Black Buzzards

[MrJimH]

Lost the last 4 out of 7 calves to black buzzards.

Dad caught the first one between the time the eyes were poked out and it died.

The last two were twins they got as she gave birth.

They also likely got 3-4 of my dad's calves this year too.

Besides the SSS, is there any season were this problem is less? Do they migrate in winter?

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

They wore us out at our farm in northern Kentucky this spring. We lost 3 calves that we know of.

We're about to calve out 28 first time heifers or 2nd calf cows and I'm really nervous about a reoccurrence.

Where are you located?

 

[Bigfoot]

I guess I'm paranoid. The buzzards around my place look like black buzzards. I never see red headed turkey vultures anymore. To my knowledge nobody has lost a calf to them.

 

[inyati13]

I been shootin on sight. And I am the best shot this side of the mississippi

 

[glacierridge]

We have coyotes that have been known to steal calves out of freshening cows...
Buzzards sound awful too!!

 

[Bigfoot]

We have coyotes that have been known to steal calves out of freshening cows...
Buzzards sound awful too!!

They don't sound like the "good" coyotes.

 

[glacierridge]

There are good coyotes?

 

[dun]

There are good coyotes?

Yeah, people post pictures of them all the time, usually on the tailgate of truck but they all have a hole in them

 

[herofan]

Wow, sounds like terrible buzzard trouble. I live in Southern KY, and we don't have that issue. We have the red headed turkey buzzards. I just heard someone lately talk about how we didn't have as many as we once did here. He said when he was a kid, he had seen up to 100 around a dead carcass. These days, there may be 5. they will circle a dead carcass forever before coming in. We don't have any issues with them bothering live animals.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Wow, sounds like terrible buzzard trouble. I live in Southern KY, and we don't have that issue. We have the red headed turkey buzzards. I just heard someone lately talk about how we didn't have as many as we once did here. He said when he was a kid, he had seen up to 100 around a dead carcass. These days, there may be 5. they will circle a dead carcass forever before coming in. We don't have any issues with them bothering live animals.

Be thankful and pray they stay out of your area.

My wife's uncle runs cattle in Casey County and he wasn't familiar with these Mexican Buzzards either.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Just use one S the shoot on sight. Calve in cold weather, or get your cows to calve after dark.

 

[Bigfoot]

How old is a calf, before they will leave it alone?

 

[Alan]

Never seen a black buzzard nor do we have a problem with buzzard out here, but I would guess they just go after the fresh newborns, the first day or two old, but that's just a guess.

I'm always amazed how different things are in different regions, by different I mean things I'm not use to. For example coyotes never bother my calves, new born or not. I have never heard any of the cattle folk here complain about them. We have turkey vultures but they don't bother anything. Although during the last few years they have seem to learn about placenta, it's became a race between coyotes, vultures and bald eagle to who gets dibs on left over placenta. I'll take a shot at the yotes but as long as the cow has had time at the placenta i'll let the vultures and eagles have at it.

 

[glacierridge]

There are good coyotes?

Yeah, people post pictures of them all the time, usually on the tailgate of truck but they all have a hole in them

Oh that's a good coyote.
You could even say it's "holy" :lol:

 

[inyati13]

Anne, that is a good wisecrack. I like it.

Bigfoot and Alan. The black vulture is attacted by the red headed vultures flying around to get the afterbirth. I find the afterbirth if the cow has not eaten it and take it completely out of the pasture for disposal. Leaving it only rewards them. But when the black vultures arrive on scene, they want warm meat so they will go right after the calf. I don't care who knows it and how protected they are. I shoot everyone I see. You can knock me down, step on my name, do anything you want to do but don't hurt my babies.

Red Bull Breeder has concluded the same thing I have. They don't come around as bad in late winter so if your cows calve then, you are somewhat safe. But I started seeing them by April. Also, vulture's roost so are not a factor at night. But how do you tell your cow to only give birth at night?

 

[Bigfoot]

Are the black buzzards I'm seeing just like the ones that give caustic trouble? I think those guys down that way call the trouble ones Mexican buzzards.

 

[inyati13]

The black vulture or buzzard is black with a gray head. The Head is not feathered but probably a little more feathered than the turkey vulture. I am sure you have them. They are abundant here.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Are the black buzzards I'm seeing just like the ones that give caustic trouble? I think those guys down that way call the trouble ones Mexican buzzards.

Yes. They are the same bigfoot.

 

[Bigfoot]

I've never lost a calf to one. I guess it's just a matter of time till they develope a taste for them.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I've never lost a calf to one. I guess it's just a matter of time till they develope a taste for them.

Up in our neck of the woods we don't lose them to just one either. There are generally a dozen or more swarming in all at once. Some distract the cow while the others attack the calve. It doesn't help that there is a major roost just across the Ohio River from our main farm.

I'm going up this weekend and I'm going to move the 28 that are due to calve in September down to the house where hopefully someone can keep an eye out for trouble. Need to do that anyway since the majority of them are first time calving heifers. It's only a 5 mile trip.