Mother Nature problems

[mitch2]

Ended the summer very dry.
Started on Hay early.
The wettest and one of the coldest Octobers on record.
Healthy animals had a hard time with it.
72 degrees today.
Winter pasture - where we feed hay - is a slop hole.
Corrals are slop holes.

Because of the weather, I made the decision to leave the calves on the cows and give the cows some supplemental feed for the time being. I don't want to vaccinate/wean/cut with the weather wrecking havoc on a daily basis.

The calves were born mid-Apr to late May.

So far the cows are holding their own, but if the weather doesn't make some corrections and quick I feel like I am going to be in one giant pickle.

What a wacky fall. Just FREEZE already! None of this 20 to 30 degree nights 50 degree days and rain, rain, rain we are wayyy behind on getting crops in as well. Just one of those years to make you scream.

Any others options or opinions on getting my calves weaned -- healthily?

Michele

 

[novatech]

Those calves are going to be pissed off no matter what the weather. Do it and get it over with. The only thing I could see maybe not as healthy is the cutting in the slop. Even though it seems bad I can guarantee there are about as many germs available in or out of the slop. More important is to have the calves healthy before you do it. You can also wait to cut until you are able to turn them out to a clean pasture. Or the opposite, cut them, leave them out in the pasture with mom, then wean them it the slop pen later.

 

[jerry27150]

i would wait for corrals to dry a little then vac & cut, ween at later date when they are healed & vaccine has had a chance to work

 

[redcowsrule33]

Wait til it dries a little, you run the risk of mastitis otherwise. We are in the same boat, our weaning areas are too wet to clean out yet. Should be good to go in a few days.

By the way, worm your calves hard this year. I fecal test mine about this time each year just so I know what I have going on out there and this year is far worse than any because of the drought and the management conditions that surrounded it in spite of doing extra strategized deworming.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I purchased 52 comingled unweaned calves in October, it rained every other day, and I never had to many snotty noses. Mass medicated them and then put them on grass after a week. Three crawled through the fence and to a neighbors Holstiens but at least they are all alive.

It makes me wonder what a beef calf thinks the first time it sees a Holstien cow? :banana:

Work the calves now and wean later.