What to do with calves when out of town.

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GatorBuzz

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Okay, I just got a call from my neighbor, who's been helpful in tracking down a couple calves for me. These will be my first ever, so I need some guidance.

They are two hundred pounds and he will have them here in a about a week.

The problem I have is that my wife and I need to go to California at the end of September. What should I do with the calves for those five days? Are there farm-sitters or something who can come throw a bag of feed in the trough and make sure they have plenty of water? Or, will they be okay with just the pasture (plenty of pasture for two calves) and water for five days?

Any opinions or advice are appreciated.
 
WORANCH":tyyhwf2m said:
Get a friend to check on them and feed for you.

Yep, have that neighbor that found them for you look in on them everyday.
 
GatorBuzz":2ndqkndf said:
The problem I have is that my wife and I need to go to California at the end of September. What should I do with the calves for those five days? Are there farm-sitters or something who can come throw a bag of feed in the trough and make sure they have plenty of water? Or, will they be okay with just the pasture (plenty of pasture for two calves) and water for five days?

Any opinions or advice are appreciated.

If you are feeding them regularly I certainly would not want to suddenly pull them off of that feed for five days and funky stuff can happen to fences and things so I would definitely want somebody to check in on them. If you have somebody who will do this for you thats great; but I always have to PAY somebody to look after my animals if I am gone....one reason why I try to avoid ever going anywhere overnight.
 
This topic reminds me of the change in conditions of life. when I was a small fry neighbors looked in on our animals if we were gone for a day or two(very rare) and if they were gone we looked in on their's. Difficult to find that today.

This may be a good time to arrange a mutual benefit pact with a good neighbor with animals and reciprocate when he is in need. This is not the last time you will be in this situation as long as you have animals.
 
Find somebody, not just anybody, someone you'd let your wife go to the drive in with to look after them. Show them how to take care of them for a couple of days before you go. I wouldn't want to come back and find out they'd been out of water for two days and lose a friend because he thought it would be allright to skip a day or two. Leave written instructions.You are bound to know someone who would think it would be a pleasure to do this for you. Around here it's usually a family member. I've been pretty hot with people I thought I could trust with this little job. I finally found a FFA member to do it for me and she did an excellent job. Though young she let me in on every little detail that occured in my absence. She was so proud of the work she did. I gave her a nice little unexpected reward for a job well done and she let me know she was available the next time I needed her help. :cboy:
 
Find a trusted neighbor kid. Let him\her help you out a few weeks before you leave to get the routine down. Have them feed while your gone. Reward the kid well and they will be dependable in the future. This also may open up a new interest in cattle.
 
If you're close to town, consider contact a "Pet Sitting Service". Seriously, some of them will care for large animals when you are gone.

Livestock, especially calves and foals can get into a LOT of trouble in any 24 hour period...this is why some ranchers find dead animals in the pasture. We've rescued more than one young one who got caught in a fence, round bale feeder, etc., including crawling under a fence to get in a "no-no" place.

Gone 2+ days without 100% significantly dependable people to care for your animals is risking coming back to something you don't want to experience...S*** happens!
 
Get a float valve for the water tank and leave the water to it on. Pre measure what you want to feed for a day and put in seperate buckets,bags,barrels,etc.. enough for the period of time you are going to be gone. If your going to feed hay get a rack with enough in it while your gone.
These are just time saving tips for the person you have looking in on them. And I'd pay alittle extra to make sure they were checked on twice a day.
Or check with the neighbor maybe he could keep them at their place till you get back. That way they could be under eye more than 10-15 min a day.
 
I'd make sure that my fences were checked before I had the calves delivered, the water tank float working well and no avenue for excape...I know sounds strange but the little buggers will crawl, squeeze and climb to get where they arn't.
Alot of good advise from folks who know....we're lucky, our kids will stay over when we are gone...have to restock the freezer and pantry but well worth it.
Dave Mc
 
GatorBuzz":yygcrmqd said:
Okay, I just got a call from my neighbor, who's been helpful in tracking down a couple calves for me. These will be my first ever, so I need some guidance.

They are two hundred pounds and he will have them here in a about a week.

The problem I have is that my wife and I need to go to California at the end of September. What should I do with the calves for those five days? Are there farm-sitters or something who can come throw a bag of feed in the trough and make sure they have plenty of water? Or, will they be okay with just the pasture (plenty of pasture for two calves) and water for five days?

Any opinions or advice are appreciated.

What do you do with your dog? Your cat? etc...?

If they are going to be on pasture, ensure they have water and they will be fine. If you are feeding them supplement, then you will need to find a way for them to continue with this feed during your absence, such as a creep feeder.

