Calving Season Over With A Bang!!

[angie1]

Realized this morning when I got home from work, the last heifer (June) was in labor. Well ~ went out to watch her. She was pushing. Too much time passes so I go in the house and call the vet. He is on his way out.

Husband helps me get her into the barn, I put her halter on. Vet gets here, checks. He says the brownish/ yellowish discharge from cow indicates calf is coming backwards and has gone poop. Calf is coming backwards, butt first. He pushes the calf forward, gets back feet out and hooks the pull to them. He says is maybe not enough room to pull in the pen so we bring her out into the small pasture just out the door, and snub her to a tree. He pulls slowly but steady, and soon calf is born. Its a little girl. :clap: They tip a feeder sideways and drape her over it so she is hanging upside down.

He goes to check her and finds another. This one is coming as it should. He gets the feet out, hooks the chains on but does not use the puller, just the hook w/ a handle. Second one comes out just great, is another heifer calf! Gets draped over the feeder to take her turn upside down. June, the mom, she is talking to her babies. Vet checks one more time, says she is done, gives her a shot of oxetocin (sp?). I write him a check for $111, and the calving season is finished!!!!

Both babies are up and eating and all is well.
Cool huh?

Like the other 08 heifers, they will be named after flowers, I have chosen Lily for one. Am undecided on second.

About 15 and 20 minutes old ~

About an hour old ~

 

[Jogeephus]

Fantastic job. The first picture would also be a good one to post when people are trying to explain how the teats are turned out prior to calving.

Oh, as for a name. I'd call him Acacia or Ace for short. Acacia means beauty in withdrawal and hidden love. Kinda appropriate I think.

 

[bigbull338]

those are nice looking lil twin heifers.i hope your going to keep both of those cute lil girls.has both of them sucked.

 

[rockridgecattle]

Very nice indeed!
So are you going to bottle feed one or supplement the cow? Twins on a heiffer will be tough. Doable but tough.
flowers..dianthus, di for short.
iris. peony, daisy....drawing a blank

 

[KNERSIE]

Glad it worked out good, I still hate twins though. Good thing mom seems to have plenty of milk.

 

[TREY-L]

Congratulations Angie! Those little girls are some real beauties! I'm sure glad everything turned out well for you.

Now you can finally get some sleep, just don't let anyone escape at work tonight.

 

[angie1]

Both of the girls have nursed and are out there learning new hopping and jumping tricks already. I have conferred with those in charge of Big Decisions, and their names are Poppy and Paisley (I know Paisley is not a flower, she will be odd one out).

The vet said that June has enough milk for both for sure for a week. He said after that, watch to see if one is more dominate and pushes the other out. He also said unless the cow is in poor condition, increasing feed does little in the way of increasing milk in beef animals. Said there is no way June needs extra feed. That being said, I will watch her and the calves for any signs of being shorted and make a decision at that time. I would prefer not to bottle feed, but too bad for me if that is the case.

As far as having twins ~ so far I find them delightful. June is a good momma to them, and a very easy heifer to work with.

Trey I am at home. Here at home I encourage escapees. :lol2:

 

[SRBeef]

Just another quiet day in Lake Wobegon, eh? Congratulations and thanks for sharing the story and pictures.

 

[angie1]

Hey SRB ~ you have my cattle in your avatar!!

Paisley went through the fence tonight where the grass is greener and the big calves play. I heard her mom bawling. Took me and my youngest awhile to find her in the deep grass. I was afraid she had gone somewhere else. I lowered the fence strands and plugged it back in. She tried it again and got zapped good. I am hoping she stays where she belongs. Would like to have them seperate at least until tomorrow.

 

[chrisy]

angie came over and took a peek as I said, and that was well worth the time, lovely looking babies. Congrats. nice looking Momma too.

 

[Chris H]

Congratulations! Nice looking calves, are they Herf/Red Angus cross?

 

[angie1]

Thanks chrisy ~ we like them! :nod:

Chris ~ the calves are herf/lim cross. The bull is purebred. The mom......? Vet said there is more than herf in her to give her that much milk. I can't tell by looking at her though.

All is well this morning. :nod:

 

[CKC1586]

angie and June, Congratualtions!!!!!!! Heifers!!!!!YAHOO!!!! They are beautiful. She looks like she has good groceries for her babies.
Hey, how are your little sale barn calves doing??

 

[angie1]

angie and June, Congratualtions!!!!!!! Heifers!!!!!YAHOO!!!! They are beautiful. She looks like she has good groceries for her babies.
Hey, how are your little sale barn calves doing??

I know ~ is cool they are both heifers huh?
Joan and Sassy? They are doing great! I just got in from feeding them (AND the misquitoes :help: ). I wormed them today. They were not impressed. They live with the big cattle. I go out with bottles and call for them ~ they come running from where ever they are. Must be good stuff. :nod:

 

[CKC1586]

Yes! Very good that they are both heifers! :clap: A good Fourth of July gift!
Glad to hear Joan and Sassy are thriving, good job!

 

[backhoeboogie]

Angie,

I have two cows in the pasture that were twin heifer calves 4 years back. Both have become good cows. I wish the same for you. Funny that a heifer produced twins.

 

[Txwalt]

Thats great Angie. I'm happy for you. Great way to end the calving season.

Walt

 

[angie1]

Thanks guys! All is well. Mom licks bug spray off as soon as I can get it on so I give up there. The vet said it is odd to see twins of a heifer as well. Said it increases chance of her having them again as well as Poppy and Paisley having twins when they start to calf.

 

[Angus In Texas]

Congrats on the twins angie!!!

 

[mnmtranching]

Angie, congrats on the twins :clap: Twin heifers do make good cows, got some in my herd. And if you decide to keep them in your herd you WILL see more twins. Thats nice that the cow has enough milk.