Reminder: Time to Wean by the Signs October 10th

[Chuckie]

This is just a reminder to anyone that wanted to try weaning by the signs, it starts tomorrow. I was getting ready to pull mine out around the 1st, and thought I could wait a few more days since it stated that October 10th was the 1st day to begin weaning.
Now that I know the reason is because the light is low, and they will bed down at night and not be walking the fence looking for their mamma's, stressing out, it makes a bit more sense.

I have one heifer I have trouble getting up in the lot as the others started coming through the squeeze hole in the gate I fastened just wide enough for them to enter in to eat feed. Her mamma will not walk in the lot when I open the gate all the way either because she is leary of what goes on when she gets inside. I see that I will be spending some time outside tomorrow with the gate open waiting for the two of them to walk through. Separating them by myself will be twice as much fun. I am not so sure that Buster will be of any help on this project as this cow is the head nurse maid.

 

[tnwalkingred]

I have a few registered heifers I plan on retaining that I need to wean. I think I may try and do this tomorrow. I'm going to try and fence wean and see how well that works. I have some weaned feeder calves in a lot next to the registered cow/calf pairs so my plan is to just turn the heifers in with them. The only issue I'm facing right now is that one of them has pinkeye and I don't want it to spread to the feeders. This calf was brought into the farm a few weeks ago after I bought a few new cows and it has not affected the other registered cattle (which have been on my vaccination/fly control program for a while) so I'm hopeful it won't affect the feeders. Any thoughts on what I should do with this calf?

 

[Chuckie]

Here is something I have done to kill the pink eye, and it cleans out the bacteria too. I mix some bleach with water in a spray bottle, and spray the eye well while the calf has it's eye open. I usually give it a couple of good squirts close up. It will have a fit, but it will do it even if it is only water. I am not sure if the Pink eye vaccine actually does any good at this point, but I give a shot of that too. The pyrex or bleach does not harm the eye. It might if you put it on there full strength.
I have used the Puffer before, but I feel that the bleach in the water did real well. I can't remember the mixture now, but if I were going out to do it again without the recipe, I would mix an 1/8 cup in a quart sprayer. Several people use bleach to sanitize the eye, so I am not the only one that uses it. Some people use a super blaster water gun that shoots out like a water hose if they can't catch the calf. Just be sure not to get it on your clothes unless you like tie-died jeans and tees.
The spiny amaranth in the pastures and the fall weed seeds are rough on the calves eyes right now, and it really makes them water. All it takes is a couple of them, then they start visiting the other calves. I just cut my pastures where I had about 10 growing to the acre.
Good luck!