second calf

[Dave]

This is my second calf. I was born sometime Saturday. I took a picture of the first calf but it didn't turn out. About a month early but when you buy them at the sale part based on sale yard vet's preg check. You never know when the first of last calf will arrive.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

How many you gonna calve out this year?

 

[Dave]

How many you gonna calve out this year?

I have 60 which I bought. B will probably bring me than many more by the time we are all through.

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

I was just telling my ranch hand (wife) that sometimes I think it might be best to not know exactly when they're due. This week we had what we thought was a really nice calf in a cow that was 8 1/2 days overdue. I couldn't wait any longer and we ended up pulling it and it was fine.
But I get a little nervous after a couple days of them being overdue.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I was just telling my ranch hand (wife) that sometimes I think it might be best to not know exactly when they're due. This week we had what we thought was a really nice calf in a cow that was 8 1/2 days overdue. I couldn't wait any longer and we ended up pulling it and it was fine.
But I get a little nervous after a couple days of them being overdue.

Please explain. Do you mean she wasn't in labor and you went in and proceeded to pull the calf?
I plan for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after due date.

 

[tex452]

Please explain. Do you mean she wasn't in labor and you went in and proceeded to pull the calf?
I plan for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after due date.

Good question.

 

[Dave]

Please explain. Do you mean she wasn't in labor and you went in and proceeded to pull the calf?
I plan for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after due date.

I would never pull one unless there are obvious physical signs that the cow is trying to calf.

 

[gcreekrch]

Nice pair Dave!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

@Mountaintown Creek Ranch - see above

 

[Travlr]

I would never pull one unless there are obvious physical signs that the cow is trying to calf.

I agree with that... Overmanaging animals that are naturally equipped to do their thing on their own time just complicates things.

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

Yes of course she was in labor.
She was trying hard.
The vet checked her the day before. Broke bag at 7. Called vet after 3 hours and she said to pull it. I waited...Pulled it around 11.

 

[mwj]

Yes of course she was in labor.
She was trying hard.
The vet checked her the day before. Broke bag at 7. Called vet after 3 hours and she said to pull it. I waited...Pulled it around 11.

Read post #4 and you should see why we were confused.

 

[Dave]

Calf #2 reserving a flake for momma.
The new calf from yesterday morning enjoying a warm breakfast on a -5 degree morning.
Calves #3 & 4 both were nursing as I started feeding. Now they are hanging out waiting for mom to finish her breakfast.

 

[Dave]

B stopped in and tagged that baldie calf. He said the calf is going to lose half its ears. Was a bit cold for new calf ears. He still hasn't caught #2. I am thinking we could enter that calf in the Kentucky Derby.

 

[MurraysMutts]

B stopped in and tagged that baldie calf. He said the calf is going to lose half its ears. Was a bit cold for new calf ears. He still hasn't caught #2. I am thinking we could enter that calf in the Kentucky Derby.

Hate that Dave.
Do they dock for less ear up there?
Down here its any excuse to buy em cheaper. Don't eat the ears for cripes sake

 

[puzzled in oregon]

Those look like nice calves.

 

[Dave]

Hate that Dave.
Do they dock for less ear up there?
Down here its any excuse to buy em cheaper. Don't eat the ears for cripes sake

Yep, they dock frozen ear calves. But the way I look at it is a docked frozen ear calf is much better than a frozen dead calf. They do say that the calves have some other health issues with frozen ears and tails. I don't worry about it. Could be worse. Could have been a longhorn heifer calf, or a beltie calf, or one of the other breeds that get docked more than this black baldie steer calf will get docked.

 

[Dave]

Two more new calves this morning. It was a Charolais morning. Of the 60 cows out there only 4 are Charolais or Char crosses. Both of the calves this morning are out of the Char cows. Being born on a day in the low 30's is a whole lot better than the negative numbers earlier this week. That makes 6 calves out of 60 cows. I am 10% done before I even planned to start.

 

[Dave]

2 more new calves. One yesterday and another one today. I have two cows that lost their ear tags right away. That is the two cows that calves. There is some sort of conspiracy going on out there. First 2 char calves the same day and now the 2 cows who lost their ear tags. I see now that a cow that came with the one who had the baldie calf is loose in the rear. I said something to B about them calving. He said you can't get finished if you don't get started. The plan was to avoid the April/May calves I had last year. So far the plan is really working.

 

[Dsth]

those are some good momma's to get calves licked and up nursing in the cold weather.