Black Longhorn: Good Patient!

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Stuff happens...right? LOL. This past week we had a first: Young 2nd calf black registered Longhorn cow had a stillborn (full term) heifer calf following a breech delivery (guess we experienced that 1% factor with Longhorns).

A very good mama with a 47" rack, she let us tend her in her shed and try to revive her calf while she was licking it...only about a foot away from us. Later, my wife picked up the calf and weighed it. Several hours later, she picked up the calf and removed it from mama with no incident.

When placenta wasn't passed within 8 hours, we called 2 Vets who weren't available. When she still hadn't passed the placenta two days later, called one of our Vets again--not interested in dealing with a "wild" longhorn...Vet gave us 3 injections to use. Wife did that with no problems.

After 24 hours passed and no result, we put mama in our "Medina Hinge" squeeze unit, tied her horns to the small end. Wife climbed into the back end and inserted her arm into vagina to see if hanging afterbirth could be easily released (cow didn't move, kick, or complaign). Decided to not risk further action.

Next day, our other Vet said "bring her over". Mama walked right down our chute area and loaded in our trailer like a well trained horse. She was back home within the hour after Vet removed plug at uterus and gave her more Rx. Mama doing well now, and her appetite is returning.

Our Longhorns are routinely handled from birth and can be sorted, moved, and handled easily with little help from food treats, calling their name, and having a trust relationship with them. It has also helped that we try to purchase and breed only quality stock with great temperaments. Never rush them when handling---usually just takes a few minutes to do something with them.

While this black cow had the most activity and invasive treatment we've had to do with one of ours, they all seem to well understand that we are trying to help them and they trust us.

So much for the "crazy, wild, dangerous, and unruly notion about Longhorns! Yes, there are some out there for sure. On the other hand, selecting the proper genetics and present temperaments goes a long way to having a very docile and manageable herd of registered Texas Longhorn cattle.



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An interesting post to read, just sorry you lost the calf but glad the mom is okay...I agree that some seem to know when you're trying to help, especially when you have worked to get their trust (before something goes wrong); it sure helps when there's a problem, doesn't it. At least one vet was willing to help.



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> Stuff happens...right? LOL. This
> past week we had a first: Young
> 2nd calf black registered Longhorn
> cow had a stillborn (full term)
> heifer calf following a breech
> delivery (guess we experienced
> that 1% factor with Longhorns).

> A very good mama with a 47"
> rack, she let us tend her in her
> shed and try to revive her calf
> while she was licking it...only
> about a foot away from us. Later,
> my wife picked up the calf and
> weighed it. Several hours later,
> she picked up the calf and removed
> it from mama with no incident.

> When placenta wasn't passed within
> 8 hours, we called 2 Vets who
> weren't available. When she still
> hadn't passed the placenta two
> days later, called one of our Vets
> again--not interested in dealing
> with a "wild"
> longhorn...Vet gave us 3
> injections to use. Wife did that
> with no problems.

> After 24 hours passed and no
> result, we put mama in our
> "Medina Hinge" squeeze
> unit, tied her horns to the small
> end. Wife climbed into the back
> end and inserted her arm into
> vagina to see if hanging
> afterbirth could be easily
> released (cow didn't move, kick,
> or complaign). Decided to not risk
> further action.

> Next day, our other Vet said
> "bring her over". Mama
> walked right down our chute area
> and loaded in our trailer like a
> well trained horse. She was back
> home within the hour after Vet
> removed plug at uterus and gave
> her more Rx. Mama doing well now,
> and her appetite is returning.

> Our Longhorns are routinely
> handled from birth and can be
> sorted, moved, and handled easily
> with little help from food treats,
> calling their name, and having a
> trust relationship with them. It
> has also helped that we try to
> purchase and breed only quality
> stock with great temperaments.
> Never rush them when
> handling---usually just takes a
> few minutes to do something with
> them.

> While this black cow had the most
> activity and invasive treatment
> we've had to do with one of ours,
> they all seem to well understand
> that we are trying to help them
> and they trust us.

> So much for the "crazy, wild,
> dangerous, and unruly notion about
> Longhorns! Yes, there are some out
> there for sure. On the other hand,
> selecting the proper genetics and
> present temperaments goes a long
> way to having a very docile and
> manageable herd of registered
> Texas Longhorn cattle.

Bill That is so AWSOME!!!! You should be proud of your wife, your heifer, and your self!! Just sorry for your loss that is always bad. I agree it allways paws to spend training time with them.

