When Calving Starting

Reggie.

dh1985 wrote: »

Why so late reg

Oh the FIL let the bull out late last year. Awkward time to be calving as the silage will be in full swing

whelan2

a psz heifer calf this morning

CashCowsEB

whats the ebi's of your calves being born? first due here on 30th but like everyone here should come sooner with ai. springing up nicely and in good nic so hopefully goes ok.

Greengrass1

Highest ebi 250 lowest 190

stanflt

CashCowsEB wrote: »

whats the ebi's of your calves being born? first due here on 30th but like everyone here should come sooner with ai. springing up nicely and in good nic so hopefully goes ok.

Had a 330 Ebi calf born at the start bloody bull

Lowest 170

mahoney_j

Lowest 180 highest 320..genotyping may raise or lower this.spent the last few nights on sire advice matching Bulls to cows and heifers for this years Ai season,my milk kg on last ebi report has dropped from 138 to 110,which I can't fathom so I'm working on getting this back up ,want this figure near 180 kg.some real nicely balanced Bulls in pg catalogue

Timmaay

mahoney_j wrote: »

Lowest 180 highest 320..genotyping may raise or lower this.spent the last few nights on sire advice matching Bulls to cows and heifers for this years Ai season,my milk kg on last ebi report has dropped from 138 to 110,which I can't fathom so I'm working on getting this back up ,want this figure near 180 kg.some real nicely balanced Bulls in pg catalogue

Lowest EBI 170 highest 270 here. Milk KGs here is +163kgs for the herd, but over 20% of the herd are above +300, highest is 450, I have ordered 20 straws of PHC for these ladies (details here), he was the best bull I could find to reduce milk but hold solids. I really really should consider JE on those ladies however!

Just looking at the EBI table for my herd, best cow on solids is a JEx with +43kgs of F+P! I'll do well to find a bull to maintain her level of solids. Gave her a sexed KSK last yr, she calved yesterday, the daughters solids are estimated to be +38kgs so not doing too bad at least!

CashCowsEB

thats some yields they are belting out. whats the average litres of your herd so. are you in the top 200 ebi herds?

Deepsouthwest

Timmaay wrote: »

Lowest EBI 170 highest 270 here. Milk KGs here is +163kgs for the herd, but over 20% of the herd are above +300, highest is 450, I have ordered 20 straws of PHC for these ladies (details here), he was the best bull I could find to reduce milk but hold solids. I really really should consider JE on those ladies however!

Just looking at the EBI table for my herd, best cow on solids is a JEx with +43kgs of F+P! I'll do well to find a bull to maintain her level of solids. Gave her a sexed KSK last yr, she calved yesterday, the daughters solids are estimated to be +38kgs so not doing too bad at least!

Great strides being made there Tim. (no pun intended, but it does fit well with ur running etc!)

frazzledhome

Timmaay wrote: »

Lowest EBI 170 highest 270 here. Milk KGs here is +163kgs for the herd, but over 20% of the herd are above +300, highest is 450, I have ordered 20 straws of PHC for these ladies (details here), he was the best bull I could find to reduce milk but hold solids. I really really should consider JE on those ladies however!

Just looking at the EBI table for my herd, best cow on solids is a JEx with +43kgs of F+P! I'll do well to find a bull to maintain her level of solids. Gave her a sexed KSK last yr, she calved yesterday, the daughters solids are estimated to be +38kgs so not doing too bad at least!

Tim, you make a great argument for crossing your whole herd:)
Kiwi cross f12 j4 on those xbreds. I think I know where they're from by those figures:)

mahoney_j

Kicked off today 2 cows and one heifer,2 jkf and one abo heifer calves .all calved unassisted,calves up and fed themselves and all 3 have cleaned.great start and hope it continues.heifer calved 9 days before due date

visatorro

mahoney_j wrote: »

Kicked off today 2 cows and one heifer,2 jkf and one abo heifer calves .all calved unassisted,calves up and fed themselves and all 3 have cleaned.great start and hope it continues.heifer calved 9 days before due date

do you remember how to turn on the milking machine!!!

mahoney_j

visatorro wrote: »

do you remember how to turn on the milking machine!!!

What's a milking machine ted???,first milking tomorrow ,hope I remember how all the gadgets work!!

Greengrass1

SSJ heifer from a STX cow
305 day yeild 5634l
468kgs ms

whelan2

hurt my back calving a cow last night, she never opened up and was very tight, used jack, got calf out alive-fr bull. I am like a 90 year old today, hope I dont have to do too much today:(

mahoney_j

9 calved,9 heifer calves,calving ropes and jack untouched all cleaned perfect and in milk.heifers by ksk ,abo and jkf I'm saying no more and long may this run continue!!

Reggie.

mahoney_j wrote: »

9 calved,9 heifer calves,calving ropes and jack untouched all cleaned perfect and in milk.heifers by ksk ,abo and jkf I'm saying no more and long may this run continue!!

Don't jinx it lad

Deepsouthwest

mahoney_j wrote: »

9 calved,9 heifer calves,calving ropes and jack untouched all cleaned perfect and in milk.heifers by ksk ,abo and jkf I'm saying no more and long may this run continue!!

