The long anticipated calf is here

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Well, before I went to Ohio, I had a cow that was very late. When I got back, she still had not calved. I checked & rechecked all my records. I have three places that I make notes on heats & breedings - nothing showed even a hint that she came back into heat & was rebred. Now, if she had been rebred, it would have been out of our bull, Macho, who is homo. black. She's red & was bred AI to a red bull.
After she was 14 days late, I resigned myself to the fact that I finally made a breeding record error. Darn, I hated to admit that

Last night she calved (3 days early - 18 days late). Had a 150# RED bull calf. Yes, 18 days late. Calved totally unassisted, calf sucked within 20 minutes of birth. Couldn't believe it!! (we cut him right then, and he even sucked again afterwards - didn't slow him down a bit). Doing great this AM.

This cow was 7 days late last year with a 115# heifer. She likes to incubate them - she sets her crockpot on "slow cook".

 

[jt]

WOW... 150#... that's huge :shock:

congrats on the calf...

jt

 

[certherfbeef]

Geez Jeanne,

Glad cow and calf are alright.

Helped the neighbor pull a calf the other night. Out of one of them "hairy bulls" that made you turn up your nose on the wash rack last weekend. 120lbs and we broke the little guy's hip. He was so blocky and square he got hip locked. He is up and nursing. Will probably be weaned and put in their freezer by year's end. But will stay close to the barn. He does get around good, believe it or not.

By the way...that is a real good bull you got there. Can't wait to see some more calves out of him!!

 

[cowgal]

congratulations on your healthy calf! Genex rep was saying that there was possibly a correlation between low birth weight bulls and shorter gestation periods in their calves (opposite true as well) Glad both are in good shape after such a long pregnancy.

 

[sidney411]

WOW! Could you post a picture of that calf? I don't think I have ever seen a calf that big, must be a huge cow to deliver one that big. I'm glad all is well with them.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Glad to hear all went well. He is a big one isn't he. I guess those extra 18 days really made a difference. ;-)

Katherine

 

[Angus Cattle Shower]

How is your bull, jeanne?
Did you get any calves out of him yet?

 

[Frankie]

congratulations on your healthy calf! Genex rep was saying that there was possibly a correlation between low birth weight bulls and shorter gestation periods in their calves (opposite true as well) Glad both are in good shape after such a long pregnancy.

Did your Genex rep have any figures to back up his thoughts? I know an ABS rep who always used the old Angus bull GT Max on cows if they didn't settle to the first breeding. He claimed cows bred to MAX calved earlier and were more likely to stay within his calving window, even though MAX had a high BW EPD (for an Angus). It would be interesting to hear more....

 

[Frankie]

Well, before I went to Ohio, I had a cow that was very late. When I got back, she still had not calved. I checked & rechecked all my records. I have three places that I make notes on heats & breedings - nothing showed even a hint that she came back into heat & was rebred. Now, if she had been rebred, it would have been out of our bull, Macho, who is homo. black. She's red & was bred AI to a red bull.
After she was 14 days late, I resigned myself to the fact that I finally made a breeding record error. Darn, I hated to admit that

Last night she calved (3 days early - 18 days late). Had a 150# RED bull calf. Yes, 18 days late. Calved totally unassisted, calf sucked within 20 minutes of birth. Couldn't believe it!! (we cut him right then, and he even sucked again afterwards - didn't slow him down a bit). Doing great this AM.

This cow was 7 days late last year with a 115# heifer. She likes to incubate them - she sets her crockpot on "slow cook".

OK, I'm confused. If he was red, he must have been sired by the AI bull? Why did you cut him?

 

[dun]

Gelbvieh have both gestation length and calving ease. From the ones I've looked at, and granted I haven;t made an in depth study, by and large those with the shorter gestation length typically have lower BW and higher calving ease. And there are outliers as in everyting else that have horrible calving ease, high BW and still short gestation length. In my mind I wonder how big those calves would be and how hard birthing they would be if they had a longer gestation length.

dun

 

[greenwillowherefords]

I think the case is easily made that no matter what the bloodlines, a 150# calf needs to stay out of the gene pool, and be destined for the grill.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

The cow cleaned about two hours after birthing. Both are doing great. The cow weighed 1865 and was 54" tall on Saturday. Yes, we worked her through the chute & even gave her BS5L5 shot & deliced. Figured we might shake something loose.


Frankie:

OK, I'm confused. If he was red, he must have been sired by the AI bull? Why did you cut him?

We castrate ALL bull calves over about 105# no matter who the sire is. This is the first year we had calves that were not AI sired. And, actually, most of Macho's calves were AI'd.

Angus Cattle Shower:

How is your bull, jeanne?
Did you get any calves out of him yet?

Yes, we have 15 calves on the ground. Couldn't be happier with them. Just had a heifer calf born during the night. Never saw the cow go into labor or anything. Just found the calf this AM.

