Nurse cow or not. Thoughts

[MurraysMutts]

Boy I wish this cow was bred. I truly believe that's why she's being so naughty. Sheesh.
She got the hobbles last night and that appears to be a game changer for her so far. She can still kick a little as I left them quite loose/longer length so she can freely move but it keeps her from kicking out hard and high. I think it also wore her out a bit. Today she did a bit better with the calves. They were able to duck and dive avoiding the blows or just being shoved while still getting the hints she was sending. Eventually they latched on while she was eating and she gave up for a bit. Long enough for them to eat what they needed although maybe a tad too much. They showed up with scours this morning so I'm treating that now. What's interesting is so is the other younger calf we have right now who is in a completely different area and different cow. The older calves are just fine. We've had some pretty dramatic temperature swings and I suspect that's the cause on the youngins. All in all we seem to have made progress. We'll see how she does over the next 24 hours and hopefully remove them. I'm just trying to keep the calves from receiving all out blows until the light bulb comes on in her head.

The wonderful thing about hobbles, is hobbles are wonderful things!!

A week or so of that and she will forget she ever knew how to kick! Next year if I still have Dapples she is gonna get hobbled for a few days. She definitely is NOT Bessie!!

 

[Hereford2]

My nurse cow Always has a Favorite calf, (the calf doesn't have to be her's) she will nurse 3, but she doesn't lick the third calf and sometimes she will only lick the one that's her favorite. This spring she kicked the one she didn't like just right and that poor guy couldn't stand without help for a few days, so I pulled him and bottle fed him until he was better, when I put him back on her, I stood beside her while he got latched on and Everytime she raised her foot I smacked her ankle with a Plastic pipe and after that she left him alone. I was putting a new batch of calves on her every 2 months, she raised 12 calves for me in 8 months.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Well a surprising turn of events this afternoon. Same drama at the early am feeding. Actually worse as she was trying to smash them with her head since kicking wasn't being effective enough and they were chasing her around for milk and not giving up. After feeding I treated all the calves for scours. One is stopped up already. One is mostly stopped up (the young calf on his own mom) the other graft calf is still struggling. He's wobbly again but that may be because he's getting dehydrated so I've been tubing him with the great electrolytes that were recommended on this forum last year that have been an absolute game changer. That tube feeder also recommended on this forum has been incredible. It's amazing how nice equipment can make things so much easier. Next feeding I head out the door expecting an all out fiasco once again and stop dead in my tracks. Wait just a darn minute! There's the cow with the smaller healthier calf just nursing away and she's just standing there chewing her cud contently. What in the world happened from one feeding to the next?!? So I head out, enjoyed the hands off feeding for a bit then treat all 3 calves for scours. The 2nd graft calf gets up, heads over to the cow and I'm just sure she's going to have a fit and nope. She seems to not allow sick calves to nurse when we're doing this so I expected her to tell him no. Especially after what we've been dealing with for over a week now. He just latches on and nurses away. What in the world!? The first calf is about to explode from all the milk. I have no idea how long he'd been standing there nursing. So I expect to be dealing with him scouring back up again. Thankfully I've continued to treat him till I was sure he was over it. I don't want to take him away when we are clearly on the right path. Just wanted to share this update.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Both calves are doing well now except for over eating a bit still. We've mostly got their scours under control. The cow isn't quite there yet but she's doing better by the day and the stronger the calves get them more they run her down. Once they latch on she stops, lets down and chews her cud. She's just being stubborn because she's still open. They have pretty well figured out how to duck and dive and get what they want. I'll be keeping them in the corral for a bit longer until I feel like she's taken them completely and they are strong enough to chase her down in a smaller pasture for a bit. All in all it's going well although it's been a challenge. We're going back up in heat yet again. Hopefully she can still conceive and keep it this time. Really not enjoying her personality when she's open.

 

[MurraysMutts]

They can be a bit ornery can't they?

Gotta love em!

 

[Double R Ranch]

They can be a bit ornery can't they?

Gotta love em!

