Calving time on the farm

D&D Farm

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Thanks for the info on the O-NO-MORE........Gonna research it, get some, and find out how and if for goats.........Neat scale system there. For us at birth the worst we have to wrestle with is maybe 12 pounds to get on the stand on scale. CANNOT imagine what a checkin out a calf must be like.

The other night on one of those Alaska shows about homesteading a guy was tending a "newborn" on a drive of a few miles.......quite a wrestling match when tieing it to an ATV and draging it across a river.............God bless.......Dennis
 

bordercollie

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Today was a gullywasher all around us. Also today another set of twins to deal with. First calf heifers are more prone to problems with their first so we decided a few years ago to keep the mamas expecting their very first calf near the house for us to spy on and look out for any of those problems. These first calf heifers are moved to this spy patch when their due date is a few weeks away and we can see them from the house. We have these pastures connected by lanes so we can move cows around. Anyway, once they have a calf we let them bond and then move them to join the other new mamas in the other pasture. This helps keep disease problems down too. I like my coffee in the morning and am going for my second mug when I see 2 calves around one cow... We give it and bit for the rain to let up but it just rains and rains . so we get the rain coats and check on them. both are nursing .. go back home and wait for the rain to slow. This afternoon, we get the mama and one calf to the barn while one stays behind. Sis is on foot and I am on the RTV bringing up the rear presence to get her and the scampering twin to the right place. Then go back after the other which was being investigated by the other soon to be mamas. I can't catch it while wearing the rainwear, but I get down on all fours near him and go " beeeaah beeeaaah" and he comes to me... It works most every time ;) ..grab him and off to the barn with sis driving. I have his hind end the wrong way (if he poops) but that the way it happens sometimes when I grab them .... That's ok, the RTV is tough! I am a firm believer in "a bird in the hand is worth more than 2 in the bush" same goes with calves . ha ha. So, now they are full with an extra dose of colostrix in a bottle ..just to be sure.. and then put with their mama for a night in the dry barn.
Now to feed everything else... sloppy and wet for sure but it is the Lord's day he has made so it is a good one. bordercollie
 

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TWO GUNS

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bordercollie,

Your a good person.
That place is very blessed to have you there !!!!!

God Bless You !!!!
.......... jamie
 

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bordercollie

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Thank you Two Guns. :)
Today was another exciting day.... Another set of twins to get up and then of coarse, the daylight is just finished then, but then there's a problem with a cow calving.. Sis and I get her to the barn with the help of the RTV's lights set on the gate - so she can see. We walk her up to one of the inside pens,though she is a bit excitable she cooperates ... Then the situation is talked about and we decide to give her a bit more time -since we have her away from the other distracting cows and in the quiet barn. Run home and eat a quick supper - pulled pork sandwich from leftovers I smoked the other night and top it with a bit of slaw and sauce... Hope and pray she has had the calf, and back we go with our new found energy ... Nope.... we start the delivery process and after a difficult time getting the cow "contained" in the paneled slot where we do that. Then we place ob chains on the calf's "ankles"(being careful of the dew claws). The cow lays down.. Now I don't have to worry about her backing over me since I am behind her. I alternate the pulling on the ob chains from one calf's leg to the other,( lay one down and pull the other with both hands etc.. as I brace my boots against part of the panels and sit on the floor . This zig zag helps work the calf to move inch by inch- especially if "something" is stuck.... I had my 108 lb self pulling with all my mite on the handles of the chains and sis with the lube is at the topside . It was, I am sure, a funny sight but we got the calf out alive . I had my prayer for strength answered for sure because it was a tight and hard delivery..I could have never done it on my own..
I have also posted a picture of Sally the dairy cow, she has adopted both of the angus calves from last week as well as taking care of her own (Winnie). Another answer to a prayer. Thanks to the Lord.
 

