What's in your Calving Kit???

[sidney411]

If you have a dairy near by you can get some colustrum from them and put it in the freezer. I freeze it in ice cube trays and it makes it a lot easier to thaw out if needed.

 

[Little Cow]

Thanks Sidney! That sounds like a great idea. Unless three qualify, we don't even have enough cows to call them a herd. For us little guys just starting out, (I do the math and gasp when I realize how long it will take to actually start to see a return from this herd we are trying to build!!), keeping costs down and cows/calves alive and healthy is the goal. I don't even see us being in a position to begin culling any difficult cows any time soon unless there is a real obvious problem! Besides, for you big guys, do you typically cull first year cows with issues or just wait and see what happens with their second calf?

I keep thinking about my pioneer ancestors, (from western NE). They brought along only a few cows from back east when they headed west...

 

[randiliana]

Besides, for you big guys, do you typically cull first year cows with issues or just wait and see what happens with their second calf?

Depends what the problem is. If she loses a calf due to illness, or bad timing (ie born on a cold day) we will probably keep her around, usually we will adopt a calf onto her. Bad attitude is a quick ticket to the cull pen, regardless of age, or production . If she didn't raise a calf that was as good as expected we usually give them another chance, unless it is really, really poor. No milk is another no brainer, if she has no milk as a heifer, she won't have much more as a cow. Calving difficulties is another maybe. If it is malpresented, or a big calf, or twins we give them another chance, if it is a pull, and a small calf (ie under 80 lbs) she is culled. C-section is another one, usually if it is a c-section you probably don't want to take another chance on her, there are a few reasons like twisted uterus that may change our mind. If she comes in dry we used to always cull, but with our cull prices now, we are going to give them another chance to breed back for the fall. If they don't breed a second time then they will go.

 

[Little Cow]

Thanks, Randiliana!

Thanks for all your input, guys. I will fully admit that this little herd is a learning experience and that we are hobby cattle folks. Don't have the land or the time to be anything else...