Ask me in a month or so and I'll give a better answer
She's is back to her easy going wonderful self at the moment. Well until she gets hormonal again. Gotta love em........ If I gotta

 

[Double R Ranch]

Guess it's time for an update. Somehow we all came through this in one piece. HaHa!
Both calves are doing pretty well. The calf that originally was the larger calf is now the smaller. He still is a bit wobbly when he's first up and moving.That still stumps me. Last night both calves were running around for a bit head butting and playing. Had to just sit and watch. Was nice to see. Especially after all this time. I think we are finally there for the most part. Having said that next week is when she's supposed to come back into heat if she's not bred so we're buckled up for another round of aggression. Hopefully she's finally bred and this last heat didn't change that. It was "cooler" longer this round post breeding so maybe this time it stuck. The cow still kicks a small amount when the calves first try and nurse but as soon as one gets latched on she stands perfect chewing her cud as if they were her own. Her kicks aren't very aggressive now so hobbles are off now. Both calves are eating well and putting on weight. We had yet another round of record breaking heat for this time of year and in true fashion this cow turned the shade area into a sloppy mess and continued to lay her udder in it. If she can find a pile to lay her udder in she will. No matter how much straw and cleaning is done. She came down with mastitis in a back quarter. Caught it quick and started treatment. It's clear now and we are back in milk for the calves and the house. So all in all a good update and hopefully we can get them out on pasture in another week or so during the day.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Final update most likely on this round of lactation.
1 calf is now weaned. He was getting way to aggressive with our cow and pushing off the other calf at feedings. He's out on pasture and growing up to the weight our cross bred buyer wants now. The other calf is still on her and growing like a weed. He's a much better temperament calf. More beef like than dairy which is nice. She's going to be dried up in not to much longer. She's still confirmed pregnant so we're are happy with how it's all going right now. I debated another set of calves when I weaned the first of these two calves but decided not to take on that battle because she really likes these calves as her own (as if the above battles never occurred ) and I didn't want to start fresh in the mud/winter for another couple months of lactation.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Sale day was eventful. Absolutely can not believe what these steers and heifer brought. We are just now getting grass (no real nutrition to it yet) so they've not bulked up yet (post weaning). Didn't seem to matter. Glad the milk thieves are gone and the checks cashed. Every one of them started stealing off one of our beef cows after a long wean. Once one started in (first picture) the rest caught on. Separate one and find another a few days later. Off the same beef cow. Should have shipped right off the cow. I know better but at least they are gone now. Really wanted to wait until they put on weight from the grass. Oh well. I'm definitely did NOT cry my way to the bank.
@MurraysMutts Here ya go. The jersey/holstein is strong in all but 1 of them. Turns out it did not matter. $$$$

 

[MurraysMutts]

U can sure see the dairy influence. But if it's like here, those babies brought real good money to go to grass probly.

These nurse cows are sure enough a bit of work. But the bang for the buck is awesome!

Did they bring 3 bucks/lb? The condition speaks for itself. They are ready to GAIN

 

[Double R Ranch]

U can sure see the dairy influence. But if it's like here, those babies brought real good money to go to grass probly.

These nurse cows are sure enough a bit of work. But the bang for the buck is awesome!

Did they bring 3 bucks/lb? The condition speaks for itself. They are ready to GAIN

Picture 1 $2.95# (Paid $150)
Picture 2 $1.80# (Paid $50)
Picture 3 $3.00# (Paid $150)
Picture 4 $1.77# (Paid $50)

 

[MurraysMutts]

Picture 1 $2.95# (Paid $150)
Picture 2 $1.80# (Paid $50)
Picture 3 $3.00# (Paid $150)
Picture 4 $1.77# (Paid $50)

I sure miss 50 dollar calves. At 100 average they made real good money!
Don't ya wish every cow was that profitable? I don't know if I could find enough time to devote tho...

 

[Double R Ranch]

I sure miss 50 dollar calves. At 100 average they made real good money!
Don't ya wish every cow was that profitable? I don't know if I could find enough time to devote tho...

We did. Even with a few of them scouring up we still made money and I didn't have to figure out what to do with all the excess milk. Had I shipped them right off the cow we would have made more but that's ok. I'm not complaining at all. I'll just try and do better about shipping right off the cow.
We have a buyer acquaintance who doesn't have a place for very small calves. They sell them to us at a good price when they get some. If I'm patient I can get some good deals. I don't mind starting with 50-80# calves. Small is good on the jersey to get the started anyways. I couldn't see doing it at the current market prices. $800 for a newborn with a wet umbilical (that was prices last sale) seems insane to gamble on for me personally. Don't think I'd make much money at those prices if any at all. I just hope this buyer doesn't get a better market for the small ones. I get a couple months off then back at it again.

