Jersey Heifer Project

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Shoestring said:
MM., There is a reason why we have bales. Round and square.
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Ain't that the truth! I thought it would be a good way to use that half bale. Boy was I wrong!! What a mess. Then I still gotta clean up after it's all gone!

@TCRanch I should've stood the bale upright! Then I could've just peeled hay off and tossed the net at that time. This is a damn mess. Dont ever do it unless ya have to!


She still isnt walking nicely on the halter but at least I CAN lead her a lil bit now. We play a bit of tug o war but not bad. Slow n steady. Slow n steady..
O! And I've gotten pretty dang close to her. No kicking so far! That's a plus
 
Well how the heck did she do that??
Will it heal and re-form a shell again?
Or is she a unicorn now? I've seen some cows do this at the sale barn. Usually a lot of blood (cows with bigger, longer horns) and I never hear the outcome.
@Buck Randall
@farmerjan
Anyone?
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As an aside we are leading around the pen now. One round last night. 2 rounds tonight. She still isnt very trusting. A bit of fighting still.
 
TCRanch said:
What's going on with her broken horn? That said, I know you'll turn her around and she'll be yet another phenomenal nurse cow!
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Yeah idk how she did that. Heck she doesnt really play all that much. It's a mystery to me. I'm just wondering if itll come back or if it's gone forever.....

I sure wanted her to have 2 pretty lil curved horns like a jersey is supposed to have.
 
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It will probably just be a stub horn. It should get a harder shell and since it didn't seem to be a bloody mess that is good. I love horns on jerseys..... but that said.... I will not keep horns on any now that are younger and growing.... it is too dangerous and they get too aggressive in most cases if they are the only ones with horns. One of my old jerseys had horns when I bought her and she was always quiet and gentle. BUT.... I raised a 1/2 jersey - 1/2 holstein from a baby calf and left her horns. Had a nicely matched set. At about 4 yrs old, with her 2nd set of calves, she started hooking the calves and anything that was in the catch pen with her... and all the cows started giving her a wide berth so I know she was getting aggressive out in the field too. So that late fall, she got her comeuppence and I had the vet take them off... he used a couple shots to numb it first, and then we took them off and she got the surprise of her life a couple days later when she was in the pen with a few other animals and she went to use them.... and the horns weren't there. The other cows soon learned she no longer had the upper hand....
It is not worth it and it usually makes their resale value less because people are afraid of horns. I had one once that was also a quiet easy going animal with horns. She accidentally caught me in the side of the head as she just went to swing her head to go after some flies or something, and I was in her way. IT HURT, and it was not that she was doing anything wrong.... or being mean or anything....
I bought another cow once with horns because the people were afraid of her with her horns... and she never ever used them towards me or any other animal.....
So as much as you like horns, give it some thought. It is better to take them off in the colder weather so no fly problems....
 
Thanks @farmerjan
I've been going round and round on the whole horn deal for all the reasons u mention. Accidents do happen. But I suppose they could be a deadly accident given the right circumstances....

I plan on having her blood work (mainly for freemartin testing) done after shes good and halter broke this late fall/early winter.
Perhaps I'll consider dehorning at the same time. 😥

May as well I guess. The horn is ruined now anyway. Perhaps that's a sign!!
It's not gonna be a good time if she tests positive as a freemartin..
Then I'll have no choice but to feed her so we can take that long walk on a halter to the butcher down the road...
 
Looking good Murray. Also, I stole this from another thread, advising someone else of another issue. Credit to. @Lazy M:
During the pelvic check, the vet may have been able to identify if any were free martins or had issues that wouldn't have made them suitable for breeding.
Some just don't work, though, and hopefully they put on enough weight so that you'll make a little $ on the resell
 
She most definitely don't like being tied tight. But shes just gonna have to get used to it. This is the first time being tied tight like that. I'll get to where I can brush her while shes tied and not be so dang antsy all the time. I want to be able to milk or put a calf on her if I HAVE to without feeding her.
It may or may not work out that way, but we are gonna try anyway...
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I think Bessie is getting some sort of weird kick outta this. Since I've weaned her from her calves, she comes up every evening expecting feed. She dont get but a cupful. Shes drying off nicely btw.
Shes got that look like, if you try that crap with me, I'll make u build a fortress of a pen!
Lmao!
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Opal went to her new acre this morning!
I grabbed a feed bucket and latched on to her lead rope. Her 2 lil buddies followed us across the yard and into the new area. I'm so glad they have some grass to graze now. I'll still feed em. And they have a great big bale of the best hay too.

Her winter coat is coming on. She so frizzy/fluffy looking.
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Yep. They are still the best lil fence testers money can buy too!
They've never seen electric before. They gettin it figured out tho!
 
Looking good Murray. I bought an old 8/8 Hereford last week. I used some knowledge learned here on separation and electric fence. She now has some knowledge of electric fencing. Lol. Only saw her on it I time. She seems pretty smart!
 
MurraysMutts said:
She most definitely don't like being tied tight. But shes just gonna have to get used to it. This is the first time being tied tight like that. I'll get to where I can brush her while shes tied and not be so dang antsy all the time. I want to be able to milk or put a calf on her if I HAVE to without feeding her.
It may or may not work out that way, but we are gonna try anyway...
View attachment 9256
I think Bessie is getting some sort of weird kick outta this. Since I've weaned her from her calves, she comes up every evening expecting feed. She dont get but a cupful. Shes drying off nicely btw.
Shes got that look like, if you try that crap with me, I'll make u build a fortress of a pen!
Lmao!
View attachment 9257
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I was in stitches with you describing Bessie's reaction to your tying up Opal...and well she should give you the evil eye at the very thought of tying her up.... I would kick you right in the best pl....ace for even thinking that after the bang up job she did of just taking calves like she did🤣😉 That was so funny, and the look on her face. Yes, she is drying up nicely.
 
I've never tested any for being free martins but have had one I knew was a twin to a bull calf. Her femal parts were underdeveloped noticeably and have seen it in a couple of others when sorting Dad's heifers. They weren't known twins but calving in a big pasture who knows.
 
Well.....
We fight a little.
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Went around that acre enough times i lost count.
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Picked up a tailgater....
Lil Dumbo follows her everywhere! 🤣
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After all that we went for a nice little stroll across the yard a couple times. We will slowly work on manners, but she knows she can't win now.
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Afterwards I gave her a half a scoop of creep feed and let her weedeat around the cats grave. She was quite accepting of being rubbed on, petted, too.
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All tuckered out!!
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On to the next one, ol son!
Gonna go work with Rockets heifer a bit.
 
Did a lil weedeating this evening....
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Not exactly sure who's doing the "leading" at this point. But we get where we are going anyway!
She gets ahead of me. I stop. She stops. Sometimes I'll make her turn and go around in a circle a few times. Trying to hold her head up high. Need to tie her head UP for a while I reckon.
 

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