lawnviewfarm
Well-known member
[short version]
For those that watch their cattle closely at calving time, how often do you check on them
(a) as you approach 270 days (T minus 2 weeks)?
(b) once you're past the 283 day mark?
(c) when they start pacing?
[long version]
So Saturday evening I bring the cows up to the feedlot per usual routine to feed them. I typically walk the 'line of tails' to check them for the usual signs of impending calving (springing 'n stringing, bagging up, etc) while they're dining. I make a mental note that cow #3 'looks close'.
Now the bull was turned in with the cows on May 27, 2007 so first calf would be 'due' on March 5, 2008, by the numbers, assuming a cow follows the numbers and was bred on the day of the bull's turn-in. And we go about the rest of our daily chores.
Long about dusk, the Mrs. and I walk down to the mail box. By now we can hardly see 'cross the pasture and our walk takes down past the feed lot. Most of the 'girls' are now just loafing around. On the return trip, I notice a cow pacing, walking circles she was. She heads out to the pasture, but I notice the rest of the herd doesn't follow. A quick check of those still loafing tells me its cow #3 headed out on her own. So I make a mental note to check up on her later that evening.
Back at the house, I munch some vittles; sis calls, we chat some. Then I remember cow #3, and head out with flashlight in hand. Can't see #3 from the driveway (insert note to investigate spotlight here). I walk down the driveway and notice most of the cows still in the feed lot. Down the road I go with flashlight in hand. I get to the path on the far side of the pasture and head down that way. A little later I see a pair of reflective eyes chest-high; okay, there she is. Walking further, I see a pair of eyes knee-high, oh wait, was that a pair of eyes or 3 eyes? A little further and there they are, 4 eyes knee-high, 2 eyes chest-high; 6 eyes there are-twins! The little buggers are all cleaned off and standing attempting to make the connection to their first meal. Our first twins, and for cow #3, this was to be calf #3. So, now it's #3b and #3h.
I enter the night's events on the record card for cow #3 and see that she had calved a heifer calf on 4/18/2007-oh yes, the week 'the 3 heifers' calved last year, how could I forget? Now twins on 3/8/2007; not bad, 1 cow, 1 year, 3 calves. I also noted that last year cow #3 had allowed several other calves to nurse her. We'll see how she does with her 2.
From pacing to seeing nursing twins, about 2-1/2 hours had elapsed by my reconstruction of events. Obviously, my watch interval wasn't as often as it perhaps should have been. My question, how soon would you have checked back on cow #3?
--Marc
For those that watch their cattle closely at calving time, how often do you check on them
(a) as you approach 270 days (T minus 2 weeks)?
(b) once you're past the 283 day mark?
(c) when they start pacing?
[long version]
So Saturday evening I bring the cows up to the feedlot per usual routine to feed them. I typically walk the 'line of tails' to check them for the usual signs of impending calving (springing 'n stringing, bagging up, etc) while they're dining. I make a mental note that cow #3 'looks close'.
Now the bull was turned in with the cows on May 27, 2007 so first calf would be 'due' on March 5, 2008, by the numbers, assuming a cow follows the numbers and was bred on the day of the bull's turn-in. And we go about the rest of our daily chores.
Long about dusk, the Mrs. and I walk down to the mail box. By now we can hardly see 'cross the pasture and our walk takes down past the feed lot. Most of the 'girls' are now just loafing around. On the return trip, I notice a cow pacing, walking circles she was. She heads out to the pasture, but I notice the rest of the herd doesn't follow. A quick check of those still loafing tells me its cow #3 headed out on her own. So I make a mental note to check up on her later that evening.
Back at the house, I munch some vittles; sis calls, we chat some. Then I remember cow #3, and head out with flashlight in hand. Can't see #3 from the driveway (insert note to investigate spotlight here). I walk down the driveway and notice most of the cows still in the feed lot. Down the road I go with flashlight in hand. I get to the path on the far side of the pasture and head down that way. A little later I see a pair of reflective eyes chest-high; okay, there she is. Walking further, I see a pair of eyes knee-high, oh wait, was that a pair of eyes or 3 eyes? A little further and there they are, 4 eyes knee-high, 2 eyes chest-high; 6 eyes there are-twins! The little buggers are all cleaned off and standing attempting to make the connection to their first meal. Our first twins, and for cow #3, this was to be calf #3. So, now it's #3b and #3h.
I enter the night's events on the record card for cow #3 and see that she had calved a heifer calf on 4/18/2007-oh yes, the week 'the 3 heifers' calved last year, how could I forget? Now twins on 3/8/2007; not bad, 1 cow, 1 year, 3 calves. I also noted that last year cow #3 had allowed several other calves to nurse her. We'll see how she does with her 2.
From pacing to seeing nursing twins, about 2-1/2 hours had elapsed by my reconstruction of events. Obviously, my watch interval wasn't as often as it perhaps should have been. My question, how soon would you have checked back on cow #3?
--Marc