Wow, what a start. I think they generally even out over a few yrs, but it's always great to get the burst of heifers early in the yr. Nothing here yet, another few days and the dam will burst I'd say!

Coonagh

mahoney_j wrote: »

9 calved,9 heifer calves,calving ropes and jack untouched all cleaned perfect and in milk.heifers by ksk ,abo and jkf I'm saying no more and long may this run continue!!

Had three calvings by jkf, they are big calves!!! What sort were yours Mahoney?

Timmaay

Coonagh wrote: »

Had three calvings by jkf, they are big calves!!! What sort were yours Mahoney?

His calving score rocketed last yr which is the downside of unproven bulls, however I've had 3 sexed heifers by him here and no problems with calving at all.

Greengrass1

I had an OCP heifer this morning from a LHZ first calvers. Heifer looks to have lots of milk

mahoney_j

Coonagh wrote: »

Had three calvings by jkf, they are big calves!!! What sort were yours Mahoney?

Decent sized calves,all calved unaided and 3 from heifers.only bull ive had a bit of trouble with over last few years was lhz.

A cow called Daisy

Started about an hour ago. An AA out of M.O.B (My Own Bull)
No hassle and calf up and sucking. Just hope rest don't decide to calve at 4 in morning. Now do I stay up or back to bed.
Grand morning but cold.

frazzledhome

Well and truly kicking off here. 9 heifers calved since midnight, 1 assist leg back.

3 in pens with water bags out, lovinit

Reggie.

frazzledhome wrote: »

Well and truly kicking off here. 9 heifers calved since midnight, 1 assist leg back.

3 in pens with water bags out, lovinit

Jaysus that's some going

Dawggone

frazzledhome wrote: »

Well and truly kicking off here. 9 heifers calved since midnight, 1 assist leg back.

3 in pens with water bags out, lovinit

Do you have someone looking after them by night?

Greengrass1

Came out this morning this lady had calved. A bull would love a heifer out of her. 6k litre last yr off 500kg meal.
And she just spat out the second calf as I was looking.
3rd yr in a row having twins and always bulls to heifers

whelan2

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Came out this morning this lady had calved. A bull would love a heifer out of her. 6k litre last yr off 500kg meal.
And she just spat out the second calf as I was looking.
3rd yr in a row having twins and always bulls to heifers

would you chance sexed semen on her?

Greengrass1

whelan2 wrote: »

would you chance sexed semen on her?

Not sure I had thought about it but I'm trying to tighten up calving pattern a lot more and don't want to mess up all the progress we've made inn last 3 yrs

frazzledhome

Reggie. wrote: »

Jaysus that's some going

That's only a warm up, 50% of herd due to calve in the next 2 wks

Most important man here is lad snatching calves to cal pens as they calve. Tag, snatch and tube then repeat:):)

Timmaay

8 heifers calves from the 10 cows calved so far, sexed working nicely so far.

Timmaay

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Not sure I had thought about it but I'm trying to tighten up calving pattern a lot more and don't want to mess up all the progress we've made inn last 3 yrs

The odd few sexed straws on your most fertile cows won't mess up your calving pattern, if it's a good cow who almost always holds to the 1st serve well worth the risk.

mahoney_j

Timmaay wrote: »

The odd few sexed straws on your most fertile cows won't mess up your calving pattern, if it's a good cow who almost always holds to the 1st serve well worth the risk.

17 fr heifers and 1 bb bull from 18 calvings so far.5 days in and I already have more heifer calves than whole of last year already.lovely red ksk calf there now.no sexed semen and heifers cAlving a 5 to 10 days before due date

frazzledhome

Dawggone wrote: »

Do you have someone looking after them by night?

There are 2 full time here. We have a contract milker who had surgery last Oct and is back to work Tomorrow.

We have a yard man (his words) taken on for calving. He works 8 to 6 5 days a week. We also have a young lad we can call on

For calving we do nights ourselves with yard man doing 1 per week. Feed near calvers at midnight and head to bed if nothing is calving. Back in yard a 5.30, very few night calvings.

Well set up with a large straw bedded shed that holds 60 cows near calving. A few headlock gates with all kit to hand.

Last year we were nearly dead moving cows, spent money on 10 well positioned and HUNG gates so now moving or drafting a cow is a one man job day or night.

Timmaay

mahoney_j wrote: »

17 fr heifers and 1 bb bull from 18 calvings so far.5 days in and I already have more heifer calves than whole of last year already.lovely red ksk calf there now.no sexed semen and heifers cAlving a 5 to 10 days before due date

It's balancing out over 2yrs basically so?

Reggie.

frazzledhome wrote: »

There are 2 full time here. We have a contract milker who had surgery last Oct and is back to work Tomorrow.

We have a yard man (his words) taken on for calving. He works 8 to 6 5 days a week. We also have a young lad we can call on

For calving we do nights ourselves with yard man doing 1 per week. Feed near calvers at midnight and head to bed if nothing is calving. Back in yard a 5.30, very few night calvings.

