Cows almost ready

[BILL CLAYLAND]

I have two Hereford cows that are due by the end of the month, early Feb.
Bred by Hereford bulls.

Ive lined up a Vet, Cleaned and scrubbed out a stall in our old Bank Barn its dried out,
and I'm about to fill it with straw. Now there locked out, don't want them to wreck the place.

Ive brought them up to the corral and filled the feeder with hay and I give Mineral free choice.
They have been on pasture since i fenced in a small hayfield (5 acre) in November till now with no hay.

Cows are healthy and one of them seems to be bagging a bit. Their both big as ticks.
These will be my first calves. Vet said to Give MUSE asap, and blackleg Vac in a month to calves.
Anything I'm overlooking?

Thanks for all your help this last year Y'all

Bill

 

[KNERSIE]

if you WANT to calve in the barn, make the cows used to the barn well in advance.

 

[Alan]

I give all my newborns a shot of Bo-Se ( it's the same as Mu-Se only a different strength, therefore a different dose), a shot of Vit A&D and very important is to spray the navel very well with an iodine type solution all within 24 hrs of birth. I also do any ear tags and weigh calves at the same time.

Good luck,
Alan

 

[dun]

The only thing you forgot was the bottle of Jack Daniels. Drink it and relax. Let the cows do their thing and don;t pester them

 

[backhoeboogie]

I had a heaifer calve on Saturday that I would have lost a lot of money on if I were a betting man. She looked like she would pop 2 weeks ago. Had 6 others calve since I figured she would. 4 of those did not really have much sign. I was more worried about the heifer since it was her first. 9 more heifers to calve out between now and July. Everything else has already calved at least once and I know what to expect.

Heifers can drive you nuts!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I give all my newborns a shot of Bo-Se ( it's the same as Mu-Se only a different strength, therefore a different dose), a shot of Vit A&D and very important is to spray the navel very well with an iodine type solution all within 24 hrs of birth. I also do any ear tags and weigh calves at the same time.

Good luck,
Alan

Ditto
And, yes, I sure would get them into the pens for a few hours periodically or they will be very unhappy campers when you try to lock them up. Might feed them a little treat in the pen & let them out after a few hours.
One thing we all warn newbies about is making sure the calves suck really quick. The calves need the colostrum (new milk) asap. The calves stomach is designed to obsorb the antibodies & nutrition out of the colostrum, but for every hour after birth, their stomach wall starts closing down it's ability to obsorb anything. By 12 hours old, their stomach is only about 25% functioning and by 24 hours old, no obsorption. Not meaning the calf can't utilize feed after that time, just can't obsorb the antibodies & special nutrients in colostrum.
Always best to have a store bought powder colostrum on hand with a bottle and esophegeal tuber on hand. Unless, you think you could milk out the dam if needed.
99% of the time we NEVER have to touch a newborn - other than our own designated duties (shots, weight, tags, naval). But, you just need to be aware "sometimes" things don't always go the way mother nature says it should.

 

[snickers]

we have never given newborns shots and thank God we have never had a problem. I'm not sure what the Bo-Se is for would someone enlighten me. thanks

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

we have never given newborns shots and thank God we have never had a problem. I'm not sure what the Bo-Se is for would someone enlighten me. thanks

Most areas in the US are Selenium deficient. Our are is VERY deficient.
BoSe / MuSe is a selenium injection that will stay with them for 30 days.
Calves born to cows SE deficient can be born Dumb Suckers or can later show up with White Muscle Disease. SE deficiency affects the large muscles in a calf - heart, lungs, legs, & tongue.
We suppliment our cows with 3 times the recommended dose of SE in our loose mineral - but, I don't recommend anyone to do that - we had our cows tested for a period of time till we got the dosage right. If your vet is recommended it (cutos to him!) that means your area is low & you should be supplimenting the cows.
You can go for many many years & not SEE a problem - till it hits.

 

[Alan]

we have never given newborns shots and thank God we have never had a problem. I'm not sure what the Bo-Se is for would someone enlighten me. thanks

Bo-Se or Mu-Se is a Selenium supplement shot, most mineral licks contain Selenium to aid the shortage of the required mineral in a lot of areas. The shot just gives the newborns an extra boost of help to get them started.

So far I think Dun has given the best advice, most problems seem to come when owners get to involved in the process. Putting the cow in a unfamiliar place, checking her every few minutes, thinking you may need to help after seeing feet for a few minutes with nothing happening all cause more harm than good. Some year during calving season I thought about just putting a gallon of water on the stove turn the heat to high and just stare at the pan until it comes to a full boil, with luck that might help me be a little calmer and relaxed waiting for that calf to drop.

BTW, I rarely see a newborn nurse for the first time, if I start getting concerned about it I'll look at mommas teats, if they look clean she getting feed to her baby .... In most cases.

Alan

 

[snickers]

thanks for the info about the selenium i guess we are not in one of those areas that are deficient. we do put out mineral/protein tubs so i guess they get enough. we dont usually help a cow unless it's needed but it still doesnt make it any easier to not worry. we have 1 heifer to calve soon and as soon as she's given birth the rest should be a walk in the park. (should be)