Cattle will be fine if they don't see you for 5 days. I have some that haven't seen me or anyone else for a couple of weeks, maybe even a month or so.
 
My Mom and Dad always stay here on the place if we get a chance to sneak off, which is not very often. Reminds my Dad about how he worked so long to get off the farm, can't understand at times why I wanted to always stay on it. I think he secretly wishes he still had a Tobacco crop and Cattle. But I always know things are in great hands.
 
Calf sitters oh my, why yes they are listed in the yellow pages in most rural areas. I'm sure your local vet would kennel them for a minimum fee.
On a serious note with questions like this you are not ready to be a cattle owner.
 
Caustic Burno":rjyjchc3 said:
Calf sitters oh my, why yes they are listed in the yellow pages in most rural areas. I sue your local vet would kennel them for a minimum fee.
On a serious note with questions like this you are not ready to be a cattle owner.
I just tried the little ol' phone book we have, got to the letter "C" then Ca.... no Calf Sitters, did find a listing for a Cat House.You want the #?
 
GatorBuzz":8fahoyvq said:
Okay, I just got a call from my neighbor, who's been helpful in tracking down a couple calves for me. These will be my first ever, so I need some guidance.

They are two hundred pounds and he will have them here in a about a week.

The problem I have is that my wife and I need to go to California at the end of September. What should I do with the calves for those five days? Are there farm-sitters or something who can come throw a bag of feed in the trough and make sure they have plenty of water? Or, will they be okay with just the pasture (plenty of pasture for two calves) and water for five days?

Any opinions or advice are appreciated.

Yup I got an opinion and an answer.

You want to own cattle - then only ONE of you go to California. The other stays home. Next trip the person who traveled last stays home and the other goes.

Those who own farms and run animals seldom depart for any length of time as a unit - and yes, 5 days is a long time in this business. If they do they have family or folks they can trust and they trade off with them.

Suspect you might need to evaluate whether you are ready for this life.

Bez'
 
Thanks for all the good advice. I really appreciate it. I've talked with my neighbor, who will be happy to come over and check on them twice daily. I will ration out the feed to make it easier on him. He asked if I could do the same for him in December. So, contrary to some beliefs on this thread, I guess I'm not the only person in the country who leaves his farm for a few days. :roll:

As for what I do with the dog, she goes to a kennel. Don't have a cat.

As to whether I'm ready to be a cattle owner or live on a farm, as questioned by Caustic and Bez, well I'd say yes. I could give you all the reasons in the world, and I could explain the crazy circumstances that are REQUIRING my wife and I to go to Cali. But what's the point of justifying myself to people I don't know, people who don't care to have the reasons to begin with and would rather make assumptions?

Thanks again everyone. Your advice was, as usual, helpful.
 
Leaving the place and animals is the hardest part for us. In the past we had a "good" neighbor take care of things when we went to a show that required being gone overnight. Wrote everything out, walked through the process a couple of times with him, etc., it all worked out okay for several times (over a couple of years).

Then it seems the same neighbor came and robbed us blind on one of these occasions (or later, while we were at work perhaps, just don't know). He had made a copy of the key to the house, I guess...took guns and jewelry...nothing noticed at first as the goods were not out in plain view and nothing had been obviously disturbed, so we were not immediately aware of anything missing. We learned that he'd had drug, alcohol, and legal problems and needed money badly...we reported it, of course, did fingerprinting, etc., but nothing was ever recovered and local law officials have never followed through (that's another story)...the guy has since done some jail time for DUI's and other assorted things. While we could not PROVE that "he" did it, it's pretty obvious to us as he was the only one with access to a key...locks have since been changed and locks put on windows. Sure gives you a very sick feeling knowing that someone (especially someone you've trusted!) rifled through all your personal belongings, took what he wanted and could easily pawn. Still makes me furious when I think about it.

The deadbeat is not a kid, he's about 40, is still in the area but has never come near here since this happened...I think he knows that we know...awkward as we are friends with his parents.

I hate leaving the farm overnight for a fair or show, and usually end up driving back and forth to keep an eye on things if possible while my husband stays at the event. Hard to trust anyone after that experience.
 
guess i am lucky!
have a neighbor kid (15) with a very strong longing to be around livestock, sold him a calf that runs with my stock, he comes down every day after school and helps me care for my stock, if i need to be out of the area for a few days he knows what needs to be done and does so willingly, i always give him a nice little check for the extra work(he said i didn't need to) but i do knowing with piece of mind that everything will be done as well as or better than i would do it! worth evey penny for the piece of mind i have! always leave him with my phone number where i can be reached.
as well as the vets number and feed store number in case anything comes up!!! like i said he is a very capable, willing young man and does well for me!!! :D :D
 

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