Dsth
Well-known member
hope the genetics from your old herd bull that you liked carry on for generations to come. good looking cattle and facilities. thanks for the great pics.
2022, here we go again!
- Thread starter lithuanian farmer
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
I know that he would be liked by more people than the first bull.
But... the quality of calves will tell which one is better. I actually like both by different reasons.
Here are some pics of the calf from the first bull. 15days old in the pic.
There will be two more calves from the same bull this year and three calves from another bull, but the same breed. The limousine bull will have 5 or 6 calves and I AI'ed one neighbour's bluex cow, which is due at the end of February with the same limousine bull.
The next calf is due on the 8th of February. The last calf will have plenty of time to get strong enough to be let out with the herd until a new newborn arrives.
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
Thank you.
We prefer to keep heifers from good mothers, so good families will stay for sure. Our crossbred bulls has his grandgrand daughters left as replacements already. Nice to see good traits being passed to generation after generation.
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
Another calf hit the ground today.. Charolais sired heifer from one of the top producing cow. Born at 278th day. Will weigh her tomorrow or a day after tomorrow as mom is quite sensitive after calving. However, have a limx daughter from the same cow ant that one is very quiet and gentle.
A pic with the cow and her other charolais sired bull calf. This boy weighed 529lbs at 131 days age.
A pic with the cow and her other charolais sired bull calf. This boy weighed 529lbs at 131 days age.
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
Heifer today. Strong bright calf. Nothing extreme, won't be heavy, maybe 90lbs. Have one heifer incalf to the same bull, so happy to see a smaller frame calf.
Last edited:
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Cute lil bugger!
And mama looks great!
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
Thanks. The mom is one of the top ten cows in the herd. The 5th calf already. Second heifer and the first one is already due with her second calf this year. Easy calver, good fertility, plenty of milk, calves always look nice and grows well. Have already chosen a bull to use on her this year.
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
Tall heifer calf born today. Blondex, 287days gestation. For mom it's the third calf and all are heifers. Her first daughter is due to calve with the first calf this year.
Have around 2 good weeks untill the next calf. Might calve earlier as it'll be a bluex calf.
Have around 2 good weeks untill the next calf. Might calve earlier as it'll be a bluex calf.
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
Just a quick photo taken today with 8 days old charx heifer and her mom.
And the second by age cow. She is turning 13 this year. The oldest cow is 14 yo. This one is due in May I believe. Mainly had heifers. Four daughters are cows already and one her heifer will be for AI this year. Have her granddaughters in the herd too, and even grandgranddaughter will be joining cows in June. And no culling plans for now. She is still working well and raising good calves. Never missed a year except last year. Last year, unfortunately, she had a very stuborn heifer. She refused to nurse by herself. When you would bring her to her mom she would nurse, but she never did it alone. She managed to survive for almost two weeks, but big summer heat and not getting enough of milk did its harm. Some calves just seem to not have any will to live.
And the second by age cow. She is turning 13 this year. The oldest cow is 14 yo. This one is due in May I believe. Mainly had heifers. Four daughters are cows already and one her heifer will be for AI this year. Have her granddaughters in the herd too, and even grandgranddaughter will be joining cows in June. And no culling plans for now. She is still working well and raising good calves. Never missed a year except last year. Last year, unfortunately, she had a very stuborn heifer. She refused to nurse by herself. When you would bring her to her mom she would nurse, but she never did it alone. She managed to survive for almost two weeks, but big summer heat and not getting enough of milk did its harm. Some calves just seem to not have any will to live.
farmerjan
Well-known member
Occasionally get a "stupid calf". So glad that you didn't cull the cow since it really wasn't her fault even with her advancing age. The calves look good so far.... I still really like the rumps on the cattle there....
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
One lost calf is not a very big deal for a good cow. Two calves in a row usually is what makes a cow on the cull list very quickly. Luckily, very very rare occasions. If a cow is young and has great potential, might give her a chance, if she'll be fast enough to breed back. Mostly because that in the past couple years had more cows culled, some planned, some not, than had heifers calve, so the herd wasn't growing. Had one cow last year loose the second calf in a row. One time- probably an infection, very nice and promising bull calf died at 3 days age. Second time- very stubborn calf, not nursing for two weeks, had tubed him for all that time separated from his mom. He never was right, appetite changing everyday and he did looked to be having an enlarged chest, so probably some problems there too. He didn't make it past 3 months age. His mom, for some kind of reason, wasn't quick to breed back and reapeated heats several times after serving, despite being in perfect condition. Had to cut ties, even if she was one of the best looking cows.
For a bad cow one mistake is also enough to be culled.
Fun fact. The lastly calved cow is a granddaughter of this 13yo lady.
Travlr
Well-known member
They do a lot of cesareans and sending young heifers to slaughter over there... by design. Terminal crosses and using double muscled bulls to put meat on Holstein crosses.
Hpacres440p
Well-known member
Error
Last edited:
branxchar&charx
Well-known member
She wears her age well. If that was the only problem, i would have given her another chance too.
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
The black one is turning 6 or 7 this year. The red is the older girl. She actually is the highest rank cow, just like her mom used to be at her prime.
That's her last year just after calving. No signs of aging yet. Always breeds back on time, raises good calves and not a single assisted calving.
branxchar&charx
Well-known member
I messed up on what i meant to quote on last message, i was trying to reference the red one lol
Is she a keep til she dies kinda cow or once theres a serious issue, send her to her final destiny?
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
She'll be sent away when her time comes. However, you never know. Last year one cow had a broken leg, so made some nice meat from her. We kinda planned to cull her like all others, but she stayed here until the very end.
I've one cow, which won't leave this home. She's my first one and the nicest cow you can find.
OP
OP
lithuanian farmer
Well-known member
Another newborn this evening. Nice blue cross heifer from angusx cow. The first heifer for the cow after three bull calves. However, she'll be the last calf for her mom due to the hot temper after calving. 287 days gestation, around 100lbs. Tall, light boned, prety slim heifer.
To be honest, belgian blues never caused us any calving difficulties. You sure need to choose a bull carefully for a blue cross cow, but blue calves always were born without assistance here. Know that some bulls can be potential cow killers, but the ones we used so far were pleasure to calve.
Another calf is due after a week. Going to get a couple calves sired by the previous herd bull before continuing with AI. The next AI calf is due on the 23rd of this month.
To be honest, belgian blues never caused us any calving difficulties. You sure need to choose a bull carefully for a blue cross cow, but blue calves always were born without assistance here. Know that some bulls can be potential cow killers, but the ones we used so far were pleasure to calve.
Another calf is due after a week. Going to get a couple calves sired by the previous herd bull before continuing with AI. The next AI calf is due on the 23rd of this month.
greybeard
Well-known member
Stay safe!! You're way way closer to the bad stuff than any of us.
Travlr
Well-known member
I was experimenting with BB genetics in the early '80s. and then I got involved with some people from Belgium and advised them on various issues concerning import and marketing. They are a wonderful breed with some huge caveats. Terminal crosses can be attractive. I'm kind of surprised that people aren't using them more.
