Calving season thus far

[gizmom]

Well our calving season has begun. We had two heifers really early on but they were out of cows we purchased so I didn't count them as officially our calving season. The heifers started calving last week so far so good on them, then a surprise. An 11 year old cow had a 20 pound calf. We looked everywhere including in her for another calf but didn't find one. I still believe there had to be another but it's gone, and at 20 pounds didn't figure the little fella would survive the day. Here we are a week later and the little sucker is still with us. I give a ton of credit to the old cow she leaves the calf long enough to go to water otherwise she is right with it he gets up moves around a bit nurses then back to sleep. our ET calves are Due 10/8 and one calved a set of twins today one was DOA the other is small but healthy both heifers, so at least one did survive and since both were heifers we should be fine. This mating was our Abigale 913 cow x SAV Bloodline so hopefully the calf is really good.

the first two heifer calves born out of purchased females. The next photo is A first calf heifer out of our 9057 donor and Renown she had a Charlo heifer calf that is pretty sporty.
G32 is out of the 11 year old cow that had the 20 pound calf, the dam of this heifer is a 5X25 daughter G32 is out of a SAV Recharge son. She had a 60 pound bull calf out of Nemo.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Alright now!
WHERE is the pictures of the 20 lb calf!!!!

Not kool teasing us like that!

Next to a full size calf pic would be awesome. And a pic of mama and calf of coarse!

Glad they are coming along for you. #I love calving season!

 

[coachg]

Could it be a preemie ? One of my daughter's cows calved 2 months early back in 2020 when I was down with my back . Man feeding for me couldn't get her separated from the main herd and the little heifer wound up getting stepped on at the hay feeder . It was about that size .

 

[gizmom]

Alright now!
WHERE is the pictures of the 20 lb calf!!!!

Not kool teasing us like that!

Next to a full size calf pic would be awesome. And a pic of mama and calf of coarse!

Glad they are coming along for you. #I love calving season!

I am bad I didn't get a picture and won't for awhile the boss and I pulled out this morning for a road trip. Heading to the gospel quartet convention then going to see a customer in Pennsylvania and visit a friend in New York by the time we get home the recips Should have all calved. I will ask Jacob to try to get one for me if he thinks about it. It's a daily check to see if he is still alive. I call him Lucky but Mike who is a very creative namer is calling him Judge Roy Bull.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Dang it!
I bet hes cute as button too!!

I hope he makes it along ok. Neighbor friends 28lb c section baby has come along great. They say she will live her entire life on the farm.

I know it's not practical but very cool anyway!

 

[gizmom]

Could it be a preemie ? One of my daughter's cows calved 2 months early back in 2020 when I was down with my back . Man feeding for me couldn't get her separated from the main herd and the little heifer wound up getting stepped on at the hay feeder . It was about that size .

Definitely premie the bull didn't go in until the 2nd week of January. But as small as it is I still think there was another calf. The smallest calf prior to this little fella was out of a first calf heifer at 35 pounds it lived but never amounted to anything

 

[gizmom]

Dang it!
I bet hes cute as button too!!

The twins want to keep him as a pet lol! His dam is sure trying to keep him alive I have been doing this awhile and have never seen a cow do more to save a baby

 

[MurraysMutts]

The twins want to keep him as a pet lol! His dam is sure trying to keep him alive I have been doing this awhile and have never seen a cow do more to save a baby

Steer him and break him to ride!
Yeeeehaww!!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I have never had a tiny calf. Wouldn't want one, but I bet it is really cute!
Where in NY????

 

[simme]

The twins want to keep him as a pet lol! His dam is sure trying to keep him alive I have been doing this awhile and have never seen a cow do more to save a baby

I don't think I have ever seen one survive at 20 pounds. As soon as the grandkids start naming those little ones, you are in trouble. Good luck with that situation. My little sister is now 62 years old. When she was about 6 or 8, dad took her to get a lamb to show. Start with a lamb and later get a calf was the plan. Dad and the sheep guy picked out a lamb for her. She spotted another one - a little tiny pitiful runt lamb. She named her Lambkin on the spot. Which lamb did she come home with and show? Yeah, that one. She did not do well in the shows, but she was happy.

 

[gizmom]

I have never had a tiny calf. Wouldn't want one, but I bet it is really cute!
Where in NY????

