When's calving starting 2020

Reggie.

bogman_bass wrote: »

There can be hight restrictions at the drive through so the cattle box might not fit

Or if in the tractor you might have to reverse

whelan2

Could just imagine the cow in Burger King :eek: army would have to be called

squinn2912

emaherx wrote: »

Wouldn't be able to manage here at all now without cameras

I have no idea how we did! Just noticed my wee girl got 5 likes I know it sounds cringy but it def gives me a wee lift to get encouragement on here. This is the worst run of calving I remember since 2004 and the cattle are all healthy. We’re only halfway through. Not enough space and more could calve at any time. I’m crucified at school at the moment with a new role and am currently doing 4 late days a week to get all done. Keep the likes up lads and lassies

patsy_mccabe

squinn2912 wrote: »

4th c section this evening. Camera paid for itself. I saw the heifer trying to calve from school. Rang da, hauled ass and rang vet. Live heifer calf. Need to check the records could be lim or sh calf. Very lively. Heifer on camera kinda starting to take to the calf. I’m bucked.

Any idea what's causing the sections? Are these all heifer cows? Was it a change of bull or overfeeding?

Reggie.

whelan2 wrote: »

Could just imagine the cow in Burger King :eek: army would have to be called

Has happened

Biscuitus

emaherx wrote: »

Wouldn't be able to manage here at all now without cameras

They are great, so many benefits. Just yesterday evening I checked the animals and nobody at anything, made dinner and watched a bit of TV, turned on my phone and saw a cow had just started so was able to run her out and into her own pen. I was busy with some paperwork and checked again to see she had just calved.

I can switch off and get a good nights sleep(until the 4am alarm to re-check them). I can see a calf has sucked or if a calf is having trouble or even hasn't been able to stand. The worst one is being the calf pushed into the next pen

emaherx

Biscuitus wrote: »

They are great, so many benefits. Just yesterday evening I checked the animals and nobody at anything, made dinner and watched a bit of TV, turned on my phone and saw a cow had just started so was able to run her out and into her own pen. I was busy with some paperwork and checked again to see she had just calved.

I can switch off and get a good nights sleep(until the 4am alarm to re-check them). I can see a calf has sucked or if a calf is having trouble or even hasn't been able to stand. The worst one is being the calf pushed into the next pen

Can't get everything.
Just found a dead calf, suffocated itself by burrying its head in the silage. Was still warm, feckin happened while I was actually in the yard. Was a great big heifer from a good cow actually thought she'd be a keeper.

And I've been nursing a weak calf since Friday expecting it to be gone every time I come out, he actually looks brighter this evening.

squinn2912

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Any idea what's causing the sections? Are these all heifer cows? Was it a change of bull or overfeeding?

One cow that calf came backwards. Three heifers weren’t big enough and didn’t open enough. Last time I aim for 24 months. Though all ai easy calving bulls allegedly

tanko

squinn2912 wrote: »

One cow that calf came backwards. Three heifers weren’t big enough and didn’t open enough. Last time I aim for 24 months. Though all ai easy calving bulls allegedly

Which bulls were they?

High bike

squinn2912 wrote: »

One cow that calf came backwards. Three heifers weren’t big enough and didn’t open enough. Last time I aim for 24 months. Though all ai easy calving bulls allegedly

what was the cd and reliability figures?

Limestone Cowboy

squinn2912 wrote: »

One cow that calf came backwards. Three heifers weren’t big enough and didn’t open enough. Last time I aim for 24 months. Though all ai easy calving bulls allegedly

My heifers were too big and too fat... You can't win.

squinn2912

If it’s a shorthorn calf it was matrix, can’t remember the aa bull but one for heifers and the lim was ivor. More went with the ai man’s advice after a bit of a discussion. I’m not sure I’ll have him again. These heifers aren’t tiny but smaller and not as ready as I’d like. Two others with an extra 3 months in them calved down no bother to our own lim bull.
One more very small heifer coming in the next fortnight I’m worried about her so likely ring the vet. Other new heifers should be growy enough

tellmeabit

Bb Rws bull calf.
287 days
Cow calved away herself

High bike

squinn2912 wrote: »

If it’s a shorthorn calf it was matrix, can’t remember the aa bull but one for heifers and the lim was ivor. More went with the ai man’s advice after a bit of a discussion. I’m not sure I’ll have him again. These heifers aren’t tiny but smaller and not as ready as I’d like. Two others with an extra 3 months in them calved down no bother to our own lim bull.
One more very small heifer coming in the next fortnight I’m worried about her so likely ring the vet. Other new heifers should be growy enough

Ivor 5.7 cd for heifers,a bit strong in my book especially calving at 24 mts

squinn2912

High bike wrote: »

Ivor 5.7 cd for heifers,a bit strong in my book especially calving at 24 mts

At 24 months I’m not sure they’re fit for much unless a very handy aa. I don’t see the point in that. Ivor was ok on ones a few months older and nice calves. Lovely calves. I’ll not let anything that isn’t over 400kgs near a bull or ai again.

