First Calf Crop

[clarkmorefarm]

Looks like we are getting close to our first calf crop from the two bred cows I bought in Sept.

One appears to be a little ahead of the other. My white face cows has bagged up pretty good, and is starting to show signs on the back end.

Anyone want to start a pool to when she will calf? Picture is from yesterday, I'm sure it will happen when it gets frigid cold again or rains sideways.

 

[kenny thomas]

Very soon. With her current body condition you sure dont need to be feeding them very often. They are in great condition. Save the feed money.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Very soon. With her current body condition you sure dont need to be feeding them very often. They are in great condition. Save the feed money.

They might get 5 lbs. of sweet feed or cattle cubes to each of them once maybe twice a week. They seem to be doing great on my first cutting hay and what little fescue I did stock pile in their current paddock. I have a couple of more paddocks I'm going to try and open up maybe in January, but I've got a lot of perimeter fencing to finish out. Just starting new on one side since the fence was so rough.

My wife is the one who wants to spoil them. I don't want them to get too fat, but their body condition has changed so much since I got them home. I pay more attention now that I have pictures on my phone to go back and look at vs when I was a teenager, and we just checked on them in the fields.

I do think the South Polls have a little more pot belly to them, they claim they have a lot of gut capacity. I've only got 50% at most in my herd right now. Interested to see what these new 50% calves birth out like, then I can make decisions on my heifers and breeding back the cows.

You can see when I picked them up in Sept how thin white face was, she fleshed out well once we got some rain and she got access to decent hay and mineral.

 

[coachg]

Too much feed in that last trimester will lead to a bigger calf . Have these calved before for you ?

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Too much feed in that last trimester will lead to a bigger calf . Have these calved before for you ?

No, all cows are new to me as of September.

This will be white face cow's 6th calf, the solid red is bred with her 4th calf. Heifers are open.

Any feed they have had is sparingly in the last two months. I supplemented when we had zero pasture from drought some back in September, but fed less after we got some moisture from Helene and the pasture started coming back.

 

[kenny thomas]

At 5# a couple times a week you aren't hurting anything. Except maybe your pocketbook. Lol

 

[clarkmorefarm]

At 5# a couple times a week you aren't hurting anything. Except maybe your pocketbook. L

I've tried explaining that to my wife, but for us to get cattle at all was a win. So, if she wants to take interest and feed them a little, I'm game lol.

I give them a flat sided bucket full which is 20 quarts. Cubes are a little denser than sweet feed, but it comes out to about half a 50 lbs. sack split 5 ways. I know cows might get a little more or less, but I'm not splitting hairs over it.

 

[kenny thomas]

I've tried explaining that to my wife, but for us to get cattle at all was a win. So, if she wants to take interest and feed them a little, I'm game lol.

I give them a flat sided bucket full which is 20 quarts. Cubes are a little denser than sweet feed, but it comes out to about half a 50 lbs. sack split 5 ways. I know cows might get a little more or less, but I'm not splitting hairs over it.

It's all good. Im just a penny pincher. But if your buying feed at the right place a weeks worth of 50lb should be less than $6 so its worth it to keep the wife happy .

 

[clarkmorefarm]

It's all good. Im just a penny pincher. But if your buying feed at the right place a weeks worth of 50lb should be less than $6 so its worth it to keep the wife happy .

Co op is selling it for almost $9 a 50 lb. sack for their 12% Sweet Feed made in Athens, TN. It's cheaper by the ton, and I plan on one day getting a mobile feed bin or something similar. Might get a bin one day and get it delivered, but I can drive less than 5 miles down the road and get it in bulk.

 

[kenny thomas]

Co op is selling it for almost $9 a 50 lb. sack for their 12% Sweet Feed made in Athens, TN. It's cheaper by the ton, and I plan on one day getting a mobile feed bin or something similar. Might get a bin one day and get it delivered, but I can drive less than 5 miles down the road and get it in bulk.

I buy 16% with added molasses for $6.

 

[kenny thomas]

If you had a bin i can probably get 12% delivered to you for $220 ir less a ton right now.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

I buy 16% with added molasses for $6.

If you had a bin i can probably get 12% delivered to you for $220 ir less a ton right now.

Sounds like I need to be more thrifty and shop around some.

$6 for 50 lb sack 16% is a pretty good deal in my area and you're not that far from me.

 

[Dsth]

I think she looks to be about 3-4 days from calving. my cows have good BCS as well and I wouldn't have it any other way. I little feed or treats makes them so much easier to handle when running through the chute for vac and treatments when needed. the cows look like they will handle calving and raise a nice calf for you. hopa all works out great for your first season.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

I think she looks to be about 3-4 days from calving. my cows have good BCS as well and I wouldn't have it any other way. I little feed or treats makes them so much easier to handle when running through the chute for vac and treatments when needed. the cows look like they will handle calving and raise a nice calf for you. hopa all works out great for your first season.

Appreciate the well wishes! Wish my granddad was still around who taught me what little knowledge I know about cows. He just had an eye for it and passed some of it on to me.

I really did miss the livestock part of my youth; glad I was fortunate enough to circle back around to it. It is very fulfilling, and my city girl wife is learning all about it too!

 

[coachg]

No, all cows are new to me as of September.

This will be white face cow's 6th calf, the solid red is bred with her 4th calf. Heifers are open.

Any feed they have had is sparingly in the last two months. I supplemented when we had zero pasture from drought some back in September, but fed less after we got some moisture from Helene and the pasture started coming back.

All should be good , but I'm always cautious with over feeding heifers . After they calve all you can afford.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

All should be good , but I'm always cautious with over feeding heifers . After they calve all you can afford.

100% agreed on heifers. Hoping to be in better shape on grass when it's time for heifers to bred and calf.

 

[Travlr]

Looks like we are getting close to our first calf crop from the two bred cows I bought in Sept.

One appears to be a little ahead of the other. My white face cows has bagged up pretty good, and is starting to show signs on the back end.

Anyone want to start a pool to when she will calf? Picture is from yesterday, I'm sure it will happen when it gets frigid cold again or rains sideways.

I'm gonna say nine more days, so Christmas. So if the wife is into babying them and it's a heifer it's very likely you'll be keeping it to add to the herd.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

I'm gonna say nine more days, so Christmas. So if the wife is into babying them and it's a heifer it's very likely you'll be keeping it to add to the herd.

With only two bred cows and the cost of them, I likely would keep and add to the herd if it's a heifer and checks out. One calf won't make or break us at this point.

 

[Brute 23]

She will calve Friday the 20th

... or Wed the 18th

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I think she is at least a week away - maybe not until Christmas!