Well set up with a large straw bedded shed that holds 60 cows near calving. A few headlock gates with all kit to hand.

Last year we were nearly dead moving cows, spent money on 10 well positioned and HUNG so now moving or drafting a cow is a one man job day or night.

A proper setup is a life saver

frazzledhome

Reggie. wrote: »

A proper setup is a life saver

I know that now, Ffs we were killing ourselves and each other up to this. Myself and my 9yo can actually put all stock through the footbath on our own between him finishing school and milking each Friday

Reggie.

frazzledhome wrote: »

I know that now, Ffs we were killing ourselves and each other up to this. Myself and my 9yo can actually put all stock through the footbath on our own between him finishing school and milking each Friday

Yeah if I could only get that across here

mahoney_j

Timmaay wrote: »

It's balancing out over 2yrs basically so?

13 from 56 fr calves last year.usually anywhere from 30 to 50 % heifers never had a run like this though

keep going

frazzledhome wrote: »

There are 2 full time here. We have a contract milker who had surgery last Oct and is back to work Tomorrow.

We have a yard man (his words) taken on for calving. He works 8 to 6 5 days a week. We also have a young lad we can call on

For calving we do nights ourselves with yard man doing 1 per week. Feed near calvers at midnight and head to bed if nothing is calving. Back in yard a 5.30, very few night calvings.

Well set up with a large straw bedded shed that holds 60 cows near calving. A few headlock gates with all kit to hand.

Last year we were nearly dead moving cows, spent money on 10 well positioned and HUNG gates so now moving or drafting a cow is a one man job day or night.

started this morning,came backwards and she was over fat so I jacked as she wouldn't settle for me and got a chance to test my little setup and it worked at treat,milked her with my bucket and stomach tubed him in no time,pity the shuff bottles don't hold another 1/2 litre.only problem parlour not finished but a couple of days will have us there............hopefully.got to go another just landed

Brown Podzol

Put this calf transporter together over the holidays, while Mahony was scratching his hole. Channel iron is from 10 year old decommissioned scraper rail and the quick attach bracket is off an old shear grab. Floor is an old slat mat. Only purchase is two sheets of Stokbord, €100.



http://imgur.com/b428OPk
http://imgur.com/vjM51UZ

Dawggone

frazzledhome wrote: »

There are 2 full time here. We have a contract milker who had surgery last Oct and is back to work Tomorrow.

We have a yard man (his words) taken on for calving. He works 8 to 6 5 days a week. We also have a young lad we can call on

For calving we do nights ourselves with yard man doing 1 per week. Feed near calvers at midnight and head to bed if nothing is calving. Back in yard a 5.30, very few night calvings.

Well set up with a large straw bedded shed that holds 60 cows near calving. A few headlock gates with all kit to hand.

Last year we were nearly dead moving cows, spent money on 10 well positioned and HUNG gates so now moving or drafting a cow is a one man job day or night.

Much the same system here but we didn't have to do any conversions as we stopped doing bull beef and now have 33 (I think!) individual calving pens. Very handy..
Same as you we feed at 10 or 11 o clock at night and back in yard at 5:30.
In fairness the majority calve during daytime.

mahoney_j

Brown Podzol wrote: »

Put this calf transporter together over the holidays, while Mahony was scratching his hole. Channel iron is from 10 year old decommissioned scraper rail and the quick attach bracket is off an old shear grab. Floor is an old slat mat. Only purchase is two sheets of Stokbord, €100.



http://imgur.com/b428OPk
http://imgur.com/vjM51UZ

Fine job won't have to scratch my hole for rest of year ,last week has been some shock to system .up at 6.30,barely out of yard at 6 and up a couple of nights .have to say love been busy again

Reggie.

Brown Podzol wrote: »

Put this calf transporter together over the holidays, while Mahony was scratching his hole. Channel iron is from 10 year old decommissioned scraper rail and the quick attach bracket is off an old shear grab. Floor is an old slat mat. Only purchase is two sheets of Stokbord, €100.



http://imgur.com/b428OPk
http://imgur.com/vjM51UZ

Great job

whelan2

had 3 heifers calved during the night 2 calved grand by themselves the last one is very nervous, put her down crush, when i got the calf out she kicked back with her 2 legs and sent the jack flying, not looking forward to milking her

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

So exciting reading all about the new babies! Hope they all arrive safe and sound

whelan2

learnt a lesson last night, always store calving jack inside, it was frozen over when i went to get it , also to leave it ready for action, took a while to get it working

Greengrass1

whelan2 wrote: »

learnt a lesson last night, always store calving jack inside, it was frozen over when i went to get it , also to leave it ready for action, took a while to get it working

How's the back?

whelan2

Greengrass1 wrote: »

How's the back?

grand now thanks, must be all the rest i got:)

Timmaay

Pulled out the Jack this morning for the 1st time this year this morning, gentle pull on a reasonably big heifer calf, then 20mins later had to jack out a monster of a AA bull calf from a heifer, who was dead. Annoying but the heifer is ok, I'll have to keep an eye on the rest of the incalfs, the 2nd cut silage they are on is obviously better stuff than I thought.