Another one for yiz this heifer comes from a very milky background and she’s from sollpoll Kentucky but she’s not got much milk at all. Will she come? Does the c section make a difference to milk?

tanko

squinn2912 wrote: »

At 24 months I’m not sure they’re fit for much unless a very handy aa. I don’t see the point in that. Ivor was ok on ones a few months older and nice calves. Lovely calves. I’ll not let anything that isn’t over 400kgs near a bull or ai again.

Another one for yiz this heifer comes from a very milky background and she’s from sollpoll Kentucky but she’s not got much milk at all. Will she come? Does the c section make a difference to milk?

I don't know if a section effects how much milk she'll have but that bull hasn't a good figure for daughters milk at all.

I started putting easy calving Salers on all the heifers here a few years ago and i wouldn't put anything else on them now. They're easier calved than lims,great calves to get up quick and suck, the bullocks off them sell well enough and nice heifers off them.
Plenty of time for Lims and CH's after especially when you're working off farm.

Limestone Cowboy

squinn2912 wrote: »

At 24 months I’m not sure they’re fit for much unless a very handy aa. I don’t see the point in that. Ivor was ok on ones a few months older and nice calves. Lovely calves. I’ll not let anything that isn’t over 400kgs near a bull or ai again.

Another one for yiz this heifer comes from a very milky background and she’s from sollpoll Kentucky but she’s not got much milk at all. Will she come? Does the c section make a difference to milk?

We nearly always calved at 2yo here to the lim back the years and never had a section on one, a fine nice pulls but they always came. Listened to lads that know feck all about it laughing at fellas calving at 2yo and I have big tanks of 3yo springers this year and I can't get the calves out of them with the same bull. The only conclusion I can come to is they have their growing done and they are putting way more into the calf when they don't have to mind themselves as much. I have 15 2yo heifers for the bull this year and they will be the last 3yo springers to calve down here. Definitely not a case of bigger is better. Have 3 springers left all ready to pop now and I'm dreading them.

ABitofsense

1st 2 calved yesterday here to finally start. One needed a little help as calf coming wrong. We got him fixed & nice Lodge Hamlet bull from HEx 2nd calver. Then suprise calf from a aax heifer (24month) that was just due but showing no signs. Lovely LM knell bull just walking around on the slats!! No bother to her at all. His calving difficulty was 7.5% on heifers but thank God no issue.

squinn2912

tanko wrote: »

I don't know if a section effects how much milk she'll have but that bull hasn't a good figure for daughters milk at all.

I started putting easy calving Salers on all the heifers here a few years ago and i wouldn't put anything else on them now. They're easier calved than lims,great calves to get up quick and suck, the bullocks off them sell well enough and nice heifers off them.
Plenty of time for Lims and CH's after especially when you're working off farm.

Maybe not but I’d have expected the he bull to at least maintain milk. Her mother has bags of it and the back breeding goes back to monty dairy cow

RD10

Someone posted here few weeks ago about a calf's eyes/eyelids being swollen.
Anyone remember who that was? Or how it turned out? Had calf developed same last night and am curious now.

squinn2912

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

We nearly always calved at 2yo here to the lim back the years and never had a section on one, a fine nice pulls but they always came. Listened to lads that know feck all about it laughing at fellas calving at 2yo and I have big tanks of 3yo springers this year and I can't get the calves out of them with the same bull. The only conclusion I can come to is they have their growing done and they are putting way more into the calf when they don't have to mind themselves as much. I have 15 2yo heifers for the bull this year and they will be the last 3yo springers to calve down here. Definitely not a case of bigger is better. Have 3 springers left all ready to pop now and I'm dreading them.

