War Party Calf - I win Round 2

[inyati13]

I lost my Milestone heifer during calving this month. So I had my best cow due, Bartlett, palpated by the Vet. She is a registered Simangus cow with her fourth calf. She is a big cow - 1700 pounds. The vet put his arm in and said, "Get ready for round 2." Meaning I had another big calf coming.

I left the farm last night and I noticed she went to the far end of the paddock and laid down. I AI'd her to War Party and based on the date of AI, she is at 276 days today, Sept 1.

I was waking up and the first thought was of my cow. I got up at 3 am. Drank a cup of coffee and finally got Blue and we went to the farm. In the dark, I unlocked my entry gate. In the center of the paddock where I have Bartlett is a mainline power pole. On that pole is a high intensity night light. I could see Bartlett in the light and laying near her in the grass was a calf.

I went to the shop, got my light and went out and checked. The calf raised its head. I patted Bartlett and went back to the shop and waited till light.

When it got light I looked at the calf and thought he may weigh 80 pounds. I got the scales. Went out in the utility vehicle to have something to get behind if she did get excited. I put down a 2x6 platform, put the scales on it, weighed myself (165), picked up her calf which was standing at her head, stepped on the scales and read the needle at 270 pounds. The calf weighed 105 pounds dry.

This is a nice solid calf. I got to thinking. This is the first calf I have weighed. I am underestimating the weights of my calves by 15 to 20 pounds. Here are the pictures of my calf less than 24 hours old:

 

[Hook]

Good deal. Glad it worked out for you this time.
Out of curiosity, why is the cow named that?

 

[Nesikep]

good to hear all is well, from the pictures I have no problem believing it's 100 lbs, cow is about the size of our bigger girls too. 105 lbs was the average BW for my bull calves this year, with about 90 for my heifer calves. I didn't need to do any pulling that required chains, so I don't mind.

He ought to grow up nice and big... I found they tend to look really good when they're born heavy and have lots of milk to go with it

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

He's a dandy Inyati! Good job by the momma!

 

[branguscowgirl]

Really glad all is well Ron!

 

[slick4591]

Looking good!

 

[inyati13]

Good deal. Glad it worked out for you this time.
Out of curiosity, why is the cow named that?

Thank you and thanks to all. I got her as a heifer. She was registered as she was going to be part of the Hudson Pine/Rocking P Partnership. That partnership ended and the heifer was purchased by me with a mate as a pair. This cow is registered under the name "Ms Bartlett". I don't have a clue how they arrived at that. A couple people including Fire Sweep Ranch have checked her pedigree, it is well known both on the simmental and angus side. I have had her three years. This is her fourth calf. They have all been excellent but I think this one is going to be fun to watch. He will certainly not be for someone wanting a calving ease bull.

 

[inyati13]

good to hear all is well, from the pictures I have no problem believing it's 100 lbs, cow is about the size of our bigger girls too. 105 lbs was the average BW for my bull calves this year, with about 90 for my heifer calves. I didn't need to do any pulling that required chains, so I don't mind.

He ought to grow up nice and big... I found they tend to look really good when they're born heavy and have lots of milk to go with it

When I retired to the farm, I knew nothing about cattle. I was raised on a farm and we had milk cows but I was not interested at the time. I told my brother Henry, I wanted to put a few cows on my land. He offered me four of his cows. I bought all four. If you remember Big Bertha and Blackie. Bertha weighed 1800 when I sold her. Blackie weighed 1920 when I sold her. I still have Panda Bear who probably weighs near 1800. My brother followed my dad's philosophy. Dad liked big cows and big calves. Neither one of them even knew what CE stands for. When they got a bull, the main thing they shopped for was size. They pulled a lot of calves.

When I got those first four cows, Henry brought them to me and we turned them out. I was still working in Denver. He said they would be fine. I came back for vacation and one of those cows had just had the first calf in the pasture. When I think back, those calves had to weigh close to 175 pounds. In my mind, they looked twice as big as the calf here and I weighed it at 105 pounds. I think back on the size of some of those first calves. They were huge. I don't know how big a calf can be, but I realize now that they were monsters. On average, they were almost twice as big as the calves I am having now. I tried to lift one of those first calves and it was impossible. The legs were hanging to the ground.

I also know after getting a true weight on this calf that the calves I am producing now that I thought were 70 pounds were probably 85.

 

[Williamsv]

Very fine calf from a beautiful cow. Thankful they are okay.

 

[regolith]

Well done that girl!
Such a shine on that new-born's coat.

It's surprising how calves of similar size can weigh very different when you pick them up - I'm not sure I could eyeball the weights of my calves with any sort of accuracy.
The funniest one was a little black calf last year - can't remember what breed mix - who looked like he should weigh maybe fifty pounds tops. I'd picked him up several times and knew he was closer to eighty, and when the truck called in to pick up the bull calves I didn't warn the handler... he found out the hard way.

 

[Lucky_P]

without weighing 'em, you don't really know.
I see folks who claim to be able to guess 'em reliably within a pound or two...let's just say I'm skeptical.
This past spring was the first time we ever weighed anything that wasn't born dead. Don't care to do it again.

Bet those first calves didn't weigh 175, though - you know how things from the past always seem bigger/better with advancing age... :lol2:

 

[Nesikep]

Well Hillsdown had a 160 lb'er this spring, and you can tell he's just massive... he had a fat head too.

I usually pick up every calf and carry it about 100 ft, sometimes I'll 'go over the scales', but I certainly know the difference between carrying a 90 pounder and a 120 pounder.
I figure I'm within 10 lbs. Guessing within a couple pounds, and just by looking at them certainly is optimistic. A little bit of difference in width adds a lot of weight without adding much 'eye size' to the animal

 

[FourSquareFarm]

That is a beautiful calf! Congratulations....That Momma cow is a keeper.

 

[inyati13]

That is a beautiful calf! Congratulations....That Momma cow is a keeper.

That cow is outstanding if I do say so myself. I just was playing with this calf. He is 17 days old. I think he is the best calf I have ever had and I don't remember seeing a better calf. He is growing fast. Very strong and blocky. Big bones. I cannot wait to see him in 5 months!!!