Certherfbeef:

Out of one of them "hairy bulls" that made you turn up your nose on the wash rack last weekend

Missi, don't know what bulls you're talking about. HaHa, I didn't have to go to the wash rack. We brought a junior with us, 17 years old 200+#s. Washrack was his payment for the ride
Thanks - on your comments about our bull.

On the gestation length. Every day a calf is in that cow, it's gaining weight. It is logical that the shorter the gestation, the lower the birth weight & same with opposite. There are ALWAYS exceptions, but that is one of the reasons breed assns. should be calculating epd's on gestation.

Don't have a digital camera (yes, I've already been ragged about this subject) so I can't just run out & get his pic.

Anyway, just thought I would share my monster calf with all of you. He is bucking & playing in his pen this AM. He should be turned out, but it's pouring & mud getting bad where the snow is melted. Only have one left to calve, and she's not due til 4-5, so I'll keep him in for now.

By the way, we occasionally get a big calf, but generally our calves weigh 80 - 100# out of cows & 70-90 out of heifers. Macho calves ran between 65-85 out of heifers.

 

[Frankie]

Thanks, for your response, Jeanne. That seems like a good philosophy to cut the ones over a certain size. I remember my uncle telling the story about having to haul a Continental (not a Simmental) heifer to a vet on a Sunday and having a 120# bull calf cut out of her. He was complaining about the cost, heifer died, and using a vet he didn't like, etc. Then he said he was keeping the calf as a herd sire!! Does that make any sense?

BTW, why did you select 105# as the cut off?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Frankie,
It is very difficult to sell bulls in NY - no matter what. Add a heavy birth weight, and the difficulty climbs tremendously. We would like to keep it at 100# but there are always a few "exceptions", that's why I fudged to 105#.
John Pollak at Cornell (does all the EPD's for ASA) - would like to drop the BW EPD. Says too many good bulls are being cut because of their BW, and that BW shouldn't enter the picture - should strickly use CE EPD's. Well, it's hard enough selling a bull - without trying to CONVINCE a buyer that the heavy bw didn't mean anything :shock: Then, he has a difficult calving and my farm reputation goes down the drain. Not worth it for us. We have worked too long & hard for the reputation we have.
So, feed two to the dogs (or eat two if they are older) and I have a super growthy money-making steer.

 

[Farminlund]

Glad to hear a calf that big can make out alive - never had & hope not to here. Sounds like twins in a single package!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

This is a very rare BW for us. We did have a cow that always had 130-150# bull calves no matter if we bred her to a miniature billy goat. And we do have some 110-120# calves - especially real cold winters & late gestations. But most are 80-90# out of cows.
You know - all in all - I don't mind getting big calves for steers, but the problem being, if it turns out to be a heavy bw heifer, and she goes into the breeding herd, you are perpetuating heavy bw calves, because she has more to say about that bw than the bull as far as I'm concerned.
I would much rather have a 80-90# calf that grows like h--- :shock:
Had a Macho heifer born during the night, and it looks so tiny compared to the bull. We'll weigh the heifer when hubby gets home.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

Have your pictures put on a disc when they are developed. Costs about $3 extra.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Have your pictures put on a disc when they are developed. Costs about $3 extra.

Yes, I do that all the time, but we JUST put a brand new film in the camera & won't be using it up right away. I'll get a pic - he & the new heifer are turned out with the cow/calf pairs now. Might be able to get a shot with another calf so you can see size difference.
We have our NY Simmental meeting here this Saturday. It's our state assn. semen order pickup & everyone (most) walk the fields to see the new calf crop. I'll try to use up the film then.
Boy, everyone better bring KNEE BOOTS - mud mud - the snow is melting fast. See bare spots in the fields now. Going up to 50 today with sunshine, but expecting rain Fri & Sat. YUK YUK

 

[dun]

Jeanne; With any luck someone at the meeting will bring a digital camara and you can get a pic from them. Might suggest it to someone.

dun

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yeah, but my computer is not set up to receive off of a digital camera. I plan on updating the computer this summer. Didn't dare do it sooner because I had newsletter - yearly directory - & semen order to work on in short period of time. Could not afford the POTENTIAL problems that seem to come about when changing anything in the computer.
I keep two drives on my computer, so I save all my "stuff" on the second drive - than it's all there in the new computer - but things don't always go as planned and I couldn't afford any time delay - or glitz.

I am totally amazed with the huge calf. He is the most active "big" calf I think I've had.

Also, a side note. I seperated out 3 cow/calf pairs that are going in a sale. The calves have figured out that they fit under a spring gate, and they are now my new lawn ornaments. They were bucking & zipping around all over yesterday. Snow is gone around the house, so it's their first grass to run in. I have little footprint holes everywhere! Cute little devils. Yeah, yeah, I'll get pics!!