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D&D Farm

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God is sooooo good if we just let him into our lives. Hard work and feels so very good when you get that WHOOOOOOSH splat and it is layin on the floor. The moments of apprehension, prayer, and working to coax that first breath.......Then that oh so wonderful rush as it finds out it can breathe.......Thank you God for giving us this life.........Dennis
 

bordercollie

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Oh yes Two Guns and Dennis I agree!!.
The swoosh and splat with some wiggling is a wonderful thing. Then I tickle the calf's nose with a straw to make it sneeze or gasp.. then the breathing starts. :) Years ago, I once had to move the tongue as it was in the way of breathing- blocking the throat as it was swollen. Just necessity dictates what to do.. Thanks again :)
 

muleman RIP

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You have great patience to do all that BC. I remember well doing it as a young boy and it is pure WORK helping a delivery. Think I developed a dislike for first time moms because of it.
 

bordercollie

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You have great patience to do all that BC. I remember well doing it as a young boy and it is pure WORK helping a delivery. Think I developed a dislike for first time moms because of it.
Thanks Muleman, is a part of my job so it must be done.- Or else pay a large fee and wait and wait for the vet.. I agree with you.. the young mamas can be a handful.We have to really watch them because they sometimes try to claim any young calf around when they are in labor and walking around.
Sis said she looked back there during the event and I had cleared the floor and was lifting myself off the floor as I pulled. Whew, I am sure glad this situation doesn't happen very often.
 

bordercollie

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I just received a long letter from a fellow (big time) rancher warning of the dire consequences of using a soy based milk replacer on calves. I doubt that I can post it here but will ask - legal issues ya know.... Just beware ! collie
 

bordercollie

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I just received a long letter from a fellow (big time) rancher warning of the dire consequences of using a soy based milk replacer on calves. I doubt that I can post it here but will ask - legal issues ya know.... Just beware ! collie

This is an excerpt from the long article by rancher Maria Neilsen..... If you want the whole thing, I will be glad to email it out( by bcc) to you just pm me your email address.

(vet).....He said that milk replacer companies change their ingredients all the time based on economics and what is cheaper and available. I laughed and read the label and he said my crude fiber was way too high at 1% the protein and fat levels should be 20% or higher and the crude fiber level should be .15% or lower. Well I never read the label any further cause I was sure it was a bad bug and we still continued on with the testing. Nothing came back conclusive except the malnutrition and anemia and organ failure on the two calves that I kept alive for months and finally they died. I had one last calf that I got late and she was a twin and she started out the same thing I was devastated and he told me buy some cows milk in the store whole milk get that calf off your powdered milk replacer NOW!!! I did and in four bottles she went from dying to running and bucking and normal poops and healthy thriving calf. I started buying raw goats milk since I had no other powdered milk choices at the time for calves. She thrived

The company I complained to said it was probably the soy alternative proteins in the milk replacer. I started researching this subject and have come up with this info to help others who find themselves in my position with calves and wonder what is wrong. Read your ingredients and see if you have Soy in your milk replacers. Thought it was just calves but now I am finding it in lamb and goat and foal and multi species formulas as well. BEWARE!!! They can not tolerate it and I will tell you why. I got conformation from a top nutritionist from that company I complained to and he informed me when I asked about the dairy industry knowing this he said THEY know better and this stuff cheaper poorer quality ends up typically in the feed stores......................................

WHY can they NOT digest SOY in the calf milk replacer??? :



Calves are born with a complex and immature digestive system. They have the physical attributes of a ruminant, a reticulum, rumen, omasum and abomasum. The four chambers of the stomach. But until these first three stomachs are developed a calf is considered a monogastric because only the abomasum is functioning. Unable to process or digest complex carbohydrates or cellulose into nutrients. In fact a newborn or young calf’s early feedings of colostrum, milk or milk replacer are shunted directly passed the first three stomachs and into the abomasum via the esophageal groove. The abomasum is the main digestive organ in early life. The rumen in a newborn to young calf is nonfunctioning. It begins growing around weeks 3-4, depending on when grain and calf starter along with fresh water and milk it receives from the cow or the bottle. The rumen grows rapidly and during the first 5-6 months and is considered fully functioning around 6-9 months. At first they need all milk proteins from cows milk or milk replacer containing several of these ingredients: Skimmed milk, Dried Whey Protein, Whey Protein Concentrate, Dried Whey, Dried Whey product, Casein, Buttermilk or Dried Milk Proteins. When a calf sucks a bottle or the cow. Within ten minutes the milk forms a clot, which it can only do when you have all milk proteins, in the abomasum from the coagulation of milk proteins. It does this with the enzymes rennin and pepsin and hydrochloric acid in the abomasum. Other milk components, primarily whey proteins, lactose {sugar} and most minerals separate from the curd or clot and rapidly pass into the small intestine. The lactose is digested quickly and provides immediate energy.
 

