oakrunfarm
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- Apr 6, 2009
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We bought our first cattle in November - now they are a yearling heifer, two year old heifer and a three year old due to calf sometime within the next 2-3 weeks with her first calf. We have owned and been breeding horses for 20+ years, but this is our first calving. All three are registered Belted Galloway.
Right now, all three are together in a 4-5 acre pasture that has fencing with an (open) gate in between that allows for dividing it in half. There is a pond and a shed with 2 1/2 walls in one pasture, and a water trough and no shed in the other.
We also have a horse barn. It has two 12' x 24' stalls (with the ability to make a total of four 12' x 12' stalls) and two 75' x 150' fenced runs off the barn that the 2 stalls open into. There is also another 2-3 acre big pasture next to the barn/run-ins. All of these are about 150 yards from the house.
This week, they are fencing two more pastures for us. They will be another total of 9 acres - one about 3 and the other about 6. No structures and no hotwire yet.
Problems:
1. We are not sure exactly when she is due. Previous owner told us April 10 was best guess of vet who is very good at predictions. First calf heifer would make her due any time now through then.
2. We have never had cattle, so are not as good as telling when a calf is imminent as we are when mares are. She is showing less interest in food and spending more time alone. Vulva is more relaxed, bag is noticeably fuller just within the last 24 hours, teats are larger/fuller. No discharge from vulva or signs that there have been. We check on her several times a day.
3. We have predators in the area. Across the street neighbor lost two goats to an attack last summer. We know we have coyotes and next door neighbor said he saw a "large cat" in our driveway last year. We supposedly have bobcats also, but they are pretty rare. We found the remains of a house cat on our property that looked like it had been attacked/eaten by a predator. Because our herd is so small and our cattle are young, I am not sure how they would react/respond to a predator attack.
4. We have had SO much rain that there is a deep and large mud pit in between the two pastures where they are. It is up over the oldest cow's knees, and I would be afraid a young calf could get stuck/injured in it. We also have the pond (that the cattle are drinking from), and I worry about the calf around that. It is not more than a couple of feet deep, but there is deep mud all around it.
We are concerned that as part of a small (young) herd, that we have a potential for a predator problem, a calving problem, or both.
Knowing the above scenarios, what do you think would be the best thing to do?
Also, can you give us some information from your experiences as to how to tell when calving is going to occur within the next 48 hours? We are SO worried she is going to have the baby in the middle of the night out in the pasture with no help if needed.
I realized this is a lot of info and questions, but am really needing some help/guidance from someone experienced. We've got quite a lot of money and time invested in these three as they are the basis for our budding breeding operation, and want to do what is best in this situation.
Thank you SO much!
Right now, all three are together in a 4-5 acre pasture that has fencing with an (open) gate in between that allows for dividing it in half. There is a pond and a shed with 2 1/2 walls in one pasture, and a water trough and no shed in the other.
We also have a horse barn. It has two 12' x 24' stalls (with the ability to make a total of four 12' x 12' stalls) and two 75' x 150' fenced runs off the barn that the 2 stalls open into. There is also another 2-3 acre big pasture next to the barn/run-ins. All of these are about 150 yards from the house.
This week, they are fencing two more pastures for us. They will be another total of 9 acres - one about 3 and the other about 6. No structures and no hotwire yet.
Problems:
1. We are not sure exactly when she is due. Previous owner told us April 10 was best guess of vet who is very good at predictions. First calf heifer would make her due any time now through then.
2. We have never had cattle, so are not as good as telling when a calf is imminent as we are when mares are. She is showing less interest in food and spending more time alone. Vulva is more relaxed, bag is noticeably fuller just within the last 24 hours, teats are larger/fuller. No discharge from vulva or signs that there have been. We check on her several times a day.
3. We have predators in the area. Across the street neighbor lost two goats to an attack last summer. We know we have coyotes and next door neighbor said he saw a "large cat" in our driveway last year. We supposedly have bobcats also, but they are pretty rare. We found the remains of a house cat on our property that looked like it had been attacked/eaten by a predator. Because our herd is so small and our cattle are young, I am not sure how they would react/respond to a predator attack.
4. We have had SO much rain that there is a deep and large mud pit in between the two pastures where they are. It is up over the oldest cow's knees, and I would be afraid a young calf could get stuck/injured in it. We also have the pond (that the cattle are drinking from), and I worry about the calf around that. It is not more than a couple of feet deep, but there is deep mud all around it.
We are concerned that as part of a small (young) herd, that we have a potential for a predator problem, a calving problem, or both.
Knowing the above scenarios, what do you think would be the best thing to do?
Also, can you give us some information from your experiences as to how to tell when calving is going to occur within the next 48 hours? We are SO worried she is going to have the baby in the middle of the night out in the pasture with no help if needed.
I realized this is a lot of info and questions, but am really needing some help/guidance from someone experienced. We've got quite a lot of money and time invested in these three as they are the basis for our budding breeding operation, and want to do what is best in this situation.
Thank you SO much!