Fire Sweep Ranch
Well-known member
We have a pretty nice cow, Summer, who is a grand daughter to the great Summer Sister cow. She is an 09, and to date has had 7 calves! I felt inclined to share her amazing story...
As a two year old, Summer had a heifer calf sired by Ellington Dominator. That calf died for unknown reasons (vet could not determine) at about 11 days of age. The day she lost her calf, one of our other cows, Bling, had twinned. We decided to take the freemartin heifer off Bling and let Summer raise it, so she can figure out how to do her job. Summer loved that freemartin heifer like her own, and she weaned off pretty big. Summer was AI bred to Rendition for the following year. In 2012, Summer produced a nice twin set of red bulls. The vet was called, since Summer was not progressing and I was a bit concerned. He pulled two identical twins from her and she raised them both, on her own. I have pictured them on here before. They weaned off at just under 600 pounds each, and she was bred back, AI, to Final Cut. At 70 days, we had her ultrasounded, and the vet confirmed she was carrying just one calf, and it was a bull. So, when 2013 calving season hit, imagine our surprise when Summer again had TWIN identical bull calves. This time we lost them, since we were not expecting twins we were not watching her closely. She went into labor, and the calves were breech. We pulled both out with the jack, and both were dead. Each calf was 60 pounds. So this year, we just decided to be prepared. I thought she looked huge, and when our vet was out two weeks ago to do our herd health check I had her checked. Vet said he could only feel one calf, and the size was normal and the calf was in position so he thought just one. While Ron was here visiting, he saw the changes take place in Summer, her bag filling and lots of her plug was lost. Her due date was Nov 8th, so I was hoping she would hold off until we returned from the Royal. Last night, I was sure she was in early labor, since she was sniffing ALL of the fall babies, and her tail was cocked and she was acting nervous. I checked her before bed, and same thing.
So this morning, I went out there right at 7, and found her placental membranes hanging. I sat and watched for about 5 minutes, and she was extremely nervous, walking everywhere and sniffing the ground. I was able to sneak up behind her and feel the foot just inside her vulva, and it was heading the right direction (so no breech this time!). I decided to give her a little more time and went up to the barn to get the chains just in case. I came back down, and she was still pacing. She finally layed down in the corner of the pasture and started to push. Here is the pic I took:
After several minutes and not much progression (just the head and a foot was all I could see), I decided to get a closer look. There was only ONE foot present! I put a chain around the foot outside, and ran my hand inside to see if the other was right there. Nothing. Summer got up at this point, so I had better access to her now. I ran my arm all the way up and in, and still no foot. I pushed the calf back in (I knew it was alive still, because it brought it's tongue in and out while she was pushing). The second front leg was laying against the calf's belly! So I pushed the calf all the way back in, and still could not get ahold of the second leg. I had to take off my Carhart jacket (it is COLD and WINDY out here today!), and throw it to the ground. Summer started licking it aggressively. It kept her distracted enough I got the second leg, worked it forward and twisted it around so I could get it over the pelvis! I put the chain on the second front leg, and pulled. The calf slipped right out, while she was standing, until we got to the hips. Then nothing! I ended up twisting the calf around to get the hips unlocked, and the calf just slipped right out. By this time Summer swings around and gives me the evil eye, so I remove the chains quickly and get out of the way (not before checking the sex, of course! A heifer!!!). I sat back down several feet away on the 4 wheeler, and watched. That calf was not huge, but not small (we will weigh later today, but I would guess lower 70's to mid-70's). And it was wet so hard to determine size. I decided with Summer's history of having twins, I would go back in and check. I slipped in behind her and ran my arm inside, and guess what I found???? Calf number 2!!! Ugh, not again. I went back to the bike, grabbed the chains, and went after that calf. Summer was busy cleaning calf number one, so I ran my hand in and grabbed the first limb I could find; A back leg, great (and tons of fluid that flew out and saturated my pants and shirt... did I mention it is COLD and WINDY out here today?)! I put a chain on the foot, and went back in for a second leg. That one was harder to get, since it was so deep inside still. But, I got it, and put a chain on it and pulled. That calf flew right out, thankfully, and I drug her around to the front so Summer could bond with her also.
So, two heifers, and I am pretty sure they are identical again. Looks like one sack, but I got so cold waiting that I headed back up as soon as I saw both suckle the cow.
Yes, we are lucky and God is good to us! This cow has had 7 calves and is only 5 years old.
