Attention faster horses

[puzzled in oregon]

faster horses,

Remember Itty Bitty, the little cow that has calved three times and never delivered her calf unassisted, calves were always presented correctly,
would get as far as feet and nose being visible, but everything would stop at that point. She would never push the calf on out, she would not
even assist pushing the calf as I pulled it.

Well guess what, went out and checked her at 6:30 this morning, she was just standing there chewing her cud, no indication she was ready to
begin the calving process. Went out about 2 ½ hours later, there she is with a healthy calf on the ground.

I want to thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge and for taking time to advise me on a good mineral supplement.

Again, I thank you and Itty Bitty thanks you.

puzzled in oregon

 

[TCRanch]

Congrats!!

 

[MtnCows93]

alright looking good!

 

[Double R Ranch]

That's so awesome! Congratulations!


@faster horses

 

[faster horses]

I couldn't be happier for you and itty bitty!!
And she LOVES her baby!!

 

[tex452]

faster horses,

Remember Itty Bitty, the little cow that has calved three times and never delivered her calf unassisted, calves were always presented correctly,
would get as far as feet and nose being visible, but everything would stop at that point. She would never push the calf on out, she would not
even assist pushing the calf as I pulled it.

Well guess what, went out and checked her at 6:30 this morning, she was just standing there chewing her cud, no indication she was ready to
begin the calving process. Went out about 2 ½ hours later, there she is with a healthy calf on the ground.

I want to thank you for your willingness to share your knowledge and for taking time to advise me on a good mineral supplement.

Again, I thank you and Itty Bitty thanks you.

puzzled in oregon

I must have missed the discussion on a good mineral supplement.
Which is the best?

 

[puzzled in oregon]

I must have missed the discussion on a good mineral supplement.
Which is the best

Vigortone was recommended, but not available in my area. Wind and Rain is available, but only with high Magnesium.
Was able to get a supplement by PayBack that I think is going to work well for this area, and is available again after the Covid panic.
I see an improvement in my cows condition coming out of winter and the calves are definitely a livelier group this year.
I opted to use the minerals versus protein tubs.

 

[Lannie]

I missed this when you first posted it, but thank you SO much for the little video. I just love hearing mommy-mooing! So sweet!

 

[Travlr]

Vigortone was recommended, but not available in my area. Wind and Rain is available, but only with high Magnesium.
Was able to get a supplement by PayBack that I think is going to work well for this area, and is available again after the Covid panic.
I see an improvement in my cows condition coming out of winter and the calves are definitely a livelier group this year.
I opted to use the minerals versus protein tubs.

I gotta ask... does everybody think complicated or expensive is better than simple and cheap? What's wrong with salt blocks? Magnesium block in the spring before the grass comes on and a red block the rest of the year. Done and doner.

I suppose there are some places where they have some kind of weird soil that lacks what these blocks don't have... but I have yet to see it.

 

[aprille218]

Cows have to lick on blocks a lot in order to get enough of the minerals. Loose minerals and salt they can just take a mouth full and be done.

 

[Travlr]

Cows have to lick on blocks a lot in order to get enough of the minerals. Loose minerals and salt they can just take a mouth full and be done.

I always thought that was why they made it in blocks. A self regulating system so it's not too expensive and the cattle get what they need but don't overdo or waste. I mean... it is TRACE minerals, right?

 

[gcreekrch]

I always thought that was why they made it in blocks. A self regulating system so it's not too expensive and the cattle get what they need but don't overdo or waste. I mean... it is TRACE minerals, right?

Trace in blocks is correct. Most areas will show benefits from using a loose mineral made for that specific area. The neighbor's here are getting the benefit from our ten year feed, water, soil and blood testing.
Mineral is expensive but it costs a lot less than treating unthifty cattle for maladies easily avoided with a good mineral program.

You just keep doing you though, sounds like it is working well on your operation.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

Could they lick enough block to get what they need? It's hard to imagine.

