One of those unbelievable things

[cypressfarms]

My wife has a co-worker who was forced to take over about 20 head of cattle because of his father in law's health.

He doesn't really know much of anything about cattle, but was hoping to make it through calving season, and sell off most of them. He and I e-mail back and forth a lot, and I try to help him out as much as I can.

Last week, he had a cow go down. She had a 1 month old calf at her side. I asked him numerous questions (thanks also to advice from msscamp, milkmaid, and crowder!), talked to two of my vets, and yesterday finally made it out to try and help. As soon as I arrived I knew what was wrong. The best of his cows were a BCS of 2.5, and that was his best. Most you could see all of their ribs, backbone, tailbone, and just about every other bone. He managed to have 7 calves safely, and they all looked o.k. Poor cows were giving everything they had to the calves to the point of dying. I gave the cow in question a tube of calcium paste, some electrolytes, and a shot of vitamin B complex. Got her up and she immediately began eating.

I also made him take away his salt blocks and put out loose minerals. He has some pelletized feed (14% protein that costs him only $80/ton), but hasn't been giving enough. His pastures look like a concrete parking lot, and they have been getting last years sqaures bales with salt. It's a wonder more aren't dead. I actually offered to buy all of his cows, and bring them to my place, I felt so sorry for them, but he didn't want to.

He is a very intelligent person, and couldn't find a nicer guy; he's obviously uncomfortable taking care of the cattle. He won't even give injections.

In the next couple of weeks I'm gonna go over and work all of them for him. It takes all kinds guess, but this poor guy is in way over his head. I left somewhat depressed, as no animal should be in that condition. Even though people make fun of the "Master Cattleman" class, he's a prime candidate for it, as he has no basic knowledge of cattle.

Oh well, just thought I'd share a story

 

[Dap]

We have a neighbor who is retired from a nice govt job. Very nice guy, very smart, but he had no business owning cattle. He thought one square bale per day was enough hay for his 15 cows. I don't think he ever figured out that another neighbor was going over when he wasn't home and throwing out more hay. The state police basically made him get rid of the animals, as they kept getting out on the state road. We all managed to be neighborly and tried to help him out, but you can only help those who want help. We were all glad to see those cows leave.

 

[brownmule]

Im glad you were able to help the guy who got the cows, poor things.my frend jane and I are gulity of mercy buying LOL. the guys hate when we go to the stock sale with out them ,LOL
one time we came home with an old horse, i bet he was custard 's best ride at one time. LOL. i called him seabiscut, not the race horse but popeyes horse LOL, 25 + that's when the vet quit counting, we took pic of him and documented his progress,{me had a mean ol neighbor,who always kicken up the dust for us} we did joint suplments, leg wraps, high proten feed , soaked beetpulp, he had his special feed mix, he looked like he wont make it thru the winter, ribby, cow hipped,sunken eyes..back teeth was worn down to nothing,we knew we were gonna have a "visit"{from the sheriff} and we did, but we had receipts. pic, the works, we got him turned around, it took about a year to put all his wt back on and get rid of the hips and rib sticking out, he turn out to be the most greatfull critter we have,jane's daughter rode him some,just around the field, but he was loved everyday,had him for 4 years and last nov the old solider layed down for the last time,when he came in to our lives we told him, he'd never go hungry and he'd never leave, he was home! farming with your heart is not proffitable, but it is rewarding Rose

 

[Frankie]

Cypress, perhaps if you explain to him that the cows will be more valuable when he goes to sell them if they're in better body condition and that the calves will weigh more and bring more money, he'll be more willing to spend some money on feed? He may have a better understanding from a dollars and cents standpoint. Good for you for helping him out.

 

[tim1970]

Quick question. What was the purpose of removing the salt block and putting out loose minerals. The reason I ask this is because I am supplementing my hay and pasture(which isn't the greatest) with a protein tub, and salt block. I also feed about 3 lbs of grain per animal per day. Is this the best idea for beef steers?


