Nesikep
Well-known member
Your dry cows look wet!
335's calf is REALLY cute!
335's calf is REALLY cute!
There's better ways than this to start calving
- Thread starter regolith
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regolith
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Better weather helps but still the days just kind of vanish and there's not much time left for anything non-essential.
One milk fever this morning, lucky to find her alive but it took a bit of work to get her back on her feet. She calved yesterday and I'd taken the calf into a shed because it was hypothermic and couldn't stand. One of my favourite cows, it was a big relief when I found her this morning & waved a hand across a seemingly blank eye and she blinked.
So I'd counted four sopping wet calves in the group after bringing 185 back to life - three could walk onto the fresh grass, the newest one had to be carried.
Came back maybe three hours later to give 185 more calcium and not really paying attention to the four calves and cows running around, I keep noticing a skinny wet black heifer calf flicking in and out of my periphery vision and she doesn't quite make sense.
Until I look properly and realise that I'm not seeing 147 running after her daughter; there are five calves in the paddock and it's 147's mother chasing 147's brand new baby sister.
That was a bizarre moment.
41 cows calved so far, 20 heifer calves tagged. At this rate there should be plenty of replacement heifers to rear.
147's first milking was tonight and you couldn't get better behaviour. One of her aunties was leased to another farm for her first calving and when I spoke to the farmer a while later she couldn't believe that was a heifer I'd given her, she'd thought for sure this animal was already accustomed to milking & presumed she was a three year old.
I had problems with the tap on the milk vat not sealing properly; and concluded that when the milk company checked the vat in the winter they must have replaced the tap and 'done sum'ting wrong'.
So I got on the phone to Fonterra straightaway and told them what I thought they 'd done, was forwarded to the appropriate person who thanked me very much for calling and was there within a couple of hours to fix it.
On the last farm when I had similar problems with the vat DTS had supplied, it was like pulling hen's teeth trying to get anyone to come and fix it (different milk company). So being thanked for phoning up and complaining, then having it fixed promptly... I like this kind of world.
One milk fever this morning, lucky to find her alive but it took a bit of work to get her back on her feet. She calved yesterday and I'd taken the calf into a shed because it was hypothermic and couldn't stand. One of my favourite cows, it was a big relief when I found her this morning & waved a hand across a seemingly blank eye and she blinked.
So I'd counted four sopping wet calves in the group after bringing 185 back to life - three could walk onto the fresh grass, the newest one had to be carried.
Came back maybe three hours later to give 185 more calcium and not really paying attention to the four calves and cows running around, I keep noticing a skinny wet black heifer calf flicking in and out of my periphery vision and she doesn't quite make sense.
Until I look properly and realise that I'm not seeing 147 running after her daughter; there are five calves in the paddock and it's 147's mother chasing 147's brand new baby sister.
That was a bizarre moment.
41 cows calved so far, 20 heifer calves tagged. At this rate there should be plenty of replacement heifers to rear.
147's first milking was tonight and you couldn't get better behaviour. One of her aunties was leased to another farm for her first calving and when I spoke to the farmer a while later she couldn't believe that was a heifer I'd given her, she'd thought for sure this animal was already accustomed to milking & presumed she was a three year old.
I had problems with the tap on the milk vat not sealing properly; and concluded that when the milk company checked the vat in the winter they must have replaced the tap and 'done sum'ting wrong'.
So I got on the phone to Fonterra straightaway and told them what I thought they 'd done, was forwarded to the appropriate person who thanked me very much for calling and was there within a couple of hours to fix it.
On the last farm when I had similar problems with the vat DTS had supplied, it was like pulling hen's teeth trying to get anyone to come and fix it (different milk company). So being thanked for phoning up and complaining, then having it fixed promptly... I like this kind of world.
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regolith
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regolith
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146's heifer calf above, making use of some poor quality hay.
Heifers on the point of calving... 132 managed to produce within the next twelve hours, still waiting on 120.
