Coyotes killed a newborn calf *graphic pic*

[Lee VanRoss]

I would add that it appears to be immature judging from the tail structure and overall appearance.

 

[50/50Farms]

Kind of a moot point, people asking you why you're blaming and shooting the coyotes. If they feed close to your holdings and begin to associate your livestock with food and encroach on you then it's only going to get worse for them. I'd rather shoot five than have to poison twenty.

Btw, felids are really bad about eating the haunches and guts first like that. If you really want to know, either rake back an area around the carcass to catch more sign or buy a game cam.

 

[Chapin81]

So are you in Guatemala or New York?

NYC, cattle are in guatemala. Before Covid I use to go back and forth, afraid to travel due to asthma and never got sick from Covid. My dad almost didn't make it and he's afraid to travel.

 

[Chapin81]

I would add that it appears to be immature judging from the tail structure and overall appearance.

Three more were spotted yesterday afternoon. Things should get interesting in the next few days.

 

[50/50Farms]

NYC, cattle are in guatemala. Before Covid I use to go back and forth, afraid to travel due to asthma and never got sick from Covid. My dad almost didn't make it and he's afraid to travel.

So who's with them now?

 

[Chapin81]

So who's with them now?

We have a family that lives onsite. Husband wife and two kids. 3 daily workers that show up to move the cattle everyday, move the electric fences and post, Fix perimeter permanent fences and post or barb wire replacement , plant trees, chop down the leftover brush that was not trampled by the herd, move minerals troughs, water troughs. Etc etc.

 

[50/50Farms]

We have a family that lives onsite. Husband wife and two kids. 3 daily workers that show up to move the cattle everyday, move the electric fences and post, Fix perimeter permanent fences and post or barb wire replacement , plant trees, chop down the leftover brush that was not trampled by the herd, move minerals troughs, water troughs. Etc etc.

Land management and you can afford to be off site? You've got it set up nice, friend. What are your chickens in?

 

[Chapin81]

Land management and you can afford to be off site? You've got it set up nice, friend. What are your chickens in?

Homemade chicken coops. But the chickens don't belong to me and are out and about in the daytime. The family uses them for personal consumption. It's been hard for my parents who own it since 2004. I took over and started managing the place 2 1/2 years ago. We practice intensive strip grazing and so far we are able to control weeds and during the summer we never run out of grass.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

some thoughts:

that cow looks to be 5 or maybe 6 years old. first calf?

straight brahma horned cows that can't fight off a predator seem kind of useless to me. but then there is the strong possibility calves aren't dead from predation, coyotes may just be cleaning up from something else.

I agree with 50/50 if coyotes get the opportunity to take calves they will so if they are in the area stealing chickens and feasting on dead calves, they may decide to take some too. but in general coyotes don't take live calves. especially with good mama cows around.

I would maybe go ahead and shoot coyotes that are hanging around too blatently, but game camera is a good idea, as is getting the next dead calf into a vet/lab for a professional look see in case you have some disease problem.

 

[callmefence]

I guess in Guatemala even the coyotes can tie rebar....

 

[Chapin81]

some thoughts:

that cow looks to be 5 or maybe 6 years old. first calf?

straight brahma horned cows that can't fight off a predator seem kind of useless to me. but then there is the strong possibility calves aren't dead from predation, coyotes may just be cleaning up from something else.

I agree with 50/50 if coyotes get the opportunity to take calves they will so if they are in the area stealing chickens and feasting on dead calves, they may decide to take some too. but in general coyotes don't take live calves. especially with good mama cows around.

I would maybe go ahead and shoot coyotes that are hanging around too blatently, but game camera is a good idea, as is getting the next dead calf into a vet/lab for a professional look see in case you have some disease problem.

The cow and calf that's nursing that one I think died from botulism and was found dead the same morning as the one that was eaten, botulism or some kind of infection is the only thing I can think of that can make them die in. 24hrs. The eaten calf is another calf that was born the same day later that night and found not far from the other calf.
Looking into a game camera would not be a bad idea. Any suggestions.

 

[50/50Farms]

Looking into a game camera would not be a bad idea. Any suggestions.

Just about any of them will work these days, but there's models you can actively view the pictures on from your phone just about anywhere in the world. I'd do those if I was in your shoes. That said, the cheap models work just fine nowadays but your hands will have to pluck the SD cards and send you photos that way.