 

[Travlr]

Trace in blocks is correct. Most areas will show benefits from using a loose mineral made for that specific area. The neighbor's here are getting the benefit from our ten year feed, water, soil and blood testing.
Mineral is expensive but it costs a lot less than treating unthifty cattle for maladies easily avoided with a good mineral program.

You just keep doing you though, sounds like it is working well on your operation.

I'm not saying that there might be some benefit to loose mineral... somewhere. But it seems like a lot of people get caught up in complicated solutions to simple (or largely non-existent) problems and the... more you spend, the better the solution... syndrome.

My point being that all inputs accumulate in an industry with small returns on investment. I've owned cattle in three states and visited lots of other places and I have my doubts that the local, more expensive options are an improvement for most people. A lot of people are sold on the idea that various things are "cheap insurance" when all they really are is more expense to assuage some kind of fear they are being sold.

I've heard there are soils in Michigan that have some weak mineral contents, and I'm sure there are other places too. But somehow cattle thrive all over the world, and have thrived in most of the U.S. before expensive minerals, pretty much forever.

But as you say, you do you and I'll just keep questioning anyone selling me something.

 

[Travlr]

Could they lick enough block to get what they need? It's hard to imagine.

Every vitamin on the shelf intended for human consumption has a label that says the dosage you are taking is many more times the requirement of a normal person. Trace minerals are very small amounts and a healthy animal on healthy soil doesn't need anything. The only reason to have minerals at all is to supplement animals that aren't getting the very small amounts of minerals that keep them healthy and productive. Some animals don't process the minerals they get as well as they should, and some soils don't have everything they need... but it's got to be pretty rare that any animal needs large amounts of mineral. And if they do we shouldn't be using them for breeding replacements, IMO.

 

[Son of Butch]

But overlook selenium at your own peril, a rare and expensive mineral, nearly $150,000 ton, but toxic at high levels.
It was discovered in 1957 that a trace amount of selenium was essential for mammals.

p.s.
Trace amounts of Selenium is also used in fertilizer for lettuce to reduce lead contamination and by foliar feeding peach and pear trees
to produce firmer, longer lasting fruits.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

But overlook selenium at your own peril, a rare mineral and toxic at high levels. It was discovered in 1957 that trace amounts of
selenium were essential for mammals.

Our area is low in selenium.

 

[Silver]

Could they lick enough block to get what they need? It's hard to imagine.

Given free choice my cows at times go through more pounds of TM block salt than pounds of loose mineral.

 

[Travlr]

Our area is low in selenium.

I wonder if that's common in damp soils or places that get a lot of rain?

 

[puzzled in oregon]

I gotta ask... does everybody think complicated or expensive is better than simple and cheap? What's wrong with salt blocks? Magnesium block in the spring before the grass comes on and a red block the rest of the year. Done and doner.

I suppose there are some places where they have some kind of weird soil that lacks what these blocks don't have... but I have yet to see it.

I think with this little cow it was like with some people that may have an isolated deficiency. She had access to the
same protein tubs, same trace mineral blocks/selenium etc. as all of my cows, which isn't very many.

She has a big cow appetite, maybe weighs 650 lbs., weaned a 6 month calf that weighed 480#, I know that is not big by some
standards, but in relation to her size it's not to bad. That is about the equivalent of a 1400 lb. cow weaning a 1000 lb.
calf at 6 months.
She puts a lot into her calf during gestation and after. This area of Oregon is also known for low selenium, but getting her a proper
balance of Calcium and Phosphorus was the focus. Conversation with my veterinarian, the calcium deficiency was also her thought
as to why there was no hard labor.

Most of you would not have allowed this little cow to live, but as a calf she was determined to survive, and her mom was determined
to take care of her, and I have a problem with the idea of her swinging on a meat hook. So she stays, and yes she gets a lot of of attention
when she is close to calving, she gets checked every 2-4 hrs 24/7. My choice.

But my education continues