Big Thanks to Denvermartinfarms

[stocky]

Jason, They run from about 330 to 450, depending on sex and quality---generally around 375-425 for good bulls. There are not alot available right now because there have been so many calf losses with this weather and so many auctions are missing days due to icy and snow covered roads. There is a huge demand from people who want to put calves on cows that lost calves. The majority of people do not do this, but enough do that there is a huge demand after bad weather. A month old calf is perfect and usually doesn't cost more than a week old calf because so many people believe they need a newborn calf for grafting. There are several less than a week old dairy calves and bottle calves, but those are not best for grafting. Update: All three calves are sucking at their leisure and the new mothers are very content.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I've gotta say I'm a little suprised at how smoothly and quick they have been accepted by you cows.

 

[kenny thomas]

Hey Denver, I need a jersey steer weighing 1300 that will grade prime and be less than 16 months old. Trucks will be coming back from Nebraska mid week next week. Can pick him up there. Oh and he needs to cost less than .60. Is that ok? hahaha
Really, thanks for helping a fellow cattleman.

 

[stocky]

Denver, The trailer method works wonders. These calves were just a little younger, so I gave them a little encouragement, letting them suck my finger a minute before I put them in with the cow. The black white face was the most aggressive, then the black heifer, and the younger black with the ear tag needed just a little bit more and then all three were sucking by dark. This morning, all three were sucking and they were at it again before dark this evening. I will leave them together in the trailer until Monday morning, then put them in individual pens for a day or two, then they should be ready to turn out with the herd. I don't like to put them with the herd too quickly, don't want to have to get them up again to reunite them.

 

[Nesikep]

What is this trailer method? Any tips on grafting calves is good to know... I did buy some Orphan-No-More when I saw it at the Coop just in case.
The best luck I had grafting was a twin heifer that her mom didnt' want.. she spent the night in the shop, and I had a cow that lost hers (breech birth) and I had milked a couple times.. she never got to sniff her dead calf.. The next morning I brought the twin up the chute, the new momma said "MOO!", and that was the end of the story.. it was hers... kinda like "where did you go with it for the last couple days?"

Good to hear people helping each other out... I try to when I can, especially on the roads... I've had my butt saved by strangers several times, and am trying to buy more of that karma in advance... 2 weeks ago I pulled a guy in a Suburban out of a big ditch.. he had been waiting a couple hours for a tow truck, and I though I might as well give it a shot... It had been running a while in the snow and had iced itself in pretty good but it came out alright and he was really happy. Saved him the tow bill too and only cost me pennies and 15 minutes time... I was lucky to have a 40 foot chain though.

 

[inyati13]

Very nice story. Good one for Denver and sorry Stocky for your bad luck.

 

[CKC1586]

I really like reading things like this. Much better than reading where someone is poking someone else in the chest.

:clap: :tiphat: :nod: Couldn't agree more. Great feeling to give someone a helping hand.

 

[stocky]

Nesikep, What I call the trailer method is to get a month old, more or less, calf fresh off the cow, put it in the trailer with the new mother and usually, by morning, the calf will be sucking. I like to leave them together in the trailer for about 3 days, then turn them out in a pen for a couple of days, before putting them out to pasture. The key is for the new calf to be aggressive and make the cow take it. If the calf is too young, you may have to start it nursing, that can be tough to do in the trailer without exposing yourself to possible injury. You can sometimes speed up the mothering instincts by having a dog with you, walking around the trailer. That can help the cow to become concerned about protecting the calf. Many times, I have had the calf to start sucking in the trailer, before I got home. Something about being off the ground and even moving, helps bond the cow and calf. With the death losses from ices and snow and ponds this winter, myself and some of my friends have bought and grafted on every calf we could get hold of and it has really worked out well. PM me if you have any specific questions or any other thoughts

 

[stocky]

Liz, I am not enlightened with vocabulary to appropriately address you comments, but at least I wanted to let you know I read them. Last Monday, the average high for the date, here, was 52 degrees and the average low for the date was 36. Reality was 1/2 inch ice, followed by 2 inches sleet, followed by 12 inches of snow, with 30 mph winds during the storm. Temp Monday night was an actual -5 degrees, don't know what the wind chill was. Tuesday night was 0 degrees. Cows were in the barn, calves still froze. So, I admit, I was unprepared for temperature of 41 degrees below normal plus windchill plus 15 inches of frozen stuff in mid-March. I lost the calves, and simply did what I could do to replace them, and would not have been able to do so without the help of Denver.
That same night, a friend of mine and his children took a calf directly from it's mother to the house and put it by the stove, but with the windchill, the shock caused it to die, anyway. This has not been a kind winter to the animals or the people here on the Missouri-Arkansas line

 

[Cabo]

Liz, I am not enlightened with vocabulary to appropriately address you comments, but at least I wanted to let you know I read them. Last Monday, the average high for the date, here, was 52 degrees and the average low for the date was 36. Reality was 1/2 inch ice, followed by 2 inches sleet, followed by 12 inches of snow, with 30 mph winds during the storm. Temp Monday night was an actual -5 degrees, don't know what the wind chill was. Tuesday night was 0 degrees. Cows were in the barn, calves still froze. So, I admit, I was unprepared for temperature of 41 degrees below normal plus windchill plus 15 inches of frozen stuff in mid-March. I lost the calves, and simply did what I could do to replace them, and would not have been able to do so without the help of Denver.
That same night, a friend of mine and his children took a calf directly from it's mother to the house and put it by the stove, but with the windchill, the shock caused it to die, anyway. This has not been a kind winter to the animals or the people here on the Missouri-Arkansas line

Congrats Stocky, you were a lot more tactful with your reply than I would have been. Sorry about your loss. You must be familiar with Romans 12:20.

 

[papavillars]

This is the reason I read and like this forum. Good job Denver, and thanks stocky for the trailer tip.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Great to see people working together.

 

[CottageFarm]

Denver - Great job helping a friend !!!

Stocky - I am sooo sorry that happened to you and your herd, but I am glad that it seems to be working out for you.

Liz, Sir Loin, et al: You are such an idiot. I do possess the vocabulary that Stocky is too classy to use, but it would all get
"Be Niced" away so I won't bother. Now go back to your think tank and try a little harder 'cause the thinking part obviously isn't working well for you :roll:

 

[Hook]

Good deal dmf. We need more people like you in this world

 

[denvermartinfarms]

To bad we didn't need any this week. I got to the sale an hour late, so I don't know what the early baby calves brought. But the ones that got split off of cows in the ring tonight was good calves, some were a few weeks old and they all brought from 150$ to 275$. Just not any need this week for small calves to put on cows.

 

[Kingfisher]

Nesikep, What I call the trailer method is to get a month old, more or less, calf fresh off the cow, put it in the trailer with the new mother and usually, by morning, the calf will be sucking.

Why do folks sell such young calves?

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Nesikep, What I call the trailer method is to get a month old, more or less, calf fresh off the cow, put it in the trailer with the new mother and usually, by morning, the calf will be sucking.

Why do folks sell such young calves?

They either come off of cows that have died or off of old cows that get weighed and they can get more splitting than selling as a pair.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Nesikep, What I call the trailer method is to get a month old, more or less, calf fresh off the cow, put it in the trailer with the new mother and usually, by morning, the calf will be sucking.

Why do folks sell such young calves?

They either come off of cows that have died or off of old cows that get weighed and they can get more splitting than selling as a pair.

Those splits are what I like to buy.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

Too bad Liz didn't send a memo up to North Dakota last Sept. Could have saved 40,000 head from a natural disaster.