Rough Morning

[Silver]

Oh nice sounds like a fantastic day you're having. It's a holiday you know? Haha.

I went to work since I missed 2 days this week because of the storm. 4 calves since I left. Sounds like a sh*t show, cows claiming calves that aren't theirs.

We went to the in law's for a birthday last night for 2&1/2 hrs. Got home to find a heifer frantic looking for her calf. Looked in the dark about as long as we were gone and finally gave up. Calf was found this am. View attachment 3510
View attachment 3511
After the reunion momma blocked it under the shelter and finally got some sleep. I think she learned her lesson about watching her calf.

Glad your pair got back together. The little devils can sometimes be hard to find.
I don't envy anyone trying to put pairs back together after a storm, never really had to do that here, doesn't sound like fun.
I have ran out of barn space before and not tagged the calves I kept in the barn when I kicked the cows out to make room for more. I now tag all calves no matter how wet they are when I separate them from their mothers lol

 

[Rydero]

Glad your pair got back together. The little devils can sometimes be hard to find.
I don't envy anyone trying to put pairs back together after a storm, never really had to do that here, doesn't sound like fun.
I have ran out of barn space before and not tagged the calves I kept in the barn when I kicked the cows out to make room for more. I now tag all calves no matter how wet they are when I separate them from their mothers lol

Yes they can hide pretty good. I leave pairs in the pen they calve in for a few days generally before I turn them into about 10 acres. Rule is they don't leave that pen without being tagged and castrated etc. We now try to do calves every day because it's not very fun when you skip 3-4 days and have a bunch to do at once.

Heard an absolutely insane practice yesterday. There's an outfit an hour or so from here that calves 2-3 thousand head. When they get a big storm like we had the other day they just take all the calves as they calve in the storm and put them in their semi trailers. I assume they feed colostrum as they go in. After the storm cows and calves get perfume and you just get whoever they give you. Can you imagine? I have so many questions, lol. Has to be a mess to sort that out.

 

[Chevy]

Some old homeless man out at Walmart trying to collect money for a room for the night. I stop chit chat with him a while gave him a few bucks and a hug. Didn't figure my husband would like me bringing him home. I understand some homeless/homefree maybe due to poor choices, drug/alcohol, maybe some lazy, ect not for me to judge. How does it get to the point people being homeless and others being okay with it. Breaks my heart seeing people like that. People are more willing to help a stray animal than a person. Don't get me wrong I'm sure some people take advantage of help organizations ect. Or even use money for drugs and alcohol. Needs to be some kind of program that helps these people. Not just stockpiles them in shelters take a percent of their pay check. But actually help teach them life skills. Weather it's mental health, addiction help, simply budgeting, job skills helps them get back on their feet. I feel the homeless is going to get worse. Where are all the people coming to the USA getting housing and jobs.
Yep I totally changed the subject.

 

[TCRanch]

Speaking of rough mornings, I guess the bulls must have got to fighting, found a fullblood 3 year old bull with his leg broke off above the hock this morning.

Brutal! I'm sorry! Felt like a gut punch when I had to sell a perfectly awesome 3 year old that stifled - but at least I didn't have to shoot him & we got something outta him.

 

[Bum Steer]

Just my opinion but we had something like that happen a few years ago. Heifer was alone, no others flipping out around her though. The prolapse and the thrashing happens I think because of extreme straining to get sternal. The bloat is either because they cant get upright to belch or when an animal dies it's rumen continues to function for a while and will bloat anyway. I was stumped as no cues leading up to her death and nothing else in the next while from the rest of the cows to suggest anything else. I finally assumed she had cast herself and could not get up.
I can feel your shitty day all the way up here.

 

[cowgirl8]

Sorry about your cow... i hate mornings like that.. A little morbid but, I keep scalpels handy and i never let a dying cow with a calf go without cutting the calf out. Saved a few calves this way, of course, the cow did not survive but at least the calf did. Its not hard to do, you just have to be quick. And, the calf you save will bond with you and always be human friendly. And yes, i've cut out a few that were too early, already dead, but i always try..

 

[TCRanch]

Sorry about your cow... i hate mornings like that.. A little morbid but, I keep scalpels handy and i never let a dying cow with a calf go without cutting the calf out. Saved a few calves this way, of course, the cow did not survive but at least the calf did. Its not hard to do, you just have to be quick. And, the calf you save will bond with you and always be human friendly. And yes, i've cut out a few that were too early, already dead, but i always try..