See the tails wagging?
This ought to be one of my replacement heifers, I didn't notice she had a problem till bringing the herd up when she was about 14 - 15 hours old, she seemed a little slow... and then she lay down, exhausted. In spite of the twisted legs she was getting around and feeding off her mum just fine. Four days old now and improving, so I'll keep her. I've never seen a calf like this before.
Another replacement heifer
This girl makes me forget 31 isn't in the herd any more; it's her daughter. She doesn't look the same but still, I see her mother every time I look at her.
Checking the springer cows a few mornings ago:
Yesterday morning:
Heifers on the point of calving... 132 managed to produce within the next twelve hours, still waiting on 120.
See the tails wagging?
This ought to be one of my replacement heifers, I didn't notice she had a problem till bringing the herd up when she was about 14 - 15 hours old, she seemed a little slow... and then she lay down, exhausted. In spite of the twisted legs she was getting around and feeding off her mum just fine. Four days old now and improving, so I'll keep her. I've never seen a calf like this before.
Another replacement heifer
This girl makes me forget 31 isn't in the herd any more; it's her daughter. She doesn't look the same but still, I see her mother every time I look at her.
Checking the springer cows a few mornings ago:
Yesterday morning:
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regolith
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I wasn't as lucky as I thought when I managed to get 185 back on her feet after the milk fever... she's just finished a course of antibiotics for pneumonia; I had the vet out several days later because she wasn't eating and it turns out she must have aspirated some rumen fluids into her lungs while she was down.
Now at the halfway point and three weeks into calving; I've lost count, but something between 65 & 70 have calved and I'll know for sure when I've written up all the latest calvings... but by then another one or four cows will have calved.
Now at the halfway point and three weeks into calving; I've lost count, but something between 65 & 70 have calved and I'll know for sure when I've written up all the latest calvings... but by then another one or four cows will have calved.
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regolith
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Saw something new this afternoon.
At evening check for the calving cows there was a cow calving, she got to her feet before I got close and I could see something black and white on the ground, so she'd had it okay. When I got close enough to identify it as a calf I could also see the ribs heaving, evidence that it was alive and breathing... or attempting to breathe, because this close I could also see that the calf was still encased in the water bag and while Mum had started licking at the head, she was now working on drying the calf's belly.
Just as I got within reach of grabbing that membrane off the calf's nose (the head was covered to just below the eyes) the calf threw its head back and the membrane fell clear. Seconds old and able to ensure its own survival...
It's a heifer, to a cow I'd planned to cull because she's thirteen and has had serious issues with milk fever both last year and the year before. She's a good cow and there were others more in need of culling.
So I suppose this calf is about an hour old when the torrential rain driven by cold winds started. As soon as I could get away I went back to get her and bring her inside.
What did I find when I got there? Calf on her feet, standing against the hedge, Mum standing crossways shielding her calf from the weather. She was wet and cold, but the two are now in a small paddock with hedges on three sides... if the cow can keep that up I don't think I need be concerned about the calf tonight.
At evening check for the calving cows there was a cow calving, she got to her feet before I got close and I could see something black and white on the ground, so she'd had it okay. When I got close enough to identify it as a calf I could also see the ribs heaving, evidence that it was alive and breathing... or attempting to breathe, because this close I could also see that the calf was still encased in the water bag and while Mum had started licking at the head, she was now working on drying the calf's belly.
Just as I got within reach of grabbing that membrane off the calf's nose (the head was covered to just below the eyes) the calf threw its head back and the membrane fell clear. Seconds old and able to ensure its own survival...
It's a heifer, to a cow I'd planned to cull because she's thirteen and has had serious issues with milk fever both last year and the year before. She's a good cow and there were others more in need of culling.
So I suppose this calf is about an hour old when the torrential rain driven by cold winds started. As soon as I could get away I went back to get her and bring her inside.
