Gained a Heifer

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Bright Raven

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A storm came through Wednesday evening. Lots of lightening and wind. Yesterday, about 1pm, I took the utility vehicle to the back of the farm.

On the line fence between me and Tom, three Red Oak trees were on the ground. The picture does not do it justice. All three of these trees are decent sawlogs. There is an old logging road on Tom's side of the fence. The trees fell parallel to the road. Two went south and one went north. The crown on the one that went north took out 3 sections of fence.

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I sawed the crown up and put five strands of wire up before sundown. The posts were fine.

Got to looking at my cows and immediately noticed a skinny brown heifer about 15 months old. She is in poor condition. I assumed that she came in while the fence was down. But the guy who had cows on Tom, moved during the summer over a dispute with Tom. I concluded the heifer was left and wintered back there.

Last night, I called Tom and my neighbor, Johnny. Both have the same idea. She was left behind. I would like to get her to the front of the farm. Give her Ivomec injection. A Clostridial vaccination and pour her for live, ticks and flies.
 
TennesseeTuxedo":1oik9rqv said:
If anybody can bring her back to form it is you Birdman.

I'm fed up with trees and fences, the two just don't mix.

Ain't that the truth. I was a nervous wreck until I got that fence up. That area behind my farm has never been explored. Even Daniel Boone avoided it.
 
Probably too late to worry about desease. I know yours are well vaccinated though. What will you do with her after you bring her back?
 
She'll be happy to have some company so I'm sure you'll have her eating out of your hand in no time. I had a heifer show up at my place a couple of years ago. She kept walking around the fences trying to get in so I opened a gate and let her in. She was butterball fat and looked like a show calf. Contacted the sheriff and all the local feed stores to let them know I had someone's calf but no one ever claimed it. One guy came out and looked at it but said it wasn't his. To date, no one has ever claimed it and after a few months the sheriff called and said I could consider it mine. She just dropped her third calf last month.
 
Jogeephus":uj1gmyrq said:
She'll be happy to have some company so I'm sure you'll have her eating out of your hand in no time. I had a heifer show up at my place a couple of years ago. She kept walking around the fences trying to get in so I opened a gate and let her in. She was butterball fat and looked like a show calf. Contacted the sheriff and all the local feed stores to let them know I had someone's calf but no one ever claimed it. One guy came out and looked at it but said it wasn't his. To date, no one has ever claimed it and after a few months the sheriff called and said I could consider it mine. She just dropped her third calf last month.

Jo. She sure ain't no show heifer. This don't look like anything that I have ever had here.

I gave her 7 mL Ivomec injection (She don't weigh 700 but best guess was 7), UltraBac 7 Clostridial (I usually use covexin) and had a couple doses of Custom pinkeye autogenous bacterin- used that. Poured her with Ultra Boss.

Isolated her. She inhaled a pan of mixed feed. I actually could touch her when she was eating. Then gave her couple nice slices of alfalfa.
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M-5":3k7oesbu said:
You vaccinate for this reason , so I would just get her calmed down fed and fatter , sell or eat her

I still worry. There are a couple diseases very difficult to protect against.
 
By the size of her head, I would say she is a lot older than you think. She will really stand out among your simmi fat girls.... :lol2:
 
Fire Sweep Ranch":3ieb7sj6 said:
By the size of her head, I would say she is a lot older than you think. She will really stand out among your simmi fat girls.... :lol2:

I bet she has been a loner for a long time. The guy who leased Tom's farm has been gone 8 months or more.

For contrast, 6 months old calves, taken an hour ago.
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Who knows, she might surprise you once she gets on a proper diet. Doesn't look like there is anywhere to go but toward improvement. And if after a few months no one claims her and she isn't the pride of your herd there is always Craigslist.
 
See how she does with some feed, contact authorities and if nothing happens, I guess she's yours.. I do think she's at least a year old,.. if she went through the winter with no feed that would explain her condition and she may not be a bad animal..
 
Update: called the Sheriff, no missing cattle reported.

She is responding well. I got her isolated. She has improved enough that she is not happy being alone. But putting one with her defeats the isolation purpose.
 

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