Mortality This Winter

[inyati13]

At Tuesday night's County Cattle Asso meeting, stories on the mortality issues this winter were abundant. A producer in the adjoining county who runs about 100 head on a number of leased properties and the cows calve unassisted outside, has lost 29 calves and a few cows this season. The biggest producer in our county has also had bad luck and he micro-manages his herd. I saw a dead cow yesterday on the way to the farm laying along the fenceline that borders the road.

But the weather has been much better the past two days and especially yesterday!

 

[plumber_greg]

You lose 29 calves and a "few cows", you shouldn't have cattle. Oh, forgot!!! The cattle work for him, he doesn't work for the cattle. gs

 

[tom4018]

It has been a rough winter. One local farmer here said he has lost 25 calves, not sure how many cows they have but they have several. We have had our share of bad luck this winter. Lost one in the ice storm last weekend. We have had a couple lost due to weather, one to predators and a set of twins born dead. Worst luck we have had with cattle. Maybe I should not have cattle.

 

[Dubcharo]

Here it´s business as usual, on 109 cows we have 113 calves. Everything is indoor in cold barns. Only lost a pair of twins stillborn 20 days earlier from a small first calf heifer. Only 13 to go this spring.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Here it´s business as usual, on 109 cows we have 113 calves. Everything is indoor in cold barns. Only lost a pair of twins stillborn 20 days earlier from a small first calf heifer. Only 13 to go this spring.

Hmmmmmmm....

 

[plumber_greg]

If what you lost totals a third of your crop, you either shouldn't have cattle, or change the management style. I've lost 6 now, that's more than I've ever lost. 5 of them were alive when born, just couldn't keep them that way. The other was from me not taking care of business, he was dead when I found him, heifer took too long to calve, I should have checked her. I was at work and couldn't get back home in time.
Don't mean to insult, but when cows are calving if you don't want to take care of them and stay on top of things, then change management. It's been the nastiest calving weather we ever have had as far as cold, ice, and snow. I know in KY this is unusal for you, but the producers also knew this was coming. Prepare. Think back Tom, and I not calling you our personally, but was there NOTHING you could have done to save any of those calves? You didn't know it was calving season when the ice storm hit? No way to sort out a few heavies and give them better shelter and bedding just before the storm? It was not like the Dakota boys where the cattle were out on the range and an unexpected 3' of snow killed the cattle.
I, personally, like cattle. Like to feed them and take care of them no matter how much a pain it is. They depend on me to take care of them every day, no matter what it takes. They are a business, but one more pleasurable than some others. I just have never bought ,"Well, I was sleeping and last night in the snow, believe it or not, I had 5 stillborn calves, and another that the coyotes got. I have the damest luck." JMPO gs

 

[HughesFamilyCattle]

At Tuesday night's County Cattle Asso meeting, stories on the mortality issues this winter were abundant. A producer in the adjoining county who runs about 100 head on a number of leased properties and the cows calve unassisted outside, has lost 29 calves and a few cows this season. The biggest producer in our county has also had bad luck and he micro-manages his herd. I saw a dead cow yesterday on the way to the farm laying along the fenceline that borders the road.

But the weather has been much better the past two days and especially yesterday!

Gee, thats sad. I havent lost any but my neighbor lost 3 and another 6 and a racehorse farm directly across the road lost 3-4 older mares. I did have my Hudson Pine heifer calf on Jan 19th and its very lively but doesnt seem to be growing very well. Are you going to the Boyd sale? I wanted to but my son has a basketball game today.

 

[inyati13]

At Tuesday night's County Cattle Asso meeting, stories on the mortality issues this winter were abundant. A producer in the adjoining county who runs about 100 head on a number of leased properties and the cows calve unassisted outside, has lost 29 calves and a few cows this season. The biggest producer in our county has also had bad luck and he micro-manages his herd. I saw a dead cow yesterday on the way to the farm laying along the fenceline that borders the road.

But the weather has been much better the past two days and especially yesterday!

Gee, thats sad. I havent lost any but my neighbor lost 3 and another 6 and a racehorse farm directly across the road lost 3-4 older mares. I did have my Hudson Pine heifer calf on Jan 19th and its very lively but doesnt seem to be growing very well. Are you going to the Boyd sale? I wanted to but my son has a basketball game today.

Not going and it started just a while ago. I planned to but got too busy.

The Hudson Pine calves usually come small but grow fast.

 

[Nesikep]

Here are some of my stats, Starting out a complete ignorant newbies with a poorly bred bunch of cattle

Close to 380 calves born, 15 DOA of which 4 were miscarried twins from the same cow, 5 were related to uterine torsions and serious malpresentations that I doubt I could have done anything about, 2 of them were too big for the first time calvers... 120 lb calves have no chance on 800 lb first timers. (we had bought them as bred heifers), and the remaining 4 I might have been able to do something about. 2 born in miserable weather on a sheet of ice, and the other 2 we suspect had the water sac over the nose.

