First Calf Crop

[kenny thomas]

Good looking calf for sure.

 

[Travlr]

Well update time.

Whoever guessed Christmas day is the winner. You get the satisfaction of being right.

A heifer calf. View attachment 52482

Looks like a good size calf. Congrats...

 

[clarkmorefarm]

So, one thing I've learned at least from my small herd is yearling heifers can be worrisome to the calving cows.

One of the heifers was in heat and was trying to ride my white faced cow while she was starting labor. I went up in the pasture and all 3 of the heifers were standing over the cow trying to give birth.

Luckily I got the feed bucket out and got two of them away from her and locked into another pasture. Got the last one later.

I've got my other bred cow and white face with calf in a paddock by themselves and the heifers in another. They seem to be enjoying the break from the worrisome teenagers.

Other cow should calf within a month, so I'll keep and eye on her and make sure she has a little more space.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Couple of pictures, calf is doing well.

One by the tree limbs is from last week, other picture is from this week.

Still waiting on my solid red cow to calf, she isn't quite there yet. Bag is getting tight, but she hasn't sprung yet. I'm guessing another couple of weeks or so for her.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Still waiting on big red to calf.

Heifer calf is doing great. White face is a great momma cow. Glad I picked her up.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Well 2nd calf finally decided to show up when we have our coldest weather of the year. At least its dry. Bull calf. Found them this morning at daylight right before work. Going to be a cold one for East TN tonight, but bull calf was up this morning when I found them and had been nursing today. Momma has him cleaned off good and dry. Hopefully all goes well tonight.

I'll definitely be moving calving season later into the spring.

 

[Travlr]

Well 2nd calf finally decided to show up when we have our coldest weather of the year. At least its dry. Bull calf. Found them this morning at daylight right before work. Going to be a cold one for East TN tonight, but bull calf was up this morning when I found them and had been nursing today. Momma has him cleaned off good and dry. Hopefully all goes well tonight.

I'll definitely be moving calving season later into the spring.

We calved in February in South Dakota. Better than in wet weather. As long as the calf gets up and nurses, and they have a place out of the wind, they generally do fine.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I'd rather calve onto the cold dry ground that pair is standing on then knee deep mud later in the spring.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Agreed. Glad the weather dries out and froze hard. It was a mess here until this hard freeze came in this week.

Fence row is grown up and cuts the wind pretty good, also have some hills to break the wind on them all too.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Bull calf made it through the cold just fine, and now we will have highs in the 60's this week. So, I believe he will do just fine.

Here are a few pictures. Month old heifer calf on the left, bull and momma on the right.

And that wraps up my first calf crop, I know boring, but glad it went well. I'll have 5 bred next year if all goes well.

Haven't banded the bull yet, was going to but had trouble finding both of his testicles, didn't know if it was the cold or something I was doing wrong. So decided against putting a band on the wrong way and decided to give him a little time. I'll have a working chute before long I can hopefully catch him in later to band/cut.

 

[farmerjan]

Smart move, always better to wait on banding than to miss a nut... They look good... Congrats on a successful beginning...

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Bull Calf is growing off well.

Might see how he turns out as a bull for a while.

Heifer calf is doing well too.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I like the phenotype on the heifer better than the bull. She "appears" to have a stronger topline. Much easier on the calf to band ASAP after birth.

 

[Travlr]

I like the phenotype on the heifer better than the bull. She "appears" to have a stronger topline. Much easier on the calf to band ASAP after birth.

I wasn't gonna say it, but since you did, I agree...

 

[clarkmorefarm]

I certainly don't have the eye that a lot of our more experienced members have.

I know on banding, long story on why it didn't work out. Another learning opportunity. If we have to, we can cut him later.

My biggest concern with the heifer is that I see what appear to be nubs forming. Her mom is polled, not sure on the bull. I'll have to do something about that if she was to stick around. I don't want any horns running around my place. She also could pass that trait on as well if she was to stay, so might be something else to consider.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Dam must be Hetero polled ( carrying 1 polled gene and 1 horned gene). Polled is dominant, so she is polled.
For this heifer to be scurred or horned, she had to have gotten the horn (or scurred) gene from BOTH parents.

 

[clarkmorefarm]

Dam must be Hetero polled ( carrying 1 polled gene and 1 horned gene). Polled is dominant, so she is polled.
For this heifer to be scurred or horned, she had to have gotten the horn (or scurred) gene from BOTH parents.

Makes sense, so if I used a homo polled bull, I wouldn't have to worry about any of her offspring being scurred or horned?