What did I find when I got there? Calf on her feet, standing against the hedge, Mum standing crossways shielding her calf from the weather. She was wet and cold, but the two are now in a small paddock with hedges on three sides... if the cow can keep that up I don't think I need be concerned about the calf tonight.
bigbull338
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how meny milkings do you throw away or feed the milk to the calves before the cows milk is good enough to go into the milk tank.
Nesikep
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You're in some nice country as well, love the mountains there!
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regolith
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bigbull338":3e636k4t said:
First four days' milkings. I don't throw away milk unless it's from a treated cow, the colostrum that I don't feed immediately to calves gets stored and mixed into the milk for older calves about now, when there aren't enough new calved cows to feed all the calves.
About ninety cows in now, hard to believe there's still nearly fifty to go; it feels like I'm milking enough already. We really need a spell of warm weather now to let the soil dry out.
I think this year might be the longest I've ever kept the heifer calves housed inside. The neighbour has his out on grass but I'll wait for better weather if it's possible... there's none in the ten day forecast.
J&D Cattle
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Sounds like you are fairing pretty well through this tough weather spell. Beautiful pictures.
brightspark
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black mastitis in two yr old 8 weeks be for calving not good at all.
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regolith
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brightspark":2pia90z3 said:
No, that really sucks. Hope it's the last you ever see, nothing good about black mastitis.
Fell asleep again before reaching the door to go night check... all good, 77 had her calf at 5:30 am and 280 waited till noon to provide another opportunity for photos of a milk fever downer cow.
I think that 13 yr old has now gone two nights clear without going down... didn't boost her with calcium this morning so I'll soon know if she's out of the woods or not. *With* boosting her with calcium every morning she went down two nights in a row.
Checked last years records and at the same number of cows calved... then remembered we started ten days earlier this year. With the lack of grass growth and cold wet, it's just as well; be struggling to feed them adequately if they were calving faster.
Better weather forecast; now to get some fencing done and get the calves back outside.
37 heifers calved, eleven to go.
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regolith
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That email is kidding right? RIght?
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regolith
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Took this photo this morning. Last October I sprayed out black lily with roundup and then threw down some Italian ryegrass seed I had left over from the Manawatu farm. I also used the seed on damaged patches after any heavy rains last spring. That grass has been standing above its neighbours the whole year and you can see it now, right in the patches where those lilies used to be. It likes the cold.
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regolith
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just in case anyone forgot what milk fever cows look like
Annie getting a lift up from the mud
280 today. See the scuffed grass behind her? She's rolled right over a few times attempting to get up.
The calving mob this morning
except for 77 who is too busy with her new calf to move with the group
84's day old calf
milking herd yesterday
and in the evening, a group of recently calved heifers
that's Annie's daughter second in from the right.
two nights earlier, waiting to come in for milking
825's daughter, to a crossbred bull. Might start saying nice things about crossbred bulls if they throw heifers like that. She's a slow milker, the herd test coming up will tell me if she's just slow, or if it's because of too much milk.
this is the calf with the twisted front legs that was pictured earlier.
It's not fast improvement, but she is straightening out.
Annie getting a lift up from the mud
280 today. See the scuffed grass behind her? She's rolled right over a few times attempting to get up.
The calving mob this morning
except for 77 who is too busy with her new calf to move with the group
84's day old calf
milking herd yesterday
and in the evening, a group of recently calved heifers
two nights earlier, waiting to come in for milking
825's daughter, to a crossbred bull. Might start saying nice things about crossbred bulls if they throw heifers like that. She's a slow milker, the herd test coming up will tell me if she's just slow, or if it's because of too much milk.
this is the calf with the twisted front legs that was pictured earlier.
It's not fast improvement, but she is straightening out.
chippie
Well-known member
loved your photos. thank you for sharing them. I hope that all goes well for you.
