I have a new Limosine bull bred over Angus/Limo crossed cows. Have lost 2 out of three calves so far this yr, not good! Both dead calves were very large from older cows that have never had calving problems. The healthy calf was second calf of young angus cow. All cows have been turned in on winter rye and are very fat. Does anyone think that the cows are too fat and that could be why the calves are being born dead, or the bull is throwing big calves ? I have temporarily taken the cows off the rye and feeding them hay. Your opinion , please ? (Usually our cows are too thin not too fat ?)
CALVES TOO BIG ?
- Thread starter GuitarZan
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randiliana
Well-known member
GuitarZan":rdmtvshf said:
Have you seen one of those calves born? They could be too big, they could have been born with the sac over their nose, and if the cow was tired from the birth she may not have gotten up and cleaned the calf off in time. They could have been stillborn.
Was the healthy calf big too? Did you see it born.
There could be several reasons for the calves to be dead.
Did the bull have EPDs and do you know his weight at birth?I would say it is a bull problem but could be the cows too fat also. After about 6 mos. of pregnancy alot of what the cow gets will go towards the calf.
mtncows
Well-known member
Could be either.If cows are overfat and under exercised they can have calving problems. If you can get them on a lighter diet and they can move about a large pasture it may help.If the birth weight of the calves is extremely high then I would stockyard the bull. Could be a little of both.You say cows are usually not as fat.Have you used this bull before?Has anyone else?
Susie David
Well-known member
Post the EPDs on the bull and watch the responses...
Our new guy has a CED of 11 so don't expect trouble next year.
DMC
Our new guy has a CED of 11 so don't expect trouble next year.
DMC
AngusLimoX
Well-known member
Any weights on the dead ones? Large means different things to different herds.
To All,
Thanks for all the comments and advice. Will try to answer most questions. I bought the bull from a local breeder and he does not keep any bull that are born over 90 lbs, cannot seem to find the papers on him right now, but will post the EPD's if on the registration papers. Don't know what the dead calves weighed but one was so big that my son and I could hardly swing him up onto the tailgate of the truck. Both mothers were very fat and no I was not present at delivery. Was expecting the one as her bag was strutted but the other cow was not and neither was dialated. The healthy calf's mother was not as big a cow and not as fat (2nd calf). had a new healthy calf hit the ground yesterday and he (bull) is also a (2nd calf) from a young cow not so large and fat as most of the others. I have them all on the weight watcher's diet now so maybe that will help. Thanks so much for the replies. Will post the EPD's when I find the papers. And will try to catch the next calf while birthing !. Thanks and God Bless !
GuitarZan
Thanks for all the comments and advice. Will try to answer most questions. I bought the bull from a local breeder and he does not keep any bull that are born over 90 lbs, cannot seem to find the papers on him right now, but will post the EPD's if on the registration papers. Don't know what the dead calves weighed but one was so big that my son and I could hardly swing him up onto the tailgate of the truck. Both mothers were very fat and no I was not present at delivery. Was expecting the one as her bag was strutted but the other cow was not and neither was dialated. The healthy calf's mother was not as big a cow and not as fat (2nd calf). had a new healthy calf hit the ground yesterday and he (bull) is also a (2nd calf) from a young cow not so large and fat as most of the others. I have them all on the weight watcher's diet now so maybe that will help. Thanks so much for the replies. Will post the EPD's when I find the papers. And will try to catch the next calf while birthing !. Thanks and God Bless !
GuitarZan
preston39
Well-known member
guitarzan.
What was the mammas' feed routine during the gestation period...especially the last 4 months?
What was the mammas' feed routine during the gestation period...especially the last 4 months?
Preston,
All the cows (9 cows and 1 bull) have been left on winter rye (20ac. fld) since Dec 1,06, before that ,hay and cotton seed.
Oh yeah, I found the papers on the bull (born1/25/05), the individual EPD's are as follows: CED- 6 , BW- 1.8 , WW-37,
YW-71, MA-21, CEM-5, SC.02 According to this under individual performance -Actual , his CE was A and his BW was 68 All greek to me ! Comments , please.
GuitarZan
All the cows (9 cows and 1 bull) have been left on winter rye (20ac. fld) since Dec 1,06, before that ,hay and cotton seed.
Oh yeah, I found the papers on the bull (born1/25/05), the individual EPD's are as follows: CED- 6 , BW- 1.8 , WW-37,
YW-71, MA-21, CEM-5, SC.02 According to this under individual performance -Actual , his CE was A and his BW was 68 All greek to me ! Comments , please.
GuitarZan
r and s peckman
Well-known member
From the EPDs, it doesn't look like the bull was the problem. But stranger things have happened. It sounds like you have been feeding them to much and to well.
