another down cow, least I know what to do.

[Keren]

You kind of wonder how many times a guy can get kicked in the balls before he finally goes down, I guess I can take a few more licks.

Well, if it helps any, this is the number of times I've been kicked (though I dont have balls ...)

- try to get into the top end goat genetics, bought a $2K bred doe, she had two buck kids, one died, one survived, the doe died 2 mths later
- bought a bottle doe kid, again top end genetics, $1K, she died of some freak virus at 2 wks old
- bought another $2K bred doe, she prolapsed numerous times, racked up a huge vet bill then she had one dead buck, one dead doe and one live buck
- needed a caesarian on one of my other does
- somewhere in amongst that, I bought a buck who turned out infertile
- bought a doe ready to breed, well she's infertile
- found out one of my does I bought as a bottle baby and raised to joining age was also infertile
- and then one of my doe kids ruptured her eyeball
- oh, plus the best doe kid I had born in 08 got bit by a red back spider then got heatstroke.

I'm still standing, just ;-)

FWIW, I reckon you did a great job on the calf. And although I might be a little late here, two things:

- I give brandy to warm them up - 5ml for lambs and kids that are like 3 to 5 kg, so I'm not sure on how much for a calf?
- also, I like to keep injectable glucose on hand - it goes under the skin - and is perfect for any time when an animal is down or just sick, and needing extra energy. I've done it with sick bottle babies before.

 

[Toby L.]

Thanks everyone again for all the support. I guess even vets have to pay big money to learn some of the stuff I've learned over the last couple of days. When things like this happen, and I'm sure it will happen again, I try to evaluate what I'm trying to do here. What are my goal's and what sort of accomplishments do I have, or looking forward to having, and are capable of doing? I don't think that I can honestly answer that, I guess I'm just trying to feed my family and try to give them a safe, positive, reinforcing environment that they can grow up in. Having animals in there to take care of and be responsible, to see how they live, grow, and how to mourn when they die. Keren, it's really disheartening when you spend good money for good animals, just to have something stupid happen, and losing them. All a person can do is move on, and learn from your experiences. That's why I like these boards, we can all learn from peoples mistakes, if ones brave enough to share there mistakes without being bashed by a few of the members, I haven't seen that lately though, so maybe they just moved on. It's funny, someone on here was bragging about how much money they one at a casino a little while ago, they said " yep, now I can buy some more calves" I was thinking the same thing as they were telling there story. Some may think that were crazy, I starting to wonder the same thing. Do crazy people know if there crazy, or do they think that there all right, it's just the rest of the world that's screwed up?

 

[mnmtranching]

Toby I'm purty sure in my case It's the rest of the world. :nod:

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Do crazy people know if there crazy, or do they think that there all right, it's just the rest of the world that's screwed up?

It's just the rest of the world is screwed up. I know I'm not crazy. ;-)

Katherine

 

[Cowdirt]

Thanks everyone again for all the support. I guess even vets have to pay big money to learn some of the stuff I've learned over the last couple of days. When things like this happen, and I'm sure it will happen again, I try to evaluate what I'm trying to do here. What are my goal's and what sort of accomplishments do I have, or looking forward to having, and are capable of doing? I don't think that I can honestly answer that, I guess I'm just trying to feed my family and try to give them a safe, positive, reinforcing environment that they can grow up in. Having animals in there to take care of and be responsible, to see how they live, grow, and how to mourn when they die. Keren, it's really disheartening when you spend good money for good animals, just to have something stupid happen, and losing them. All a person can do is move on, and learn from your experiences. That's why I like these boards, we can all learn from peoples mistakes, if ones brave enough to share there mistakes without being bashed by a few of the members, I haven't seen that lately though, so maybe they just moved on. It's funny, someone on here was bragging about how much money they one at a casino a little while ago, they said " yep, now I can buy some more calves" I was thinking the same thing as they were telling there story. Some may think that were crazy, I starting to wonder the same thing. Do crazy people know if there crazy, or do they think that there all right, it's just the rest of the world that's screwed up?

