Pic of the Day

[2/B or not 2/B]

Does anyone else have a pic of the day? This one is just too funny to me. Bug eyed little little sucker was born on Easter. Some of these sh cattle are just too docile for me. This one's mom allows the older calves to steal milk, so we had to separate them today.

 

[ANAZAZI]

Cute!

 

[DOC HARRIS]

It seems to have a good start in this big, wide, wonderful world!

DOC HARRIS

 

[houstoncutter]

Nice looking calf, but send the mom packing if this is a commercial herd.

 

[BRAFORDMAN]

NIce calf.

I had one heifer who let one calve( not all my calves just one bull calf )nurse after she calved. I kept her. This is not always a bad thing. The best commercial cow I ever owned was struck by lightning two weeks after having her first calf.

I hoped the baby would steal milk from that cow, and she did, The calf was 2 months younger than the cows calf, and even after weaning the cows actual calf, she still let the orphan calve nurse another two months. She raised a total of 3 calves that year. Her own calve, a bull calve who liked to nurse her and his mom, and the orphan, cow stayed in good condition and and the calves weaned right lalong the weights of their siblings. The turned up open the next year, but i gave her a break(3 calves in one year), and she is really raising her second calve, a thick beefmaster cross bull.

 

[2/B or not 2/B]

Nice looking calf, but send the mom packing if this is a commercial herd.

This isn't a commercial herd and I'm undecided if she'll stay or go. It's a pita having to separate her. Hopefully it'll just be temporary until the calf gets stronger. She was only a day old when I saw this happening and I was worried she wouldn't get enough milk. I don't think it would have been as much of a problem if she'd been born with the rest of them but she's much younger and the older calves run in a pack looking for trouble. She was unexpected you see. I got a nice deal on a pair in December and it turns out I actually got an even nicer deal on a 3-in-one. I guess it's good having a potential nurse cow around, but I do believe a cow should look out for her own calf first and not allow someone else's calves to be a nuisance. My others know how to keep them in check.

 

[40-4171]

Nice picture and I really like the grass. Must be good moisture in that part of California?

 

[wbvs58]

Looks dumb, I bet it is a bull calf.

 

[hillsdown]

The good cows know that their babies have to drink and will stand for them no matter what. I would be culling your crap cows that are not producing enough milk to support their calves. It amazes me how wrong people do things by culling the cow that stands and lets the calf drink as well as a stray, but do not cull the strays dam for being a poor mother and milker.

Cute calf, looks healthy to me :->

 

[3waycross]

The good cows know that their babies have to drink and will stand for them no matter what. I would be culling your crap cows that are not producing enough milk to support their calves. It amazes me how wrong people do things by culling the cow that stands and lets the calf drink as well as a stray, but do not cull the strays dam for being a poor mother and milker.
Cute calf, looks healthy to me :->

Very good point!!!!!!!! :tiphat:

 

[houstoncutter]

It s been my experiance that the cow that just stands there... also stands there while the coyotes are eating her calf...Ill take the cow that kicks the fire outa other calfs trying to steal milk!!!

 

[2/B or not 2/B]

The good cows know that their babies have to drink and will stand for them no matter what. I would be culling your crap cows that are not producing enough milk to support their calves. It amazes me how wrong people do things by culling the cow that stands and lets the calf drink as well as a stray, but do not cull the strays dam for being a poor mother and milker.
Cute calf, looks healthy to me :->

Very good point!!!!!!!! :tiphat:

I'm gonna observe the thief calves and their dams more closely now. I don't mind her being so gentle but I have to know that her own calf will get all the milk it needs. There are plenty of other very protective cows in this herd who wouldn't hesitate to attack any coyote or dog in an instant. I agree that protective cattle are needed on open pasture.

40-4171, we have beautiful grass this year and we were blessed with above average rainfall two years in a row which has helped our pastures and oak trees start to recover. I know a lot of other people have it very hard right now and we're extremely lucky this year, especially with the price of hay rising. We've been in a drought though and all that will be bone dry in a month or two. This is a very high fire risk area in the summer and during the fall lightning storms.

 

[hillsdown]

It s been my experiance that the cow that just stands there... also stands there while the coyotes are eating her calf...Ill take the cow that kicks the fire outa other calfs trying to steal milk!!!

Must be your cows . Mine will kill any predator that comes near them even while nursing or not ,but a calf is usually not a predator to a cow. Like I said, best to look at why the calves are searching for a meal elsewhere and cull the dams, wonder how many runts some would have if their calves did not steel year to year ,yet the cow got the credit and the poor heifer doing her rightful job was sent to slaughter.

 

[houstoncutter]

It s been my experiance that the cow that just stands there... also stands there while the coyotes are eating her calf...Ill take the cow that kicks the fire outa other calfs trying to steal milk!!!

Must be your cows . Mine will kill any predator that comes near them even while nursing or not ,but a calf is usually not a predator to a cow. Like I said, best to look at why the calves are searching for a meal elsewhere and cull the dams, wonder how many runts some would have if their calves did not steel year to year ,yet the cow got the credit and the poor heifer doing her rightful job was sent to slaughter.

Hillsdown, dont know how agressive bull calves are in your area, but I have seen agressive feeders try to move to other cows to feed especially if the cows calf is a newborn or younger mate. In most cases in my herd they were met with a set of horns or a kick, usually only takes once for them to get the message that this aint a buffet line. Now I will admit most of the cattle I have owned had some ear in em... but even my straight breds didnt do this...

 

[hillsdown]

Houston, totally get your point , and agree that breeds make a huge difference. :tiphat:

Sure hope you'll get some rain soon. :tiphat:

 

[houstoncutter]

Hillsdown thanks for the tought, but I hope that rain goes to all the folks here in Texas that have got more cattle than I do now. I got three bulls and a cow bumping around on a 400 acre field....They can get by quite fine, but I have a lot of friends on this board that I am really praying for :wave:

 

[ANAZAZI]

I have a lot of friends on this board that I am really praying for

Me too; I hope and pray that weather may change soon for you guys.

 

[Northern Rancher]

You could keep her for a nurse cow to throw twins on etc-we had an old Jersey we used that for. She paid her way in alot of ways raised a 22 point bucking bull off her too lol.