bordercollie

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hypothermia

A calf that we had under the barn 's shed with his Mama run into problems with cold stress this week. I went to check on her the morning of the most intense cold of near 11 and there she was limp like a sack of potatoes.. I stuck my finger in her mouth and it was cold in there.
I carried her little self to the inside insulated "Kitchen" room and sis and I gave her a lookover. Her body temperature had dropped to like 96... way too cold for a calf. We turn on the electric heater, put her on a rug and apply a heating pad. I sat there by her and her temperature slowly climbs back to over 100 . Then she starts moving a bit. Give her a shot of pneumonia medicine and make a nice hay nest for her and put her back with her mama but on the inside pen. A bit later, she has nursed and getting back to normal.. Still not out of the woods... still breathing a bit fast but much better ..she was a hair from being gone.. Before and after pictures follow. bordercollie
 

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bczoom

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Glad you were able to pull that calf back from the brink.

Not sure how it is with furred animals but for humans it's not a good idea to get them close to too much heat. The numbness doesn't give you the feel of the heat and can burn. I'm thinking mainly of that ele heater next to its face. If it's a good heater, that may be really hot (too hot) to breath in.
 

bordercollie

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Glad you were able to pull that calf back from the brink.

Not sure how it is with furred animals but for humans it's not a good idea to get them close to too much heat. The numbness doesn't give you the feel of the heat and can burn. I'm thinking mainly of that ele heater next to its face. If it's a good heater, that may be really hot (too hot) to breath in.

Not to worry Zoom. That heater is really old and the 2 bladed fan is tired.. ( like me) I sat there with her to make sure she didn't get too hot. The heating pad was most concerning because it did get hot and I had to move it around ..even on low after adding a towel as a block... Much warmer weather today and she looks much better.. watching me as I walk through the barn. :) collie
 

TWO GUNS

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God Bless You Bordercollie ....

You are a very special person !!!

............. jamie
 

D&D Farm

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Good on you for workin and saving another life. Wondering if cattle are like humans in that when frostbite or the like is there; but without visible damage, from then on out the cold will cause real problems with joints, fingers, extremities. I know for me it is that way from when I was a kid out rabbit hunting with cousins in the dead winter without gloves. Hands just about froze off and even now, they just really hurt when exposed just a bit..........Anyway, you done good.......God bless.....Dennis
 

bordercollie

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Thank you Two Guns and Dennis, :) It sure does make a soul feel happy when things turn out right.
Dennis, I do remember back about 20 years ago when we got out first registered Angus cows. We bought them from a place way North.. Called them the princess cows- not just for what they costs but their ears had had frostbite and were very short like a Doberman. also had short tails from the frostbite..
One thing I remember when we first got these cows, they were leery of our gates with the electric fence wire (insulated) run in pvc on top of the ground... I saw one cow look at it, turn around and walk backwards over it! I guess if you can't see it, it can't hurt you...in cow logic that is...
That was cow A 6 now we are on the W #'s . collie
 

bordercollie

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Another Day

One of the end results of calving in the Fall is selling the commercial calves in June . We keep some of the best commercial heifers to use in the commercial herd in the coming year. We keep the registered heifers and all of the registered bulls to grow out . Unless they don't make the qualifications that is . The steers and heifers that went on the truck averaged 600-700 lbs and looked sharp so brought a premium. ( that means I got a nice bonus) Yaaaa!!
It is just part of the cycle that keeps the farm going. After the load out, we always go out to eat and that is something to look forward to ..it is tradition.. :) .
Here are a few pictures.. I used the RTV to move the loading ramp and I gotta say , It is so much easier to maneuver the thing with that front receiver hitch on the RTV so use that when I am backing it into a tight place, otherwise the rear receiver is great..
The loading ramp is a wind up type and will guide the calves to the top deck. whew, glad it is done for another year. collie
 

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bordercollie

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I misplaced this picture of my "buddy" hauling the loading ramp. I found it so here she is doing her best.. working. collie
 

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TWO GUNS

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Heck,
Need that thing to load my butt in some of the stands I got to get into ...
Yep, I'm gettting monster ideas yea !!!

....... two guns :clap:
 
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