Thanks

Tim

 

[Victoria]

Cypress I think Frankie has a good idea. Some people it's best to reason with their wallets. Is he willing to feed them enough now? If he won't feed or take care of them for whatever reason I would phone the rural SPCA. There's no reason for an animal to suffer from lack of knowledge or cheapness.
Good for you that you are taking them over, wish he would have sold them to you, it was good of you to offer that too.
I'm interested to hear continuations of this story.

 

[msscamp]

Quick question. What was the purpose of removing the salt block and putting out loose minerals. The reason I ask this is because I am supplementing my hay and pasture(which isn't the greatest) with a protein tub, and salt block. I also feed about 3 lbs of grain per animal per day. Is this the best idea for beef steers?


Thanks

Tim

Tim, they still need loose mineral even with a protein tub. We always, always keep loose mineral available to all of our cattle.

 

[cypressfarms]

Frankie,

I spent about 5 or 6 hours there last night, explaining to him exactly what he needed to do.(At least in my opinion) The actual "doctoring" only took me about 20 or 30 minutes.The rest of the time we just talked. The good thing is that he understands that he needs help, and is willing to listen and ask.I really think that his case was just a matter of ignorance, and too scared to ask for help. When my wife told him that I had cows, he and I started e-mailing, because we're close in age, I guess he felt that I wouldn't lecture him. I think that the cows will come back from this, but boy this was a train wreck about to happen.

I'm going back in about two weeks to "spring work" his cows for him, and I'm sure they will be better. He just sent me an e-mail saying that the moma in question was spunky this morning and eating feed. Woohoooo!

By the way, I made him take the salt out, because the cows "may" eat the salt instead of the minerals, and the minerals have salt in them. Also, at this point with his cows, they all need minerals, big time.
I would have like to had enough time to give all of his cows electrolytes every other day until they get better, but he lives 1.5 hours from me.

 

[Susie David]

Surprizing how many 2 & 3 BCS cattle are run through the sale barn. Sure wouldn't want my name broadcast to the seats if I had brought them in. Goes to show that It's not just the uneducated that for some reason or other have starving cattle.
And that's my two bits worth. DMc

 

[Bret]

Good boy Cyp. People who don't get in over there head once in a while are not truely living. And you are about to get in deep too. You already know that and you're going to do it anyway.

You already know that you'll take alot of grief and your going to to do it anyway. You already know that you won't get much thanks and you'll do it anyway. ;-)

 

[Caustic Burno]

My wife has a co-worker who was forced to take over about 20 head of cattle because of his father in law's health.

He doesn't really know much of anything about cattle, but was hoping to make it through calving season, and sell off most of them. He and I e-mail back and forth a lot, and I try to help him out as much as I can.

Last week, he had a cow go down. She had a 1 month old calf at her side. I asked him numerous questions (thanks also to advice from msscamp, milkmaid, and crowder!), talked to two of my vets, and yesterday finally made it out to try and help. As soon as I arrived I knew what was wrong. The best of his cows were a BCS of 2.5, and that was his best. Most you could see all of their ribs, backbone, tailbone, and just about every other bone. He managed to have 7 calves safely, and they all looked o.k. Poor cows were giving everything they had to the calves to the point of dying. I gave the cow in question a tube of calcium paste, some electrolytes, and a shot of vitamin B complex. Got her up and she immediately began eating.

I also made him take away his salt blocks and put out loose minerals. He has some pelletized feed (14% protein that costs him only $80/ton), but hasn't been giving enough. His pastures look like a concrete parking lot, and they have been getting last years sqaures bales with salt. It's a wonder more aren't dead. I actually offered to buy all of his cows, and bring them to my place, I felt so sorry for them, but he didn't want to.

He is a very intelligent person, and couldn't find a nicer guy; he's obviously uncomfortable taking care of the cattle. He won't even give injections.

In the next couple of weeks I'm gonna go over and work all of them for him. It takes all kinds guess, but this poor guy is in way over his head. I left somewhat depressed, as no animal should be in that condition. Even though people make fun of the "Master Cattleman" class, he's a prime candidate for it, as he has no basic knowledge of cattle.

