New years day never a dull day.

[hillsdown]

Well at least it is never boring here and calving this year stared out with a frozen surprise. Driving Miss Daisy was due the 4th but of course since we got down to -29 last night and with the wind chill it was almost 40 below, she decided to calve sometime in between my last check at midnight and my first check of the day at 5 am when I found this calfsicle. He was born in the pole shed and straw pack but that doesn't really make a difference in this weather. So I hauled him straight to the house in the sleigh as I didn't want to run back and forth all the time to the barn, he got his fill of colostrum. although it looked like he had drank from mom as one quarter looked smaller than the rest and his mouth was warm. He went out back to mom this afternoon and when she saw the sleigh she immediately started to bawl and was happy to have him back.

He is out of McCoy Signature and weighs 88 lbs, unfortunately even though he was sent out with a toque he may still lose at least one badly frozen ear.

For some reason my surveillance camera is not working in extreme cold so we need to take it down and figure out what is going on. I hope the rest wait until it warms up some as the next are not due until the 8th.

 

[goldengoat]

HD that is definatley too cold for me. It has been in the 60s here and I have been too cold. I hope the little bugger is ok. Looks good in the pics. I used to run mangos and avocados up to Calgary and Edmonton so I know that weather up there. You guys dont plan out your breeding to calve in the spring? That is like us down here calving in July/August. Dont want any calves born in the middle of summer if we can help it . We have the equivalant of your cold in heat. Good luck and Happy New year. Mike G.

 

[AudieWyoming]

I put powder river steel panels in the old barn to jug up the new pairs. We had a couple nights of -20 I had extra cows in the barn to try to build some heat. The new babys would get up, when they touched against the panels they would stick. Like you I had calves in the basement,in the kitchen, I empathize with you, it is a lot of extra work but I still enjoy the challenge. (Thats why we get paid the big $$$$) sic

It is so rewarding after its over I really feel like I have accomplished something.

 

[bigbull338]

he is a cute lil bugger.id panic bigtime if i was calving in your weather.hows the calf doing now.

 

[farmwriter]

What troopers - you and the calf! Happy New Year!

 

[Aaron]

Glad I don't do that anymore. Frozen calves in the bathtub or in the kitchen don't make for fun times. :cowboy:

 

[cfpinz]

-29, F or C? Either way, that's pretty frigging cold!

hd - don't you know real cattle barons don't bring calves in the house? They ain't got time to babysit them or some crap like that. :lol2:

 

[hillsdown]

Cf it was -29 c and that freaking wind was howling bad, we got drifted in again. At least Nikki got to see mom in action, and that it is not an oddity to have a calf in the house. :lol2: I really did not have to baby sit him , after he had his tummy full of groceries he fell asleep for about 4 hours and he did not start to move or do the unspeakable "poop" until we got him back in the sleigh, so there was no need for diapers. . I am changing my calving back to start the 3rd week in Jan.

Oh well even in late Feb and March we are known to get terribly cold weather so it is a no win situation. At least they keep me on my toes. ;-)

What a way to get over a champagne hangover though.. :help:

 

[3waycross]

That'll teach you to drink all that bubbly.LOLOL

Seriously HD nice job on the calf. It seems like there is always one that has to be born when the ears are guaranteed to freeze off. We pulled one 3 yrs ago when it was -15 F. Amazingly enuf we were able to get the ears dried off with hay and towels fast enuf to keep them from falling off but it was touch and go.

I admire your perserverance and work ethic. A lot of folks would just shrug their shoulders and say there goes another set of ears.

 

[MO_cows]

Good work! It must have been a back breaker to get him on the sleigh and drag it up to the house, then carry him in and back out again and drag him back, all by yourself. My back is mad at me for some work I did yesterday, now it is having sympathy pains just thinking about what you did. :lol2:

 

[hillsdown]

Well I had to get the little bugger up on his feet this aft to give bedding and I swear he has gained at least 5 pounds. He is doing well and we just might be able to save that ear, but mom is a little toooo maternalistic right now. Geesh you take their calf away once and they never forgive you.. :lol2: :help:
Last I saw he was following mommy around with his toque still on and I hope she has taken him to the shelter and bedding by now. Next check midnight...

He is a very nice looking calf so far, really long.

 

[Oldtimer]

Well we had a birthing day today too....Our Border Collie female- that I really didn't want to have winter pups (but that my Grandson felt sorry for and let her out of the kennel for a couple hours :roll: ) gave us 7 Border Collie pups....

We knew she was going to have them- and yesterday evening she disappeared- missing all night- and I figured she'd found a hole somewhere and had them...But about 5 AM- she showed up at the house door- wanted in- then went to the grandsons bedroom where she proceeded to go into labor at the foot of his bed...
Anyone need a border collie pup in 5-6 weeks?

 

[cfpinz]

Anyone need a border collie pup in 5-6 weeks?

Do you deliver?

 

[Mare]

Sounds like happy endding with the birth of calf and puppy!!!! Hope it stays that way!!!! Great pic's

 

[Oldtimer]

Anyone need a border collie pup in 5-6 weeks?

Do you deliver?

If this winters cold stays around much longer- its a possibility- on my way to Bermuda :shock: ;-)

 

[cfpinz]

Anyone need a border collie pup in 5-6 weeks?

Do you deliver?

If this winters cold stays around much longer- its a possibility- on my way to Bermuda :shock: ;-)

How about I meet you there?

 

[hillsdown]

Anyone need a border collie pup in 5-6 weeks?

Do you deliver?

Cf that Jill pup that I posted about that we missed out on, went to California, and two of the pups of Dales litter, I think ,went to South Dakota. They are flown out, so any breeder can arrange shipping .

I sure like/love my Nikki .. Darn she is smart already ,and at only 8 weeks. She is almost house trained, asks to go out most of the time . She shakes a paw/s and brings back her toys to us when we throw them. Plus she is soooooo cute, even when she has the odd temper tantrum. She weighs 10 and a half pounds now ,she was 6 lbs when we got her on Xmas eve. I just may decide to breed this one even though I do not like the way a "dog" looks after they have had pups..I cannot wait to get her working with the cattle. She needs to be much bigger though. ;-)

 

[hillsdown]

What would Mrs Cf say if you brought home a BC puppy ??? ;-)

 

[cfpinz]

What would Mrs Cf say if you brought home a BC puppy ??? ;-)

If it were a calm one she'd love it, most of the bc's around here are skitzofrenics.

She's the dog person, I prefer cats.

 

[hillsdown]

What would Mrs Cf say if you brought home a BC puppy ??? ;-)

If it were a calm one she'd love it, most of the bc's around here are skitzofrenics.

She's the dog person, I prefer cats.

Headcase no way look at these, and she even plays nice with Kit Kat.. :tiphat:

See she plays nice too, actually she has to as the Kit Kat is not forgiving at all.. :lol2: