Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Like the Canadians - it gets REAL cold here.
I have calving pens in the barn with cameras. Heifers are brought up close about 2 weeks prior to due date (100% AI) and cows about 1 week - kept in about 2 acre lot that I can observe from house. Anyone looking "imminant" gets put in barn during night & out early am. Whenever I wake up during night, I check TV to see if anything going on (from bed!), if not I roll over & go back to sleep. If someone is in labor, I sleep lightly & check often (hubby doesn't have a clue when something is going on).
Cow/calf pairs get to stay in barn about 24 hours - depending on the weather & space needed for next calvers.
It is RARE that we need to assist - mainly abnormal presentations - but it can mean a live calf or a dead one - I much prefer a live one. Costing $450/year (average around here) to keep a cow, that's the only thing she gives me to pay that bill.
Calving starts 1-30 this year.
I have calving pens in the barn with cameras. Heifers are brought up close about 2 weeks prior to due date (100% AI) and cows about 1 week - kept in about 2 acre lot that I can observe from house. Anyone looking "imminant" gets put in barn during night & out early am. Whenever I wake up during night, I check TV to see if anything going on (from bed!), if not I roll over & go back to sleep. If someone is in labor, I sleep lightly & check often (hubby doesn't have a clue when something is going on).
Cow/calf pairs get to stay in barn about 24 hours - depending on the weather & space needed for next calvers.
It is RARE that we need to assist - mainly abnormal presentations - but it can mean a live calf or a dead one - I much prefer a live one. Costing $450/year (average around here) to keep a cow, that's the only thing she gives me to pay that bill.
Calving starts 1-30 this year.