Calving so far

[shortybreeder]

So far we are 4/4 on live calves in the beef herd! :banana: The first one to calve was a first calf heifer, she was 2 weeks early to Conneally Thunder (CE AN) so that was a really tiny calf, but still needed some assistance (I wasn't there, my dad got impatient and pulled it). That heifer calf is really cute and energetic, but also probably one of the least docile calves that has ever been born on the home farm... She'll try to bruise you if you walk behind her! The second calf came out of my hereford x holstein cow, that one was a big bull calf by Simple Math (club calf). He's turning out to be my favorite so far for both his physical characteristics and his docility, my dad didn't have time to wait for the mom to have it on her own but says it pulled easy enough she probably could have done it herself. The third calf is was sired by Studer's Jazz Man (Polled SH) out of my brindle/herf marked cow, that one was born on it's own. I really like him too, but he hasn't shot off in growth like the Simple Math calf has. Of course, those three calves were all born during the 2 times that I actually went to a fun event :roll: Last night I got home from a trip to Phoenix AZ and we got home about 12:30 so I went out to check on my cow that was due yesterday and she had a full udder but no signs of calving. This morning I went out at 7:00 and she was drying off a nice little bull calf! He's sired by Encore, a sim-angus bull. Her last calf she raised with only 1 quarter, but it looks like she has 2 working quarters now :???: :???: Hopefully he grows well! Well, I'm out of time for right now... Just really excited! :banana: Next calf is due late May.

 

[A.J.]

Congrats. Sounds like you're off to a great start. Hopefully you'll be 5/5 at the end of May.

 

[Nesikep]

100% is what you always like to have... So far so good with me, 17 of 17, 6 to go, I did have a close call though with the membranes on first timer's calf... Lost 1 of a twin last year, year before I lost 1 to a breach birth, and one from a second calver.. don't know why though.

I have to go check on my latest arrival

 

[shortybreeder]

Thanks! It seems like I have one calf due every month through September, so things are quite spread out this year. Next year should be a much tighter window, as we are planning on setting up 8 head to be bred the first week of June for early-mid march calves. 3 will be getting embryos (Full sibs to KFSC Bell City Queen 214W ET; Grand Champion ShorthornPlus Female - 2010 Kansas State Fair, Reserve Champion ShorthornPlus Female - 2011 NWSS, Senior Division Champion ShorthornPlus Female - 2010 NAILE) and 5 others will be bred A.I. to FCC STMP Patriot 8X. Hopefully this afternoon or tomorrow I can get some pictures of the calves that are on the ground, and with any kind of luck I will be more successful on my photobucket attempt :lol:

 

[Nesikep]

Thankfully I don't have them spread out THAT far, I think all but 3 are within the first 2 cycles, and then I'll have 3 more in julyish

 

[branguscowgirl]

Congrats! Look forward to the pictures!

 

[shortybreeder]

Finally got some pictures taken!
http://s849.photobucket.com/user/shorty ... %204-15-14

 

[shortybreeder]

I tried to organize it by cow/calf pair... The first pair ends with the solid black calf laying down, and it should make sense from there... Here's a little explanation of "who's who"
The first picture is of my "one teat wonder" she only has 1 working quarter, and is most likely raising her last calf. She raised her previous calf with just one quarter and still kept up with most of the herd at weaning time, she is 50% hereford 50% holstein. Her calf was born just a few days ago, and was sired by Encore, a simangus bull. We should get some good heterosis out of him, considering there is no duplicating on any breed.

 

[shortybreeder]

The second pair was a first timer heifer bred to Conneally Thunder. The heifer is 50% AN, 25% Herf, 25% Hol, and the calf is 75% AN. The dam of this pair was my first calf out of the cow raising the Encore calf. The calf is also a heifer, and definitely has an attitude... She throws feet like a boxer throws fists :lol: The calf has 3 generations of CED bred into her, so I don't think I will keep her as a replacement because she could end up having difficulty calving later on and it's not worth the risk at current beef prices.
Edit: the dam in this pair will be receiving one of my three embryos

 

[shortybreeder]

The third pair is my brindle/herf marked cow with her shorthorn sired bull calf. The calf is sired by Studer's Jazz Man and was born sometime between Mar. 2-4 while I was up in Minneapolis attending a Career Development Conference for a business/marketing organization that I am in. The cow was also raising a holstein bull calf that was born about the same time, but I didn't get any pictures of him before we sold him this morning... She is a really high milk producer (we tried milking her in the dairy on her first lactation) so we wanted to make sure her udder didn't get damaged by the over-production. She raised two calves for us last year also, but we let her take both calves to weaning. She raises some beautiful calves, especially the bull calf we put on her, which we got $400 for at less than 2 months of age! :banana: Her calf will get cut then sold either as a show steer or sold as a feeder steer, we haven't decided yet. This cow will also be receiving an embryo this year.

 

[shortybreeder]

And finally, the 4th pair! The dam is my favorite momma cow, and definitely an "ugly betty" come fall time... She always weans off an impressive calf, and grows a better one each year! The bull calf is sired by Simple Math, and I am loving the way he is turning out! I have a full brother on the farm that I am using as a show steer this year, and I really like him, but this year's calf is already starting out ahead of his older brother (born 3 weeks earlier). Dam is also a 50/50 herfxhol cow, but she still has all 4 quarters. We tried to get her to take the holstein bull calf but she refused. Almost had a bad case of mastitis due to over-production, but we got it taken care of right away. She will be receiving the third embryo, and if I can only get one to stick then I sure hope she is the one that gets it. The bull calf will either be sold as a show steer or I will raise him as a show steer, depending on whether or not I have any room on my show-string after the shorthorn calves are born.
I guess that's all for right now, feel free to comment on what you do/don't like about the calves! On the 2nd pair it might look like the calf has a sore leg, but she was actually just in a hurry to go get dinner, so she's on the move!

 

[Nesikep]

I will have to remember to take a look next time I go to town, I'm on a bandwidth cap at home

 

[branguscowgirl]

Looks like a nice group of calves! I like how they are marked also.
Boy, you are dealing with some water in you pens aren't you?

 

[shortybreeder]

yeah, it has been a typical wet spring for us. The water is just on the cement in the barnyard, but the cattle can go right out to a small pasture whenever they want to. I just got lucky and found them all by the barn when I went out with the tablet to take pictures