The first sign of spring

[Nesikep]

I do things like I do, and like everyone else around here does, because you won't have cows long if you don't.. I still select for calving ease like you all do, but with our shorter summer season you kinda have to push the envelope for early calves if you want any weight by weaning time. You're doing what works for you, but don't mock us that do extra... Ask Tamarack, Hillsdown, Randi or anyone else up here if they check their cows more than once or twice a day during calving season... Over the last 120 calves I've had 1 loss... it's a far cry from the seemingly acceptable industry loss rate of 4%

 

[TexasBred]

I do things like I do, and like everyone else around here does, because you won't have cows long if you don't.. I still select for calving ease like you all do, but with our shorter summer season you kinda have to push the envelope for early calves if you want any weight by weaning time. You're doing what works for you, but don't mock us that do extra... Ask Tamarack, Hillsdown, Randi or anyone else up here if they check their cows more than once or twice a day during calving season... Over the last 120 calves I've had 1 loss... it's a far cry from the seemingly acceptable industry loss rate of 4%

Nobody is mocking you. YOU were the one that started the north/south talk. By all means do it your way and we will do the same. :tiphat:

 

[Nesikep]

Yes, I brought up north vs south, but that's largely because starting on post #2 and every post by a southern man since then has been along the lines of "let them fail", I don't need any that can't calf on their own... It probably works fine for you, but you have less things working against you... perhaps you also want cows that can scrounge and never feed a bale of hay to... and maybe that works fine for you too, but it won't here.
If a cow has calving problems here, I'd still rather pull the calf and sell BOTH in the fall

 

[Luckiamute]

Wow ... seems most everyone is a little testy today on this subject for some reason. I just wish for everyone to have a smooth and successful calving season no matter how often you check your cows and heifers. And I didn't know it was a bad thing to try and be prepared for anything that could go wrong during calving.

 

[TexasBred]

Yes, I brought up north vs south, but that's largely because starting on post #2 and every post by a southern man since then has been along the lines of "let them fail", I don't need any that can't calf on their own... It probably works fine for you, but you have less things working against you... perhaps you also want cows that can scrounge and never feed a bale of hay to... and maybe that works fine for you too, but it won't here.
If a cow has calving problems here, I'd still rather pull the calf and sell BOTH in the fall

Nope.....they graze fertilized pasture until it's gone then eat the best quality hay I can afford to buy through fall and winter.