Toby, When asked why he didn't talk more, a fellow once said, " Lotta folks already think I'm crazy. If I start talking, it will remove all doubt. That's how I feel some time when posting on this board.

 

[Joy of Texas]

Thanks everyone again for all the support. I guess even vets have to pay big money to learn some of the stuff I've learned over the last couple of days. When things like this happen, and I'm sure it will happen again, I try to evaluate what I'm trying to do here. What are my goal's and what sort of accomplishments do I have, or looking forward to having, and are capable of doing? I don't think that I can honestly answer that, I guess I'm just trying to feed my family and try to give them a safe, positive, reinforcing environment that they can grow up in. Having animals in there to take care of and be responsible, to see how they live, grow, and how to mourn when they die. Keren, it's really disheartening when you spend good money for good animals, just to have something stupid happen, and losing them. All a person can do is move on, and learn from your experiences. That's why I like these boards, we can all learn from peoples mistakes, if ones brave enough to share there mistakes without being bashed by a few of the members, I haven't seen that lately though, so maybe they just moved on. It's funny, someone on here was bragging about how much money they one at a casino a little while ago, they said " yep, now I can buy some more calves" I was thinking the same thing as they were telling there story. Some may think that were crazy, I starting to wonder the same thing. Do crazy people know if there crazy, or do they think that there all right, it's just the rest of the world that's screwed up?

Hello Toby that crazy person would be me. :lol: Yes we do know we are crazy and yes some of these people seem crazy to us. :banana:
I was happy to win ,didn't really think I was bragging. Heck I was tickled to death. Maybe it was a crazy thing to do buying calves. But I know what I am doing . Saying that, I know how to care for them once I bring them home. So far I bought 14 and all are doing very well. Most of them cost me 50.00 a head. I will make a profit on them and then I can go another trip.
Dang it I wish I was home when this thread started. But I was busy getting ready for the wedding. Anyway,the process we do when taking a calf(like you did) takes 3 people. ,One to shoot the cow,one to start milking the cow and one to cut the calf out. This all has to be done fairly quick as you know. When the calf is out hold upside down as to get most of the fluid out of the lungs. The next step is to warm the calf in a tub of really warm water. Warm colostrum (from the cow) bottle or tube it does not matter at this point . Just get it in them. Dry calf that helps with stimulation. If you have a space heater ,turn it on and keep that baby warm. I would have given it a shot of B-12. I wouldn't have worried about BO-SE yet. Every 2 hours I would have given more colostrum. I would have also have a 2 qt. bottle of electrolyes. Giving them 1 pint at a time with the colostrum until it was gone. The first 24 hours is touch and as you know. But keep messing with it,rubbing their back,legs and turning it. If at this point they start going cold on you. Put it back in a tub of really warm water. I myself find the tub alot easier to bring their body temp up quicker.
This is what makes a person crazy,when you do all that you can do.........

 

[Keren]

Good post joy.

Although I've done many sacrificial caesars on sheep (and a few goats) and I've never had the luxury of having helpers. I milk the colostrum before, then cut the ewe's throat, then cut out the lamb/s.

Tub of water does work well, here's another hint - wrap the calf in a big garbage bag with just his head sticking out, then put him in the tub, stops him getting wet so you dont have to worry about chills afterwards. Its also good if you have a live momma and that way the calf still smells like her.

I have also been known to put calves, lambs and kids into my bed with the electric blanket on, and all the blankets piled over them.

 

[Rob Johnson]

Getting kicked is a daily thing around here. It seems like the farm is seeing how much I can take. One thing after another. I have only been doing this for five years, but one thing I figured out right away was that Farmers and ranchers are very optimistic people, next year will be better. Fuel prices should go down, then come planting season and guess what. Fertilizer should be down, but it's not. I can get .95 for a calf but my wife paid 2.99 for a pound of hamburger. Prices will go up if I just hang on a bit longer.
Farmers and Ranchers take it in the shorts for the entire country. Always thinking things will get better but they never do. Makes me wonder what I'm doing this for on a -40 degree day.
But then, things will be better next year.