I had to collect my cow and calf off range at the neighboors. He said They have gone wild and did't think I could do it te cow came to me with grain,I put on a halterand led her away. The calf to my supprise layed down and I put a halter on him and led him away. Training pays big time!! That floored my neighboor!!!

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Yes...very proud of them all!

Regardless of the livestock breed, if you can get close to them, interact, touch them as much as possible (even if they just sniff or lick your hand) you are building a lot of trust that will pay off in the long run.

Scared, mistrusting cattle have "flight zones" whether it is with their handlers or strangers. Trusting, connected cattle know when you are trying to help and they will let you and are willing to please.

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At times it's rather irritating not having a flight zone. You can't work them from behind if they keep turning around to see what your doing. And I'm too old anymore to put my shoulder against their butt to push them out of the way.

dun

> Yes...very proud of them all!

> Regardless of the livestock breed,
> if you can get close to them,
> interact, touch them as much as
> possible (even if they just sniff
> or lick your hand) you are
> building a lot of trust that will
> pay off in the long run.

> Scared, mistrusting cattle have
> "flight zones" whether
> it is with their handlers or
> strangers. Trusting, connected
> cattle know when you are trying to
> help and they will let you and are
> willing to please.
 
I was just wondering what's your next move with this cow?? Grafting a calf? Sale barn? We would graft a calf and she'd be growing wheels after the calf was weaned.

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Last summer we A.I.ed a heifer in the allyway because she wouldn't move up into the chute. We didn't even tie her up and we prepared for her backing up for moving forward and she stayed still. she walked out on her own as we were packing up to leave. Talk about tame

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At this point it is wait and see. She has a heavy background with solid red and solid black pedigree with respectable horn in her lineage.

As of today, she was moving much better (probably not as sore) and eating better--let me pet her and she followed me to her regular area (she had been in our corral for observation and treatment).

Assuming there was no reproductive damage and the breech birth was a fluke, we'll put her with another one of our bulls in 45-60 days and give her another chance. If the next calf turns out a problem, we'll cut our losses and she's taking a trip....she is 3 years and 1 month old--this was her 2nd calf.

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True, Dun. If they are being a pest when you are trying to move through them to another pasture or whatever, I always carry a few cubes or a flake of alfalfa and toss it out of my way. Don't do this regular or consistent (don't want train bad habits in them).

Cattle are like Labrador dogs--they are always hungry and they'll do about anything for a treat...lol.



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We move the girls by waving a white stick, in front of them where we want them to go. They're so conditioned to be moved around when we put up new polywire, which we mount on white tread in posts. Wherever we want them I just walk ahead and wave the stick over my head. Sometimes feel like a drum major leading a parade.

dun

> True, Dun. If they are being a
> pest when you are trying to move
> through them to another pasture or
> whatever, I always carry a few
> cubes or a flake of alfalfa and
> toss it out of my way. Don't do
> this regular or consistent (don't
> want train bad habits in them).

> Cattle are like Labrador
> dogs--they are always hungry and
> they'll do about anything for a
> treat...lol.
 
i can lead mine anywhere but if i try to go at them from behind they either turn around to see what i have or scatter. if i take anyone to help load or work i have to make them wait in the truck or most of the time go by myself. they don't like company.
> At times it's rather irritating
> not having a flight zone. You
> can't work them from behind if
> they keep turning around to see
> what your doing. And I'm too old
> anymore to put my shoulder against
> their butt to push them out of the
> way.

> dun



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I think I would give her another chance if it were me. I bought a well bred 60" tip to tip five year old cow that I've had two years now-I'll just give a quick run down of my experiences with her. Snow Queen had a Levi 6 bull calf on her at the time of purchase. The calf was three weeks old at time of purchase-he grew out well, has a ton of horn and is currently breeding a pen of heifers. Snow Queen was bred to my Tabasco son and I anticipated a heifer from this mating for the duration of the pregnancy. Well, Snow Queen gave birth to a heifer but it was premature and after several weeks of relentless caring for the calf, it died. She bred back to Earl-same Tabasco son and gave birth to a nice black bull this time. All was well until he came down with scours which I tried to treat myself and ended up almost losing him. But with a day and a half hospitalization and losing two nights sleep I and my trusty vet pulled him through. This calf is one of the better that I have had this year. I don't believe that Snow Queen can help that she had a premature baby last year or that she had a calf this year that contrated scours (the vet diagnosed it as a serious strain of e coli bacteria) and I'm very glad that I gave her another chance. She should be bred back now to a new 66" horned bull that we've acquired (big, beefy bull with huge horns). Man, I hope I get a heifer this next time!
 

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