I thought about that & almost called my friend to come over & help. But she was in such bad shape, I doubt the calf was still alive. BTW my friend got a live one a couple years ago but probably 5-6 weeks early and only lived a few days.

 

[TCRanch]

@Silver I got to thinking about your bull. I used a .22 hollow point on my friends horse and a .223 works fine for cows, but would that be enough for a bull? Certainly hope I'm never in that situation, but info I should know.

 

[Silver]

@Silver I got to thinking about your bull. I used a .22 hollow point on my friends horse and a .223 works fine for cows, but would that be enough for a bull? Certainly hope I'm never in that situation, but info I should know.

A .22 is a no go for me, I would think a .223 would be fine held right up close. For cows / bulls I like a little more oomph, so 30.06 or in this case a 7mm-08 point blank.
I've had a nightmare or two in the past so I don't take chances anymore.

 

[Rydero]

@Silver I got to thinking about your bull. I used a .22 hollow point on my friends horse and a .223 works fine for cows, but would that be enough for a bull? Certainly hope I'm never in that situation, but info I should know.

.22 mag,.223 or 22-250 is not a good match for a mature bull imo. Had an absolute sh*t show one time. Use something bigger they have thick skulls.

 

[TCRanch]

@Silver and @Rydero thanks! It's been a while since I used hubby's 30-06; it's an awful lot of gun for me but I'm a lot stronger now and always have ear plugs available (his snoring is epic!).

Probably 8 years ago, neighbors grandson shot a psycho bull twice in the head with a 30-06. That bull jumped numerous fences and ended up in our pasture a mile away and somehow escaped into the woods. Couldn't find him. Another neighbor called a couple days later; that bull was in his field, still alive & bleeding from the head. Mercy shot with an elephant gun (he's a big game hunter). Grandson clearly hit the sinus cavity. Twice.

 

[Silver]

@Silver and @Rydero thanks! It's been a while since I used hubby's 30-06; it's an awful lot of gun for me but I'm a lot stronger now and always have ear plugs available (his snoring is epic!).

Probably 8 years ago, neighbors grandson shot a psycho bull twice in the head with a 30-06. That bull jumped numerous fences and ended up in our pasture a mile away and somehow escaped into the woods. Couldn't find him. Another neighbor called a couple days later; that bull was in his field, still alive & bleeding from the head. Mercy shot with an elephant gun (he's a big game hunter). Grandson clearly hit the sinus cavity. Twice.

Easy to hit that cavity, their brains aren't real big. I make an imaginary X using the eyes and ears as the points of the x. Also, at close range if using the scope gotta remember the barrel is usually over an inch under the crosshairs.

 

[Buck Randall]

A .22 is enough to drop a bull, but there's no margin for error. Can't use hollow points; they won't make it through the skull.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Ruger .45 Colt for bulls. Never had to use it........yet. Brother had one slide into him with a 41 mag in its skull. Not pretty.
If you are going to use a .22 be sure next of kin knows where you keep your life insurance policy.

 

[TCRanch]

Easy to hit that cavity, their brains aren't real big. I make an imaginary X using the eyes and ears as the points of the x. Also, at close range if using the scope gotta remember the barrel is usually over an inch under the crosshairs.

That explains a lot!

 

[sstterry]

This is a Dairy Picture but an identical Beef one is on the BQA exam.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I had always heard X between eyes & ears - but this picture indicates X between side of poll or horns and eyes.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Seriously, if you have a problem with a bull, get away if possible and get some help to contain him until he can be shipped.
It is so easy to see that check for X thousand dollars you paid instead of the X between the horn base and the eyes.
A bull has no problems with money.

 

[Rydero]

Can't ship a bull with a broken leg. Sometimes you have to put them down.

 

[sstterry]

I had always heard X between eyes & ears - but this picture indicates X between side of poll or horns and eyes.

I had always heard the same, but this is what they teach in the Beef Quality Assurance Program. In Tennessee, we have to be certified if we ever want to participate in the Tennessee Enhancement Program (they use the Tobacco settlement money to reimburse a portion of the cost of certain items). I have not participated yet, but I got certified in case I ever wanted to.