Oh Crap Moment!

[BTRANCH]

We do not live on our property and drive 30 miles one way to feed and water every day. I had posted last week about our trials and tribulations with this years calves not cooperating with weaning.

Today, when we pulled up to the gates, there was a red calf in our front pasture. We thought for a minute it was our neighbors. After getting inside, we noticed all 4 calves were in the front pasture with my 2 horses. They were standing at the gate as if to say "We have been waiting on you all day!". I had this sinking feeling that something had gone terribly wrong with my beautiful new holding pens, I practically ran to the back.

Apparantly, my mare (who scratches her butt on anything and everything) scratched her rear on the gate, broke the wire and let the calves out. Once we got to the back the calves made a bee line for their mothers but we managed to get everyone back where they belonged with no stress.

Oh well. All's well that ends well! :lol2:

 

[ToddFarmsInc]

I hear a lot of people practice "double weaning". That's where you wean the calves once, and then when they get out and back with their mom's you wean them again. :roll:

I started weaning my calves and then holding them in my corrall right by my house. The cows go back down to their winter lot, and I just put a little strand of electric wire across the road access road. The old cows sometimes hop over the fence and trot up to visit the calves the first night, or two. (or three or four) but after a while they figure out they can't get in with the calves, and they give up. Then after a couple weeks when the calves are all cried out, they go out to another pasture.

 

[grannysoo]

We had a horse like that too. This horse should have been named trouble, because that's all he ever created. It was good to see wheels under him.

 

[Bez+]

We do not live on our property and drive 30 miles one way to feed and water every day. I had posted last week about our trials and tribulations with this years calves not cooperating with weaning.

Today, when we pulled up to the gates, there was a red calf in our front pasture. We thought for a minute it was our neighbors. After getting inside, we noticed all 4 calves were in the front pasture with my 2 horses. They were standing at the gate as if to say "We have been waiting on you all day!". I had this sinking feeling that something had gone terribly wrong with my beautiful new holding pens, I practically ran to the back.

Apparantly, my mare (who scratches her butt on anything and everything) scratched her rear on the gate, broke the wire and let the calves out. Once we got to the back the calves made a bee line for their mothers but we managed to get everyone back where they belonged with no stress.

Oh well. All's well that ends well! :lol2:

First thing that people will respond with - once they read my post - is how they run cows and horses together all the time. Good for them - if they have never had a problem I can only say they have been lucky.

In the above instance you were extremely lucky - and perhaps do not even know it.

If those horses had got running those calves - you might very well have had dead calves.

Even the quiet horses will run calves if the calves start horsing around in the field - the horses can and will get their hair up and join in - seen it before and expect to see it again - then they start with the hooves - just playing - and you got problems - mark my words.

No more wire on gate posts - get light chain and use it - close those gates and hook them with heavy carabiners - very cheap insurance considering your circumstances.

Mixing horses and cattle is a recipie for disaster and never to be taken lightly - and you need to minimize the risk.

There are many here that do the same - good heads up for them as well.

Regards

Bez+

 

[bigbull338]

i had that happen to me.had the calves in a steel corral.an they kept pushing on a gate till they knocked it open.so i went an got chains an chained both gates shut.calves didnt get out no more.

 

[skyline]

Apparantly, my mare (who scratches her butt on anything and everything) scratched her rear on the gate, broke the wire and let the calves out. :lol2:

BT

I had a mare that was doing an inordinate amount of butt scratching and my vet had me worm with ivermectin twice in pretty short order (don't remember the interval). It worked good and she stopped itching. You might want to check with your vet and see what they say about that.

 

[milkmaid]

Apparantly, my mare (who scratches her butt on anything and everything) scratched her rear on the gate, broke the wire and let the calves out. :lol2:

BT

I had a mare that was doing an inordinate amount of butt scratching and my vet had me worm with ivermectin twice in pretty short order (don't remember the interval). It worked good and she stopped itching. You might want to check with your vet and see what they say about that.

:nod: Pinworms cause those type of 'symptoms'.

 

[TexasBred]

Apparantly, my mare (who scratches her butt on anything and everything) scratched her rear on the gate, broke the wire and let the calves out. :lol2:

BT

I had a mare that was doing an inordinate amount of butt scratching and my vet had me worm with ivermectin twice in pretty short order (don't remember the interval). It worked good and she stopped itching. You might want to check with your vet and see what they say about that.

:nod: Pinworms cause those type of 'symptoms'.

:lol: :lol: This conversation is making my butt itch :lol: :lol:

 

[skyline]

TB, you might want to try worming yourself this weekend... Could relieve your symptoms.

 

[bigbull338]

gives TB a pack of red man chewing tobbacco.that should get you wormed good enough.

 

[tncattle]

Hey BT! Hope all is well.

 

[BTRANCH]

Thanks for the heads up on the worms. I will worm her this weekend.

I know I should have had something better than wire on the gates, but we did not get everything done before we put the calves in. We will move the calves this weekend and finish the pens.

Bez, you are right about running the horses and the calves together, which we don't do anymore. The mare is more excitable than the gelding and she is not above chasing the calves.

As a side note, we got our security light installed today so now we can see at night. YEA! We have gotten water and now light. We are in high cotten. All I need now is my house.