do we meddle too much

[backhoeboogie]

With a dairy nurse cow I raise 8 calves a year. Some folks go more. I let mine nurse longer than most. One calf is out of the cow and I now have one that was an orphan out of my own herd. I "overfeed" the cow, if you want to call it that. That last feed cost for a 4 calf cycle was $220, prorated to $55 per calf and that was sacked feed and not bulk since I do it here at the house.

When you have nurse cows and calves, you have to "meddle" twice a day. It is time consuming but very profitable overall.

 

[TexasBred]

With a dairy nurse cow I raise 8 calves a year. Some folks go more. I let mine nurse longer than most. One calf is out of the cow and I now have one that was an orphan out of my own herd. I "overfeed" the cow, if you want to call it that. That last feed cost for a 4 calf cycle was $220, prorated to $55 per calf and that was sacked feed and not bulk since I do it here at the house.

When you have nurse cows and calves, you have to "meddle" twice a day. It is time consuming but very profitable overall.

Boogie...use to do the same. Works great and Mama needs that feed for milk, production condition and breed back...money well spent.

 

[backhoeboogie]

With a dairy nurse cow I raise 8 calves a year. Some folks go more. I let mine nurse longer than most. One calf is out of the cow and I now have one that was an orphan out of my own herd. I "overfeed" the cow, if you want to call it that. That last feed cost for a 4 calf cycle was $220, prorated to $55 per calf and that was sacked feed and not bulk since I do it here at the house.

When you have nurse cows and calves, you have to "meddle" twice a day. It is time consuming but very profitable overall.

Boogie...use to do the same. Works great and Mama needs that feed for milk, production condition and breed back...money well spent.

Someone asked about cost and I happen to have it for this situation.

When I retire, I might run a dozen nurse cows. There is much more money if I were to go crawl and my caterpillar but hours and hours of that thing beating you death is hard on the body. At this age, I am glad I held on to my day job for retirement benefits.

If I could get 8 calves out of each nurse cow per year on average, and had a dozen nurse cows, it wouldn't be bad. With only cycling 8 calves on the cows, I should get atleast 5 years out of each one. It wouldn't be a lot of nickels but I think I would still enjoy it.

I have a crate for the cow now. That was the last big thing I have built. You open the gate and she goes in to eat. The sides and back are open for the calves to nurse.

Funny thing about this cow. I can put my head against her side and milk her all day long. If a strange calf tries to nurse, she gets skiddish. She does fine in that crate and you can walk off and do other things.

 

[dieselbeef]

my recent post bout it being easy reminded me of this...thought i might bring it back up

 

[highgrit]

We have quit using all the vaccines. The only things we vaccinate aginst now is Blackleg and Tetanus. We do worm with a injectable twice a year and use a pour on twice a year. When we were using Cattlemaster and or Triangle vaccines we had some calf problems. We had very problems before and none after we stopped using them two vaccines so far. It might of just been our bad luck, but I can't stand bad luck. I think fertilizer and good minerals is the key to having none to very little problems with your cows.

 

[Nesikep]

I just remember that a live calf is the one that pays the bills... slow births make for retards, and if I'm around, I don't hesitate to speed up the process.. I take note of if I had to do a lot of pulling, or if it just slid out... let momma clean them, if they haven't nursed in an hour, I'll make sure they get ahold of a teat. Most do just fine, but I'm not the gambling kind at calving time.

I've bred the bad hooves out of the herd now, it's very rare I have to trim. The only vaccine I give is scourgard 4 weeks before the first calf drops. The pets do get a bit spoiled,... They get clipped in the springtime and deloused,.. sometimes taken out for a sunday walk and graze, but they eat the same food as all the others.

Going back to the dogs, etc, what worries me about these animal rights people is that the only possible outcome of treating animals like humans is to treat humans like animals!

 

[Lucky_P]

nesikep,
I know what the vaccine label says, but recent investigations have shown that colostral antibody levels are pretty much 'set' at 5 weeks before calving; any vaccine given later than 6-8 weeks pre-calving is unlikely to be optimally effective. You might want to back that vaccination up a bit from the 4 week point.

 

[skeeter swatter]

I think a better question is Why have so many breeders made cattle that need so much babysitting?

 

[Brute 23]

I think a better question is Why have so many breeders made cattle that need so much babysitting?

Exactly. Like all my family who pushes hand sanitizers and antibiotics for every sniffel... They are always sick.

Same with cattle. Family who hovers over their cattle seem to always have problems.

 

[dieselbeef]

well since its a new yr time to bring back some golden oldies...25-30 cows is really keepin me hoppin. aint got time to meddle..they seem to be ok. didn't feed hay til after the first of the yr this yr..green and wet...got 3'' yesterday...but theyre doing 2 rolls a week..geez...pigs

 

[JMJ Farms]

well since its a new yr time to bring back some golden oldies...25-30 cows is really keepin me hoppin. aint got time to meddle..they seem to be ok. didn't feed hay til after the first of the yr this yr..green and wet...got 3'' yesterday...but theyre doing 2 rolls a week..geez...pigs

That's awesome dieselbeef. I've been feeding hay since the first of November. 60 momma cows. 2 rolls a day. And I figure I've got 75-90 days left.

 

[dieselbeef]

well right now I got 20 mommas and 10 calfs plus the bull and some im keeping back for beef..been good not feeding alottho..real good

 

[Andybob2]

My experience with "uninproved" cattle, is that they are productive in terms of fertility and production/acre calves weaned. The beef has always been tender, often well marbled and fine grained, and their resistance to parasites and local diseases negating the need for vaccinating for these (Anaplasmosis Babsiasis etc) vaccinating against Anthrax, Blackleg and Brucellosis is essential as there is no natural immunity for these diseases. The negatives of these breeds are lightweight conformation which can be improved over relatively few generations by selection within their natural environment, so as to not effect their adapted traits, and they are prone to founder in feedlot situations unless they have access to large amounts of roughage, or are crossed to a feedlot adapted improved breed. I first started cattle at school, so they had to be "easy care" being left to their own devises during the day, then went straight into the army after school, so again had minimal attention, only an elderly native stockman attending mostly to their grazing. Pampering cattle, especially seedstock which are providing future genetics to commercial ranchers is counter productive in the long term. Manage for the extremes within the ranch environment (vaccinate for essentials only) choose from those best adapted to the environment and management style and work with nature for best calving and nutrition times.

 

[Nesikep]

DB, good to see you around again!

I started feeding Dec 31st.. I was a little tight on hay but the weather cooperated and the cattle grazed longer than any other year. I'm currently feeding about 13x70 lbs a day for my 25 cows, 6 calves, and 2 bulls. I brought some of the younger animals up to the corral to feed them their own share (meddling!!) and they are really profiting from it.. hopefully they pay me back with a better calf next time around because of it.

Since this thread was started, I haven't changed much... I still hover over them at calving time and make sure things go smoothly, especially with the heifers... The rest of them pretty much know what to do.

About vaccinating earlier, I would be able to, but my "4 weeks before calving" number is before the first calf drops, and it's a pretty round number... How much before calving can you give the vaccine and it still be effective?