As a two year old, Summer had a heifer calf sired by Ellington Dominator. That calf died for unknown reasons (vet could not determine) at about 11 days of age. The day she lost her calf, one of our other cows, Bling, had twinned. We decided to take the freemartin heifer off Bling and let Summer raise it, so she can figure out how to do her job. Summer loved that freemartin heifer like her own, and she weaned off pretty big. Summer was AI bred to Rendition for the following year. In 2012, Summer produced a nice twin set of red bulls. The vet was called, since Summer was not progressing and I was a bit concerned. He pulled two identical twins from her and she raised them both, on her own. I have pictured them on here before. They weaned off at just under 600 pounds each, and she was bred back, AI, to Final Cut. At 70 days, we had her ultrasounded, and the vet confirmed she was carrying just one calf, and it was a bull. So, when 2013 calving season hit, imagine our surprise when Summer again had TWIN identical bull calves. This time we lost them, since we were not expecting twins we were not watching her closely. She went into labor, and the calves were breech. We pulled both out with the jack, and both were dead. Each calf was 60 pounds. So this year, we just decided to be prepared. I thought she looked huge, and when our vet was out two weeks ago to do our herd health check I had her checked. Vet said he could only feel one calf, and the size was normal and the calf was in position so he thought just one. While Ron was here visiting, he saw the changes take place in Summer, her bag filling and lots of her plug was lost. Her due date was Nov 8th, so I was hoping she would hold off until we returned from the Royal. Last night, I was sure she was in early labor, since she was sniffing ALL of the fall babies, and her tail was cocked and she was acting nervous. I checked her before bed, and same thing.
So this morning, I went out there right at 7, and found her placental membranes hanging. I sat and watched for about 5 minutes, and she was extremely nervous, walking everywhere and sniffing the ground. I was able to sneak up behind her and feel the foot just inside her vulva, and it was heading the right direction (so no breech this time!). I decided to give her a little more time and went up to the barn to get the chains just in case. I came back down, and she was still pacing. She finally layed down in the corner of the pasture and started to push. Here is the pic I took:
After several minutes and not much progression (just the head and a foot was all I could see), I decided to get a closer look. There was only ONE foot present! I put a chain around the foot outside, and ran my hand inside to see if the other was right there. Nothing. Summer got up at this point, so I had better access to her now. I ran my arm all the way up and in, and still no foot. I pushed the calf back in (I knew it was alive still, because it brought it's tongue in and out while she was pushing). The second front leg was laying against the calf's belly! So I pushed the calf all the way back in, and still could not get ahold of the second leg. I had to take off my Carhart jacket (it is COLD and WINDY out here today!), and throw it to the ground. Summer started licking it aggressively. It kept her distracted enough I got the second leg, worked it forward and twisted it around so I could get it over the pelvis! I put the chain on the second front leg, and pulled. The calf slipped right out, while she was standing, until we got to the hips. Then nothing! I ended up twisting the calf around to get the hips unlocked, and the calf just slipped right out. By this time Summer swings around and gives me the evil eye, so I remove the chains quickly and get out of the way (not before checking the sex, of course! A heifer!!!). I sat back down several feet away on the 4 wheeler, and watched. That calf was not huge, but not small (we will weigh later today, but I would guess lower 70's to mid-70's). And it was wet so hard to determine size. I decided with Summer's history of having twins, I would go back in and check. I slipped in behind her and ran my arm inside, and guess what I found???? Calf number 2!!! Ugh, not again. I went back to the bike, grabbed the chains, and went after that calf. Summer was busy cleaning calf number one, so I ran my hand in and grabbed the first limb I could find; A back leg, great (and tons of fluid that flew out and saturated my pants and shirt... did I mention it is COLD and WINDY out here today?)! I put a chain on the foot, and went back in for a second leg. That one was harder to get, since it was so deep inside still. But, I got it, and put a chain on it and pulled. That calf flew right out, thankfully, and I drug her around to the front so Summer could bond with her also.
So, two heifers, and I am pretty sure they are identical again. Looks like one sack, but I got so cold waiting that I headed back up as soon as I saw both suckle the cow.
Yes, we are lucky and God is good to us! This cow has had 7 calves and is only 5 years old.
I just think she has a propensity for splitting an embryo. I talked with her original breeder, and he said that NONE of the cows from her line have twinned, so just a fluke thing that she seems to like to do that.