I do enjoy seeing your cows. : )
I do enjoy seeing your cows. : )
hillsdown
Well-known member
I have not forgotten what MF looks like but sure as heck I am glad I don't see it anymore :???:
Your little calf is looking really good , I think she has improved immensely Rego . Nice job
BTW my hair stylist is leaving next month to New Zealand for a whole year , just to tour around and see the country . They want to take odd jobs as they move along to help offset the costs . I hate that she is leaving, but she couldn't have picked a prettier country to want to travel through .
Your little calf is looking really good , I think she has improved immensely Rego . Nice job
BTW my hair stylist is leaving next month to New Zealand for a whole year , just to tour around and see the country . They want to take odd jobs as they move along to help offset the costs . I hate that she is leaving, but she couldn't have picked a prettier country to want to travel through .
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regolith
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A year is the way to do it, indeed.
So many take three or four weeks holiday in NZ, because it's a long way from anywhere. But really, you can't see much in that time.
Just sent my mum back overseas and she spent most of four weeks sitting by my fire out of the rain... I can't say my house looks as nice as it did when she was here but at least things stay where I put them.
So I never did do that bit of fencing before letting the calves back out to grass. Guess what, I have photos from this afternoon of totally smashed fence and calves all over the place. There's a few options from here but one of them goes something along the lines of "milk early tomorrow, then spend the whole day building fence before feeding the calves". Another is toss them out into a real paddock and hope the two wire electric holds them and that the youngest ones have figured out to come running when the tractor arrives.
So many take three or four weeks holiday in NZ, because it's a long way from anywhere. But really, you can't see much in that time.
Just sent my mum back overseas and she spent most of four weeks sitting by my fire
out of the rain... I can't say my house looks as nice as it did when she was here but at least things stay where I put them.So I never did do that bit of fencing before letting the calves back out to grass. Guess what, I have photos from this afternoon of totally smashed fence and calves all over the place. There's a few options from here but one of them goes something along the lines of "milk early tomorrow, then spend the whole day building fence before feeding the calves". Another is toss them out into a real paddock and hope the two wire electric holds them and that the youngest ones have figured out to come running when the tractor arrives.
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regolith
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Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse...
Pulled a Simmental bull calf out of this cow today:
It wasn't nice. I'm seriously ready to cancel the Simmental straws I ordered for this year. I'm in the business of making milk after all, not pretty dead calves.
Used to use Simmental in Scotland across British Friesian for easy calving - it wasn't the best plan for heifers, but I don't ever recall a cow having difficulty.
The real problem was that 93 went down in the vet race. There's no question the calf was too big and she needed assistance; once I'd managed to get the calf out just far enough to get thoroughly jammed exploration suggested that the reason for the jam was a piece of cow spine centred right over the calf's eye socket :help: which surely couldn't have happened if she'd been standing.
Wasn't able to get her up, but did move her around just enough to allow the calf to start moving again - it was still a very hard pull, the vet turned up in time to hear the calf bawling and halfway out but by the time we got the rest of it through it was a dead calf, and the cow had significant calving paralysis.
Pulled a Simmental bull calf out of this cow today:
It wasn't nice. I'm seriously ready to cancel the Simmental straws I ordered for this year. I'm in the business of making milk after all, not pretty dead calves.
Used to use Simmental in Scotland across British Friesian for easy calving - it wasn't the best plan for heifers, but I don't ever recall a cow having difficulty.
The real problem was that 93 went down in the vet race. There's no question the calf was too big and she needed assistance; once I'd managed to get the calf out just far enough to get thoroughly jammed exploration suggested that the reason for the jam was a piece of cow spine centred right over the calf's eye socket :help: which surely couldn't have happened if she'd been standing.
Wasn't able to get her up, but did move her around just enough to allow the calf to start moving again - it was still a very hard pull, the vet turned up in time to hear the calf bawling and halfway out but by the time we got the rest of it through it was a dead calf, and the cow had significant calving paralysis.