Sy

I have never had a tiny calf. Wouldn't want one, but I bet it is really cute!
Where in NY???S

Syaracuse probably spelled it wrong lol

 

[gizmom]

Alright now!
WHERE is the pictures of the 20 lb calf!!!!

Not kool teasing us like that!

Next to a full size calf pic would be awesome. And a pic of mama and calf of coarse!

Glad they are coming along for you. #I love calving season!

Here you go Mike took this morning one week and one day old!

Alright now!
WHERE is the pictures of the 20 lb calf!!!!

Not kool teasing us like that!

Next to a full size calf pic would be awesome. And a pic of mama and calf of coarse!

Glad they are coming along for you. #I love calving season!

 

[MurraysMutts]

Seems to be doing alright!! Knows where dinner is huh?

 

[gizmom]

View attachment 8618
Here you go Mike took this morning one week and one day old!

Mike said when he found him the day he was born he thought about just putting him down. But decided to give him a chance it's amazing he had probably gained 15 to 20 pounds. Mike side first day he stood completely under mamma and didn't hit her belly.

 

[wbvs58]

Are you sure he wasn't 20kg Gizmon? He doesn't look like 20lb to me even if he has put on weight. I've had one at 18kg and thought she was on the limit of survivability on her own to me. She used to walk straight under her mothers belly.

Ken

 

[gizmom]

if Mike tells me it was 20 pounds i Have no reason to doubt him. He is as good a cattleman as I have ever met. I didn't see the calf for the first few days it is tiny for sure.

 

[BFE]

Are you sure he wasn't 20kg Gizmon? He doesn't look like 20lb to me even if he has put on weight. I've had one at 18kg and thought she was on the limit of survivability on her own to me. She used to walk straight under her mothers belly.

Ken

Gizmon, the Rastafarian Angus breeder lol!

 

[farmerjan]

Bless her heart for taking such good care of her calf. We had a bought bwf cow one time that had a heifer calf, decent sized. Realized about 2 days later we had never seen it standing. So went to get it up and it was all deformed in the back legs. Reminded you of a scissor jack that you used to use to jack up a car to change the tire. . Was going to put it down but the cow would go over to it and stand so the calf could get up on its front legs and nurse. Next thing it was standing but couldn't walk more than a couple steps. Cow would go to it and let it nurse. Finally it got to where it could walk a little and cow would still make sure that calf could get plenty to eat. By the time it was about 4-5 months it was walking pretty decent.... It was like it had to grow to get the legs straightened out... She had several calves after that and all were normal. Sold the calf when it was weaned and you could see just a little "hitch" in her walk... guy who bought her raised a bunch as feeders so very doubtful she would have ever made it to a breeding pen. But I have never seen a calf with criss crossed legs like that or a cow so devoted to taking care of her baby.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Bless her heart for taking such good care of her calf. We had a bought bwf cow one time that had a heifer calf, decent sized. Realized about 2 days later we had never seen it standing. So went to get it up and it was all deformed in the back legs. Reminded you of a scissor jack that you used to use to jack up a car to change the tire. . Was going to put it down but the cow would go over to it and stand so the calf could get up on its front legs and nurse. Next thing it was standing but couldn't walk more than a couple steps. Cow would go to it and let it nurse. Finally it got to where it could walk a little and cow would still make sure that calf could get plenty to eat. By the time it was about 4-5 months it was walking pretty decent.... It was like it had to grow to get the legs straightened out... She had several calves after that and all were normal. Sold the calf when it was weaned and you could see just a little "hitch" in her walk... guy who bought her raised a bunch as feeders so very doubtful she would have ever made it to a breeding pen. But I have never seen a calf with criss crossed legs like that or a cow so devoted to taking care of her baby.

Great story!
My 99 cow was a good mama like that.
Her last calf got pneumonia something fierce. He hid in the trees behind the house. 2 or 3 times a day she was there feeding him. She always came to him. Did all we could for the calf but he didnt make it. It was a very sad day when she came to feed him and we had hauled him out.

 

[wbvs58]

if Mike tells me it was 20 pounds i Have no reason to doubt him. He is as good a cattleman as I have ever met. I didn't see the calf for the first few days it is tiny for sure.

I'm sure Mike is a good cattleman Gizmon, just as long as he can read the scales right. Will you be recording the weight with Angus Society? I remember when I had my 18kg heifer it did not do the cows calving ease EBV's any good as it was regarded as an outlier. By the way my heifer went on to be my heaviest heifer at weaning.

Ken