 

[MurraysMutts]

We did. Even with a few of them scouring up we still made money and I didn't have to figure out what to do with all the excess milk. Had I shipped them right off the cow we would have made more but that's ok. I'm not complaining at all. I'll just try and do better about shipping right off the cow.
We have a buyer acquaintance who doesn't have a place for very small calves. They sell them to us at a good price when they get some. If I'm patient I can get some good deals. I don't mind starting with 50-80# calves. Small is good on the jersey to get the started anyways. I couldn't see doing it at the current market prices. $800 for a newborn with a wet umbilical (that was prices last sale) seems insane to gamble on for me personally. Don't think I'd make much money at those prices if any at all. I just hope this buyer doesn't get a better market for the small ones. I get a couple months off then back at it again.

I know the feeling. I've got 650 in each of mine right now. One bull. One heifer. But they so seem to be good calves. No dairy in em so that'll help. I won't be grafting again this lactation. Just gonna let em raise em 6 months or so.

I've done well selling right off the cow too. But I know they get docked a bit for being Buttermilk fat. The long weaned ones like yours tend to do very well too tho. They looked pretty "hard" and ready to gain. Those usually bring a premium around these parts.

So I suppose it's 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other.

But. I've also seen them nurse any cow that'll stand it as well. And that don't help the cow any.

I really enjoy your adventures here. Thanks for posting them! It kept me going (honestly!) When things went south for me.
Posts like yours. And @TexasJerseyMilker and @Lannie and. @Ky hills and others.

Much appreciated!

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Hi 'yall. I have appreciated reading this but these reasons are why I milk my cow and bottle the calves. 1.Raised 3 valuable Jersey heifers to sell and milk for the house. 2.No need to worry about one not getting enough milk. 3. No getting scours from too much milk. Not only that she's a kicking little witch. 4.No way do I want to see baby calves go flying it makes me mad. She wears a cowcantkick device when I put the machine on. 5. I can quickly find out if she's getting mastitis in a quarter. 6. And I don't like the way calves, especially bull calves, cut up the teats, although I don't raise bull calves. 7. They don't learn to suck each other or other cows. 8. I get all the cream.

Yes it's a lot of work but to me it's worth it. She's a nice cow except for the kicking. I am raising a replacement for kicking little witch but I have to work with what I've got. She might be like that because I spoiled her when I raised her or it might just be her disposition. When I've got a replacement she's getting on the truck.

 

[Double R Ranch]

I know the feeling. I've got 650 in each of mine right now. One bull. One heifer. But they so seem to be good calves. No dairy in em so that'll help. I won't be grafting again this lactation. Just gonna let em raise em 6 months or so.

I've done well selling right off the cow too. But I know they get docked a bit for being Buttermilk fat. The long weaned ones like yours tend to do very well too tho. They looked pretty "hard" and ready to gain. Those usually bring a premium around these parts.

So I suppose it's 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other.

But. I've also seen them nurse any cow that'll stand it as well. And that don't help the cow any.

I really enjoy your adventures here. Thanks for posting them! It kept me going (honestly!) When things went south for me.
Posts like yours. And @TexasJerseyMilker and @Lannie and. @Ky hills and others.

Much appreciated!

It's nice to hear what others do and get in other areas. Things are so different from place to place. I love following your posts. Until this thread it never occurred to me to post about it all. I'll try and keep up on it. I have a few months off now that I'm thankful for. The heifer that was supposed to calve next month lost her calf earlier on in gestation (then went cystic) and she's had issues getting bred back so I'm off until this main cow calves next. I'm hopeful the heifer is bred now. Will know soon. My hope is to have them calve every 6 months or so from each other. I am getting too many Jerseys around here though. If prices ever come down on beef calves I'd much prefer buying those but until then the dairy or dairy crosses seem to pay the bills of the cows so I'm happy. Just a little more work keeping them healthy being dairy. I follow a couple of those members as well. Enjoy their posts.