Murrays projects 2021

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We had another set of twins - both born dead. So, stole Java's freemartin and took a few hours, but new cow is loving her new baby. Plan to turn them out tomorrow - in a different winter lot than where Java is.
Is one of your cow families producing all the twins? Or are the twins coming from unrelated lines? Maybe from a bull you've used on more than one cow family?

Sorry if I'm saying this wrong. It's "cow families" (descended from a single cow), isn't it?
 
I'm glad yours is working out so well @Jeanne - Simme Valley !

This one is gonna take some effort. She's decided she knows it ain't her calf. I figure a few days and they'll come along.
Snapped a pic this evening while she was whirling and twirling and kicking a bit. Calf is persistent tho.
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I'm glad yours is working out so well @Jeanne - Simme Valley !

This one is gonna take some effort. She's decided she knows it ain't her calf. I figure a few days and they'll come along.
Snapped a pic this evening while she was whirling and twirling and kicking a bit. Calf is persistent tho.
View attachment 39115
A trick commonly used with horses, and horsemen who raise cattle, is to go get some cheap perfume or cologne. We always use BRUT with horses. Cover both calves with it, and her nose. Then put them back on her. She won't be able to tell which is hers and which is the step-chjld.
 
Pen her calf and the new calf together, away from the cow; let them both go on her when she is eating. You have a couple strikes against you... she ran with her own calf for a couple of days, and was not right there at your place close. She is not Bessie... you are going to have to convince her that if she wants her own calf, this new one is part of the deal. The milk needs to get through the new calf, and it needs to be with the red wf calf so they get to smelling and acting like a "set"... It might take a week or more... as long as the new calf is persistent, and the cow cannot have her own calf by it's self, it will learn to go on her when her own calf does... and even if she sucks from the back for a bit... the cow will tolerate it. Next time she needs to be there at your place and as soon as she calves, you need to pen it separate and then add a new calf to the mix so she thinks she had both...
 
A trick commonly used with horses, and horsemen who raise cattle, is to go get some cheap perfume or cologne. We always use BRUT with horses. Cover both calves with it, and her nose. Then put them back on her. She won't be able to tell which is hers and which is the step-chjld.
I was just going to say simular to what @farmerjan just said!

My plan tomorrow is take both calves away for the day. Tmrw evening I'll release them both.

This is what I've been trying to say all along...

When u need a calf, u NEED A CALF! A week or two later is always more work. Had I bought that holstein 2 weeks ago for 50 bucks, this would've been much easier I'm sure of it. I fully expected at least 3 days work here.

Only calf available this week, was yesterday.
And I gave 400 DOLLARS for her!!!!
 
@farmerjan

I was fully prepared to go 500 if I had to. Didn't WANT TO for shore!

Like I said. When u need one, u NEED one. 😆


I've always been prepared in the past. Not this time. I really didn't even know what to expect from this cow. As she got closer and closer, I thought o boy.... I'm gonna need another calf for sure. I'm almost positive she can handle 3!

I watched 2 sell at the last sale of the year, go for 500 and couldn't believe it. They sold a runt heifer for 450 or 400 i can't remember now. I just told myself, do what ya gotta do this time. Buddy was looking for 6 babies. They are hand milking 2 cows twice a day right now. Babies are in short supply with the reduced cow numbers etc.
No babies at another sale today. And none expected at tomorrow's sale either.

The good thing is!
I've got far less in this cow than Eleanor. I can go a lil more on babies if I have to.

Sounds bad, but I was kind of hoping this one fella that buys all the calves when I ain't got no money would've showed up. I was prepared to make a spectacle of meself!
🤣🤪🤣🤪🤣🤪
 
I was just going to say simular to what @farmerjan just said!

My plan tomorrow is take both calves away for the day. Tmrw evening I'll release them both.

This is what I've been trying to say all along...

When u need a calf, u NEED A CALF! A week or two later is always more work. Had I bought that holstein 2 weeks ago for 50 bucks, this would've been much easier I'm sure of it. I fully expected at least 3 days work here.

Only calf available this week, was yesterday.
And I gave 400 DOLLARS for her!!!!
And that $50 holstein would have made you money down the road at a cheaper selling price, with not having that much in it.... bet your friends would be glad to have it about now too!!!! LOL
Yep, sometimes you just NEED ONE....
 
Small update.
Went to seperate em this morning and mama was mad about it. Wouldn't stop being a turd even with her own calf. Kept mooing at the new one like I was killing it or something.
So I just let em all in the big pen! Something must've clicked last night being penned all together in such a tight spot. The trailer 6x16 plus her lil 10x12 pen.
I'll take it!
20240106_150628.jpg
Good ol Bessie back there. She must've told the new girl about our secrets...
Shes always helping me out!


O yeah.
Have not decided on Tawny or Dapples

Either one fits. Leaning towards Dapple
 
PS, it appears muddy enough to grow some grass. Are things looking up in a large area?
 
PS, it appears muddy enough to grow some grass. Are things looking up in a large area?
We've been very fortunate in the moisture department. This area is actually completely out of the drought. Wheat is growing like crazy. And there ain't enough calves to graze it. People are buying thin cows to graze it, there's that much of a shortage of calves.

That big black heifer came straight off of a really really good cow. She was OLD and MEAN. They pulled her off in the ring. Didn't even let her finish her dinner! 🤭
 
We've been very fortunate in the moisture department. This area is actually completely out of the drought. Wheat is growing like crazy. And there ain't enough calves to graze it. People are buying thin cows to graze it, there's that much of a shortage of calves.

That big black heifer came straight off of a really really good cow. She was OLD and MEAN. They pulled her off in the ring. Didn't even let her finish her dinner! 🤭
Sounds like the makings of a replacement heifer!
 
And another update. Buddy went sale today too. He bought 3 babies.
200
450
700!!

No word on why the 3rd was so high. I'm presuming it was older and around 200lbs or so. Hope he gets it on his cow ok.

Average is still high. Glad I got the one I did. It was much closer too!

I was also updating records tonight. I gave 685 bucks for this cow. So far, she's looking like a steal!
 
And another update. Buddy went sale today too. He bought 3 babies.
200
450
700!!

No word on why the 3rd was so high. I'm presuming it was older and around 200lbs or so. Hope he gets it on his cow ok.

Average is still high. Glad I got the one I did. It was much closer too!

I was also updating records tonight. I gave 685 bucks for this cow. So far, she's looking like a steal!
Wanna double your money?
 
Dapple is doing just grand!!
Those two babies are always full and making lil yeller poops, tho I never see them nursing.
They've been sleeping in the broken down feeder to the right with some hay in it for bedding. They will be outta this mucky old pen soon. Plan is Thursday.
I'm of a mind to just keep her here, but I fear the orphan may try and latch onto Bessie and that would be alllll bad! We will NOT be having that problem. Bessie will be along first of March. I may bring Dapple home AFTER Bessie calves. If all goes to plan, Dapple will be raising 4 this year. I'll breed em both for next springs calves.

Check out the last couple pages @Lannie
Ain't seen ya on here in a bit!

I LOVE her winter coat!!
And that udder of hers is nothing short of fantastic too!
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