Other losses of young calves we've had was 1 broken leg from stupid cows, 1 calf stepped on, and 2 from scours (we've vaccinated since that year and had no problems).

I guess I'm at 5% loss in 22 years all reasons considered.

 

[Bigfoot]

5% sounds good to me. I usually calculate mine every year. I never write it down, but I think I'm usually about 7%.

 

[tom4018]

If what you lost totals a third of your crop, you either shouldn't have cattle, or change the management style. I've lost 6 now, that's more than I've ever lost. 5 of them were alive when born, just couldn't keep them that way. The other was from me not taking care of business, he was dead when I found him, heifer took too long to calve, I should have checked her. I was at work and couldn't get back home in time.
Don't mean to insult, but when cows are calving if you don't want to take care of them and stay on top of things, then change management. It's been the nastiest calving weather we ever have had as far as cold, ice, and snow. I know in KY this is unusal for you, but the producers also knew this was coming. Prepare. Think back Tom, and I not calling you our personally, but was there NOTHING you could have done to save any of those calves? You didn't know it was calving season when the ice storm hit? No way to sort out a few heavies and give them better shelter and bedding just before the storm? It was not like the Dakota boys where the cattle were out on the range and an unexpected 3' of snow killed the cattle.
I, personally, like cattle. Like to feed them and take care of them no matter how much a pain it is. They depend on me to take care of them every day, no matter what it takes. They are a business, but one more pleasurable than some others. I just have never bought ,"Well, I was sleeping and last night in the snow, believe it or not, I had 5 stillborn calves, and another that the coyotes got. I have the damest luck." JMPO gs

Greg, I hope you are not implying that I don't care for my cattle. :?: I don't know were you got the 1/3 figure, but we are not at that point and sure hope not to get there. I am not alone in the losses in my area, so I guess every one in my area is a lazy bum. Sure if I knew the one that calved in the ice storm was going to go that night, probably would have put her in the barn, but she went early from her breeding date and at dark she looked to be a while, I will admit heifers fool me sometime. Sure seems like you are trying to call me out.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

We have lost more calves this early season than I am comfortable with Tom. Icy rain followed but brutal temperature drops have been rough on us all.

 

[trappersteve]

Ok a question from a rookie, why would you want to have calves in the dead of winter anyhow wouldn't you want them when its starting to warm up in April? Im aing for April and September calves can someone explain this to me

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Ok a question from a rookie, why would you want to have calves in the dead of winter anyhow wouldn't you want them when its starting to warm up in April? Im aing for April and September calves can someone explain this to me

In our case we run the bulls with the cows year-round. This is something I'd like to change and in time I will. It's a long story.

 

[Nesikep]

They're a little bigger in the fall time, and in many places, breeding for a later calving means you're breeding in the heat of summer, which hampers the bull's ability. Those are the biggest reason's I've seen... A lot of people around here like to calve out in feb or so, while everything is frozen... and that is often to avoid the mud and bacteria that come with it. We found that for us, Mar 10th start is pretty good.

 

[Chevyman]

Ok a question from a rookie, why would you want to have calves in the dead of winter anyhow wouldn't you want them when its starting to warm up in April? Im aing for April and September calves can someone explain this to me

Be careful with that kind of logic in this place

 

[Bigfoot]

Ok a question from a rookie, why would you want to have calves in the dead of winter anyhow wouldn't you want them when its starting to warm up in April? Im aing for April and September calves can someone explain this to me

You'll get varried answers to that question. For me if I put my bull in May 15, I'm thru breeding before the heat, and the drought. Never been a winter like this in my life. It might change my plan. Every bad spell started with rain, then snow, then a prolonged arctic temp. It was a recipe for disaster. Miraculously, I didn't lose any. I think my brother is up to 9 or 10. He lives a mile down the road.

 

[trappersteve]

Ok I guess different strokes for different folks. I just thought it would be easier on the calves and cows after it warms up. My opinion is a live calf is more $ than a dead one. Y'all don't tear me apathy too bad!

 

[Dubcharo]

We have calves in January-March, there's nothing else to do in that period. The bulls are older the next spring to do their job (purebred operation).

 

[tom4018]

Ok a question from a rookie, why would you want to have calves in the dead of winter anyhow wouldn't you want them when its starting to warm up in April? Im aing for April and September calves can someone explain this to me

You'll get varried answers to that question. For me if I put my bull in May 15, I'm thru breeding before the heat, and the drought. Never been a winter like this in my life. It might change my plan. Every bad spell started with rain, then snow, then a prolonged arctic temp. It was a recipe for disaster. Miraculously, I didn't lose any. I think my brother is up to 9 or 10. He lives a mile down the road.

Pretty much why we do it, trying to beat the hot humid weather. Seems harder to get them bred in the hot weather and there has been a few years that May got pretty hot. This year it seems like lots of them are calving about 2 weeks earlier, not only on my place buts lots of other farmers around here. I wonder if the weather patterns has affected their gestation period?