Oh well, just thought I'd share a story

Anyone that lets cattle get in that shape should be whipped with a bull whip, then taken to the woods a large pine should be cut down and his gonads stapled to the stump gasoline should be poured around the stump and he should be given a butter knife right before you set the gasoline off.

 

[cypressfarms]

Good boy Cyp. People who don't get in over there head once in a while are not truely living. And you are about to get in deep too. You already know that and you're going to do it anyway.

You already know that you'll take alot of grief and your going to to do it anyway. You already know that you won't get much thanks and you'll do it anyway. ;-)

Bret,

I'm really doing it for the animals. They look like something you see on "animal cops", as a matter of fact, my guess is that if the sheriff's dept. saw his cattle, they would be taken away, but the guy just doesn't know how to take care of them, and he's trying to for his father in law. I figure that I'll work them for him, so he can watch me do it. Give him a list of things like shots needed, and other necessities, and then let him start learning. He watched me bottle/tube the electolytes last night, and this morning he saw the results. He's not lazy; he asked me if he could borrow my equipment so he could do it himself. If I thought that he wasn't going to take care of them better, I would wash my hands of it, but I think he just needs a "mentor". God knows I'm no mentor with cattle, because I don't know near enough, but at least I have a good working knowdledge of the basics.

But Bret, no offense, rarely do I do things because of some sort of reward. Always despised "brown nosing"; the way I see it, what comes around goes around. Maybe one day I might need some help and someone may give it to me.

 

[Frankie]

Cypress, it sounds like he's willing to learn. Most city people just have no idea how to take care of cows. I've known some to jump into the cattle business and be shocked to learn that it costs money to keep cattle. :roll: They didn't think twice about spending big bucks on a dog, but were very tight when it came time to buy feed for cows, take an animal to the vet, or just invest in a good vaccination program.

We have good neighbors. We help them; they help us. But I'd be glad to have you for a neighbor, too.

 

[Gale Seddon]

Cypress, good for you! A really nice thing to do....sounds like he's willing to learn and improve...hope he has the resources to keep it going.

Not long ago at work (vet's office) someone called cause three of his cows had died and he didn't know why. When I read the invoice the next day, seems most of his herd had a BCS of 2 or so (there were complete handwritten instructions on what and how to feed, minerals, deworming, etc.) Some days my boss just shakes her head....

 

[TheBullLady]

Kudos to you for helping the cows out! Unfortunately they can't tell the owner what they need. Some people never cease to amaze me.. I can't understand how they can look at cattle like that every day and think they are "ok".

Now having said that, 85-90% of the people who are buying ranches right and left in central Texas know nothing about cattle or their care. And a lot of them think they are too smart to ask anyone else for help.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Kudos to you for helping the cows out! Unfortunately they can't tell the owner what they need. Some people never cease to amaze me.. I can't understand how they can look at cattle like that every day and think they are "ok".

Now having said that, 85-90% of the people who are buying ranches right and left in central Texas know nothing about cattle or their care. And a lot of them think they are too smart to ask anyone else for help.

This is where I have to agree with Black Power should not be able to purchase cattle with out passing a test. Some people are just to stupid to have stock, if you can't tell thats a poor animal then he is to stupid. Cypress he is lucky I don't live by him as I would of already put the law on him.

 

[Stepper]

cypressfarms,

When you said when you pulled and saw his cattle they had a BCS of 2.5 ? What is BCS ? And where was he buying a 14 % feed for $ 80 a ton ? For $ 80 a ton it must have not been much of a feed but i dont see how it could have been 14 % if it was not a descent feed ?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Well another hobbyman surfaces.

http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/c762-w.html

 

[Stepper]

Hey Bruno,

I dont know what your problem is but this is the second little slurr you have throwed my way. So why dont you go suck a big one bud ?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Was thrown your way, you need to watch your langauge on the board. If you don't know what BCS is you need to take that test.