 

[Travlr]

Homemade chicken coops. But the chickens don't belong to me and are out and about in the daytime. The family uses them for personal consumption. It's been hard for my parents who own it since 2004. I took over and started managing the place 2 1/2 years ago. We practice intensive strip grazing and so far we are able to control weeds and during the summer we never run out of grass.

So is your family from Guatemala? Or just investing there? How big a place and how many cows? What is that kind of real estate worth? What breeds? What is a good cow worth in Guatemala?

I'd be tempted to poison any dead calves and leave them to be eaten. And a game cam would be easy enough to set up.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

The cow and calf that's nursing that one I think died from botulism and was found dead the same morning as the one that was eaten, botulism or some kind of infection is the only thing I can think of that can make them die in. 24hrs. The eaten calf is another calf that was born the same day later that night and found not far from the other calf.
Looking into a game camera would not be a bad idea. Any suggestions.

looking at your pictures and thinking even more unlikely you have a predator problem. if they are staying bunched like that those coyotes are probably doing nothing more than cleaning up placentas and dead calves. I would get the next one to a lab if there is any way possible. any neighbors losing calves? do you vaccinate for anything?

 

[Chapin81]

So is your family from Guatemala? Or just investing there? How big a place and how many cows? What is that kind of real estate worth? What breeds? What is a good cow worth in Guatemala?

I'd be tempted to poison any dead calves and leave them to be eaten. And a game cam would be easy enough to set up.

Yes family is originally from down there. My parents originally got into the cattle business because of a relative. Originally purchased 2 parcels of land about 90 acres each, every year after that purchased a few more parcels to where it's at now 500 acres. Is the land worth money, compared to what the base yearly income is down there yes. The problem is once you have a property big enough and wanted to sell it would be difficult to do so because no one has that kind of cash down there and banks only loan money if you give them collateral. Breeds of cattle depends what part of the country your in. Brahman comercial, purebred registered in the hot areas like ours. Nelore, guzerat, gyr, sardo negro which I think was established in Mexico unless I'm wrong. We also have simmental fleckvieh registered purebred, angus, brangus, siembrah which I think also imported from Mexico. Holstein, brownswiss. Most small producers have cattle that I call mutts, you can't even tell what it is because it's been crossed so many times.
We originally started with zebu, nelore and guzerat. It wasn't until 2 1/2 years ago we focused on registered pure Brahman sires. I sold 450lbs weaned calf's a month ago at $1.22 a pound. It's hovering at a $1.10 as of yesterday.
Steers on feed are about $1.38 a pound.
The first sire is a JDH Mosley manso son, the 2nd is a V8 458/7 "noble" son they just arrived this past week. the gray bull facing left eating grass is a JDH Woodson son and the last one is a JDH Clanton son.

 

[Chapin81]

looking at your pictures and thinking even more unlikely you have a predator problem. if they are staying bunched like that those coyotes are probably doing nothing more than cleaning up placentas and dead calves. I would get the next one to a lab if there is any way possible. any neighbors losing calves? do you vaccinate for anything?

I do vaccinate I'm late on my vaccination program by 3 weeks. I have an appointment with the vet for July 26th. None of my neighbors really have cattle I think they are throwing in the towel. They have a hard time with up keeping. Most of them have just few head. Under 25 head is my guess.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I'm going to bet this is a nutrition/toxin or a disease problem rather than predators. hope you get it figured out quickly, good luck and keep us updated!

 

[Travlr]

Originally purchased 2 parcels of land about 90 acres each, every year after that purchased a few more parcels to where it's at now 500 acres. Is the land worth money, compared to what the base yearly income is down there yes.

It's impossible for a North American to buy land in Mexico safely. So was wondering about Guatemala. And prices for good ground like yours. I suppose having a foreign investor in the neighborhood might be not be so good for you? Or are there advantages? Is it like here in the states with people leery of Californians moving in and bringing their social expectations with them? Just curious really... I'm retired.

 

[tex452]

We shoot coyote we see.
They are especially hard on the fawns.

 

[Son of Butch]

We shoot coyote we see.
They are especially hard on the fawns.

I'm going to leave treats out for Wiley and his pals... we have way too many white tails around here.