gizmom":1tp3puo1 said:We have already finished but we had first calf heifers start three weeks early (from AI date) We had such a hot humid summer we felt that was the reason for the early calving. I would imagine the cold your dealing with is no different (Other than cold instead of hot) either one puts additional stress on cattle to carry a calf to term. When they started they just kept going we had 10 or 12 calves before we got to the earliest calving date. And these were the heifers that are kept at the house with no bull anywhere near them so they were just early. We lost two calves both were due to bad presentations one with front legs folded back, we pulled the calf it lived for just a few minutes and of course we were doing calf CPR but just to far gone. The other presented upside down and backward no hope for the calf but the heifer made it. We also had two sets of twins both survived. We don't have as tight a calving season as you folks out west we calved 82 calves in 76 days. Now should I count that 10 or 12 were way early or should I count from the actual first due date? I really don't know which date I should officially use.
I hope all goes well with your calving from here on out, maybe you have all the bad stuff out of the way now. It is heart breaking to lose a claf.
Gizmom
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That's what our vet calls heifer disease, I just call it lazy calver.Jeanne - Simme Valley":6sef5rsc said:Had our first "assist" last night. I have cameras set up in the barn so I lay in bed & check them during the night. I had a 2 yr old 8 days late. Went into labor, broke water sac, showed tip on 1 foot. She was up & down, up & down, didn't really get pushing, so I left her for a while. Finally, woke hubby up, we went out at 3 was back in bed at 3:30. Carried our calving box, bucket of disinfectant, towel to wash her, small bucket of J-Lube with a small pump. Hubby made a comment when we got to the house - that it had been a heck of a long time since we assisted a normal presentation. Easy hand pull (with chains & handles). Didn't even use the J-Lube and pump. She was just a wimp.
absolutely!dun":2ktso0xs said:That's what our vet calls heifer disease, I just call it lazy calver.Jeanne - Simme Valley":2ktso0xs said:Had our first "assist" last night. I have cameras set up in the barn so I lay in bed & check them during the night. I had a 2 yr old 8 days late. Went into labor, broke water sac, showed tip on 1 foot. She was up & down, up & down, didn't really get pushing, so I left her for a while. Finally, woke hubby up, we went out at 3 was back in bed at 3:30. Carried our calving box, bucket of disinfectant, towel to wash her, small bucket of J-Lube with a small pump. Hubby made a comment when we got to the house - that it had been a heck of a long time since we assisted a normal presentation. Easy hand pull (with chains & handles). Didn't even use the J-Lube and pump. She was just a wimp.
Are you talking minus 40 in Celsius or Fahrenheit? Ok I'm just kidding because they are equal at that point. Yes it does suck when it's that cold. Ears freeze in what seems like a matter of minutes. Even if you try to get the close up cows in the barn it always seems like somebody surprises you and drops it outside while every cow in the barn does absolutely nothing until you let them back outside again. Then you get questioned as to why you calve when it's cold. Well around here we get cold spells through the spring so it's always a guessing game. Plus I hate dealing with mud and newborns. My calves start off much better if they are born when the ground is frozen.George":22dco4a9 said:This minus 40 weather,sure isn't making calving season any easier.Going to be glad when my camera system comes in tomorrow.Doesn't take them young ones born outside very long to have frozen ears.Always those unexpected one's calve when it is cold outside.
I totally agree. I put mine in only at night & out during the day, but I'll walk thru them & decide who goes in & inevidably, one I leave outside that shows no signs, calves & the toastie ones inside do nothing. And, yes, cold is MUCH MUCH better than the mud.novaman":3hapgjy7 said:Are you talking minus 40 in Celsius or Fahrenheit? Ok I'm just kidding because they are equal at that point. Yes it does suck when it's that cold. Ears freeze in what seems like a matter of minutes. Even if you try to get the close up cows in the barn it always seems like somebody surprises you and drops it outside while every cow in the barn does absolutely nothing until you let them back outside again. Then you get questioned as to why you calve when it's cold. Well around here we get cold spells through the spring so it's always a guessing game. Plus I hate dealing with mud and newborns. My calves start off much better if they are born when the ground is frozen.George":3hapgjy7 said:This minus 40 weather,sure isn't making calving season any easier.Going to be glad when my camera system comes in tomorrow.Doesn't take them young ones born outside very long to have frozen ears.Always those unexpected one's calve when it is cold outside.