Calving season is upon us...

[NEFarmwife]

Well, it's here. We have 4 calves on the ground already, 3 weeks early.

Wanted to report that all 4 are out of Stingray on our first year heifers but that being said, all are healthy and vigorous.

What a crazy few days! We've hauled 160 cows and 4 calves in two days, then drove about that, home to calve.

We have about 100 coming due on the 24th with a small break before another round.

 

[gizmom]

Sounds like your have been busy with no break in sight. I hope you have a problem free calving season!

Gizmom

 

[Son of Butch]

New England Christmas calving? Then realized Ne = Nebraska lol

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

My first thought was New England- but I am a New Englander (born in R.I.)
You planned 100 head to calve 12-24?? :shock:

 

[True Grit Farms]

My first thought was New England- but I am a New Englander (born in R.I.)
You planned 100 head to calve 12-24?? :shock:

She's bound to get a Christmas present that way, the real question is was she naughty or nice?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

She will be too tired to know it's Christmas

 

[NEFarmwife]

Yes. 100 calves. Our first are expected on 24th but as you can read, a few have hit a bit earlier. We have 100 due to calve, not all on 24th but all AI'd (timed heat) within that week following. These are our first year heifers.

We have the facilities (calving barn with about 20 independent stalls and an area we pen them up at dark for enclosure separate from stalls. We have cameras to be able to check on them to reduce the number of walk-throughs but yes... went a bit more successful than planned and now, it's a bit overwhelming to think about what lies ahead.

We got 9 on the ground and about 15 that look like they're ready to calve very soon.

Sleepless in Nebraska. Snow is suppose to arrive Thursday, bet we get some calves outta that one!

And I'm on the nice list!

 

[NEFarmwife]

21 healthy calves with no assistance, on the ground. Seeing 3-4 a night now. We have 40 or so head at the moment that look like they could calve very soon.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Sure a lot less labor when everything goes the way it should. Good job partly done.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Sure a lot less labor when everything goes the way it should. Good job partly done.

Breeding for calving problems is easy. We know some folks that show Shorthorn cattle, and so far 9 out of 11 calves have needed assistance so far this year.

 

[farmerjan]

Sure a lot less labor when everything goes the way it should. Good job partly done.

Breeding for calving problems is easy. We know some folks that show Shorthorn cattle, and so far 9 out of 11 calves have needed assistance so far this year.

God bless the neighbors with the problems calving those shorthorns. I calved out 12 first calf heifers in Oct and 2 a little later, and they were bred to an easy calving bull. All had the calves and up and going within an hour each time. I would have heart failure if I had to watch them 24/7 due to calving difficulties. And calving out the fall cows we haven't had to deal with any difficulties except one backwards presentation 2 years ago that we pulled and got the calf out and momma was right there licking it and getting it up. We calve on pasture and check twice a day.
May be a little different this year with the ones I bred AI to the Aubracs; haven't preg ckd them yet as they went out with the angus for cleanup in case. Will be moving them home off pasture in the next 2 weeks. Just brought home 13 with bigger heifer calves on them and weaned 8 of the 13. Gonna sell at least 3 of the calves, and one of 2 cows, that is open. 11 of the 13 preg and one may get her first and only "second chance" as her heifer is real nice and it is unusual that she didn't breed back. We pulled the other 8 that had steer calves from that place, and sold them in mid Nov and all those cows were bred. Will make that decision in the next few days. We have done quite a bit of culling and have 10 old cows with smaller calves that will all go when we see an uptick in the market so I can be a little generous with this cow. We have plenty of hay, and she is an easy keeper, always staying in good flesh. Vet said everything felt fine.....

 

[farmerjan]

I originally thought New England also...God bless you for the "CHRISTMAS PRESENT" or curse ??? on 100 due around the holidays!!!!! This is normally the one time of year we hope to catch a break for 2 months, but we have a bunch that were late breeding and will be getting calves for another 2-3 weeks it looks like.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I am in RI with family for Christmas. Have 7 heifers due from 1st to 6th. Just got a text that we have a calf up and sucking.
I can't remember the last time we had to assist other than abnormal prensentations.
Wahoo Merry Christmas

 

[NEFarmwife]

7-10 a day a day now. 2:30-5am seem to be peek times. All are coming without assistance except for one. It was a 92# calf. Sired by SAV sensation but I'm not blaming the sire. All other sensations have been around 70#. Damn is a sim/angus that we purchased.

I don't know the count right now but we're about half done.

Did I mention the feel like temp is -5 and my boots can't keep my feet warm? Santa brought me a Glock. He should have brought me feet warmers.

 

[NEFarmwife]

4 calves in under 30 minutes! One was upside down, pulled. Another, just as my husband went to go pull the one, another birthed with calf's head underneath. Saved both.

Tonight's going to be a long night I'm thinking.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Hopefully, you get to take a nap here & there.
Most of us are careful what sire we breed to specific animals for ease of calving. So, no, we "shouldn't" need to babysit them. BUT, abnormal presentations can kill calves and kill cows. Not a risk I'm willing to take. Good job saving those babies.
I started watching cameras last night.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Hopefully, you get to take a nap here & there.
Most of us are careful what sire we breed to specific animals for ease of calving. So, no, we "shouldn't" need to babysit them. BUT, abnormal presentations can kill calves and kill cows. Not a risk I'm willing to take. Good job saving those babies.
I started watching cameras last night.

Agreed. That 92# calf was a total fluke. We wouldn't want that size calf coming out of anything, let alone a heifer. I'm sure the cows could handle it but bigger calves can cause a lot of problems. I remember when my father in law dabbled in club calves and my husband was always pulling them.

When we start the surge of cows, we won't babysit the maternity ward as often. I was up every two hours watching cameras last night so my husband could get some rest. We didn't have a single one over night which was strange but welcomed. It is freezing. I believe I heard -20 overnight.

The others don't really check cameras as often as I do but I find it hard to turn away. I told my husband it's more exciting than reality tv.

 

[Redmike]

Do u calve all in calving barn or just in bad weather ? Sure wish I had one calving a set of hefeirs now myself and really stressing over coming weather

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I live in Upstate NY. Our temperature has not been above +7F for more that a week and don't expect a let up for another week (except today got to +15 - wahoo, heatwave).
I calve from 1-1 to 3-5. So, yes, other than a "screw-up", they all calve in the barn. I pick & choose which cows/heifers "appear" to be ready, and they go in the barn at night & put out in the morning if they did not calve. When one calves, the pair stays in a pen for about 24-36 hours, then outdoors. Calves have a 3-sided shed they can get into for protection. NY cold is a lot different than a lot of other Northern states. We have very high humidity. And lots of wind.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Do u calve all in calving barn or just in bad weather ? Sure wish I had one calving a set of hefeirs now myself and really stressing over coming weather

Hope to calve in barn. We only shut them in at night though so if they calve during day, they'd calve in lot, unless we got them moved to a stall prior.

Next few nights are going to be frigid.