Stocker Steve
Well-known member
I would post a couple calves before I brought in a Cat.
What are the biggest health issues you are facing right now?
- Thread starter comanchetexascattle
- Start date
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Stocker Steve
Well-known member
I have seen weather related health issues with calves from poor milking heifers. Not so much with proven cows. Nutritional vs. growth stress?
wbvs58
Well-known member
To me it sounds like the OP is someone doing an assignment and is doing a bit of research. I hope you get what you are looking for out of this mob.
Ken
Ken
Dave
Well-known member
Personally, there is a reason why the feedlots refer to October as national dead calf month.
The past couple winters people in the area have had a lot of calves lost to weather and storms. We have managed to avoid any losses though have had a couple close calls. Also I have heard scours has caused problems here, we have a calf or two every year that gets scours bad enough to get dehydrated and need an IV but havent lost any calves to it.
76 Bar
Well-known member
A comprehensive (cows and subsequent calves) herd health, nutrition, Mgt & good stockmanship mitigates a lot of problems.
4hfarms
Well-known member
Havent had health problems yet. Small closed herd since we purchased them couple years ago. All but two were born on our property. Plenty of pasture to rotate them, springs and creeks of fresh water. We have been lucky but did loose a calf due to the donkey (We had) this past summer. I keep my fingers crossed.
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
I 100% agree. But you know as well as I do that it takes time and experience to develop an "eye" for reading cattle and be able to intercept potential problems before they a raise.
A donkey killed a calf?
kenny thomas
Well-known member
Some donkeys are very bad to hurt baby calves
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
A friend of mine had a Jenny that would steel calves from their mothers. She had to be separated during calving.
4hfarms
Well-known member
Yes, we had a jack and Jenny in an adjacent field over the summer. During the hot month of July, we ran dry in the creek so I opened the gate to join the pastures. The other pasture (the donkey pasture) has a spring that feeds the creek the cows were in. I went for lunch and when I returned after less than an hour.....
When I came through the gate I saw the Jack was chasing our older cow around the field at full speed. Her calf was outside the fence watching. The other cows were gathered in a defensive semi circle position in the bottom of the pasture against the creek. They were guarding a dead calf in a semi circle. I picked up a large stick to see if I could cut the chase and then the cow went through the barbed wire and the donkey stopped just short. They showed each other hate for a few moments through the wire. Then chase the donkies through the gate and closed it behind them. The calf was only a few days old, born on the 4th of July. I did correct the situation with the pastures since then. The donkies were sold not long after.
If I would have had my rifle, I would have burried another animal.
I found out from others it is normal Jack behavior.
Little too late!
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Yes - we always referred to "eye of the master". Some have it - some don't.
Nick Wagner
Well-known member
I have a leftover pet horse from my daughter's teen years that does that every year. It'd be funny, except she can beat the snot out of a cow and the calf would starve. She keeps the coyotes at bay, but I sometimes wonder if she's worth the trouble.
Nesikep
Well-known member
Only problem I ever have here is pneumonia.. lost a nice bull calf to it a month ago, didn't respond to draxxin/banamine good enough. Catching it EARLY is the key
iwannaknow53
Member
All appears to be doing well so far, so no issues. Calves beginning to drop and all have been healthy.
