, so wasn't any excuse for it. We kept her going on the bottle til it clicked for her. She would have been buzzard bait if we hadn't helped her along.
 
Another heifer born last night to a first timer.. (that's 6 in a row for the heifers now)... Momma is dumb, calf is dumb.. of course it was at 2am, so I didn't get to bed til 4.. calf would suck my finger but would not take a teat, ended up bottling it some colostrum and left it for the night.. I did get it to nurse a bit this morning but I'm not confident it can find them on its own.. Momma isn't paying any attention to it (I'm just happy she's not trying to kill it at this point)... she wandered off, calf was bawling, she didn't care.
I'm going to go feed it some more and try and get it on the teats again
Similar thing a couple nights ago w a heifer. Just wasn't sure the calf sucked(momma attentive but did a power turn every time the calf got beside her). At 4am it got a half dose in a bottle, it's ears duct taped (last cold night?) and I went to bed. Left them locked in my little barn and it's all good.

Last night was my last night of night shift at work. Slightly over 400 on the ground, they can bring the one or two a night they'll get without me. I'm supposed to be getting one of the heifers that haven't calved there yet to bring home. He's trying to warranty a group of cows I bought 3&1/2 years ago. I said no way that's ridiculous, he says it's happening, lol. We'll see who wins but if I lose I get a bred heifer.

Momma needs me at home. Heifers are getting there 10 of 17 done, cows will get serious any day now. Well I hope, they do anyway.
 

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