Hmm I get what you mean. I’d always be wary of a heifer regardless of age. It’s still a small opening until a calf gets through it. My da would be saying that big heifer will have no problem but you still gotta manage them carefully first time. I think 27 months is the sweet spot. I know that kicks out calving index a bit but with a group of heifers you’ll still have most of the benefits of a tight calving spread.

Dozer1

Would never let a heifer calve at 3 here they just become tanks of cows. Only keep 3 to 5 heifers every year with lm or ch bull and always calve at 2. If your putting AA on an animal then in my book she's not worth bulling at all. If dairy it's a different story.

patsy_mccabe

I always look at the percentile value for calving rather than the absolute value. Easier make sense of it then. If you have, say a lim bull and he is in the bottom 10% for calving then that tells me more than saying he is 3.7% (old calving figures that is now).
My theory is a lot of people don't report hard calvings, so the absolute figure can be misleading.

endainoz

Damien Dempsey doing a live stream on Facebook shortly, starting at 3pm

dh1985

endainoz wrote: »

Damien Dempsey doing a live stream on Facebook shortly, starting at 3pm

A live stream on calving is it. Didn't think damien had sucklers.

High bike

tanko wrote: »

I don't know if a section effects how much milk she'll have but that bull hasn't a good figure for daughters milk at all.

I started putting easy calving Salers on all the heifers here a few years ago and i wouldn't put anything else on them now. They're easier calved than lims,great calves to get up quick and suck, the bullocks off them sell well enough and nice heifers off them.
Plenty of time for Lims and CH's after especially when you're working off farm.

same here Salers on all 2 yo calvers only issue I ever had was last year one came tail first.And as you say you get lovely heifer calves,the bulls wouldn’t be a great seller as weanlings bou if you keep them to 2 yo the grow into lovely bullocks and sell away as good as anything

Base price

RD10 wrote: »

Someone posted here few weeks ago about a calf's eyes/eyelids being swollen.
Anyone remember who that was? Or how it turned out? Had calf developed same last night and am curious now.

I cannot remember who it was but they said that they had used lube and it must have got into the calves eyes causing irritation.

Lime Tree Farm

greysides wrote: »

A shot of anti-inflammatory from your vet should help. Looks like an allergic reaction to me but I can't imagine how it would have happened. Perhaps an irritant as LTF says.

(Dry cow tubes are less irritant when used in the eye than milking cow tubes. They're intended to hang around whereas the others are intended to hit and run so irritancy isn't as big an issue)

I think this is the post you are looking for, in response to a query on 16/2/2020

squinn2912

High bike wrote: »

same here Salers on all 2 yo calvers only issue I ever had was last year one came tail first.And as you say you get lovely heifer calves,the bulls wouldn’t be a great seller as weanlings bou if you keep them to 2 yo the grow into lovely bullocks and sell away as good as anything

Which Saler bulls?

High bike

squinn2912 wrote: »

Which Saler bulls?

ive used Rio and LZR with good results but don’t think Rio is available any more.Theres plenty other Saler bulls available with cd of 2/3% which heifers should have no bother with .What AI company do u use?

tanko

squinn2912 wrote: »

Which Saler bulls?

I used Rio too when he was available. Have been using Highfield Odran SA2153 for a few years now, find him very easy calved and good quality calves. Have used his sire Valliant VTA from Bova also, another good bull.

High bike

tanko wrote: »

I used Rio too when he was available. Have been using Highfield Odran SA2153 for a few years now, find him very easy calved and good quality calves. Have used his sire Valliant VTA from Bova also, another good bull.

forgot sa 2153 have a lovely heifer off him to calve this year and inspite of what people say I find the salers no bother to handle much easier than the limos

squinn2912

The ai man uses mainly PG from what I know. Dunno if he has many saler straws. A neighbour has started using speckled park on heifers and he’s very pleased with them

Seanhorse91

RD10 wrote: »

Someone posted here few weeks ago about a calf's eyes/eyelids being swollen.
Anyone remember who that was? Or how it turned out? Had calf developed same last night and am curious now.

That was me. Ya reckon the lube I used went onto his eye. Calf was perfect 24hrs later and 100% since.

High bike

squinn2912 wrote: »

The ai man uses mainly PG from what I know. Dunno if he has many saler straws. A neighbour has started using speckled park on heifers and he’s very pleased with them

Pg have sa 4059 and sa 4060 both easy calving for heifers and as far as I know they can get you any of the bulls from Munster ai and they have all the other salers bulls mentioned

squinn2912

High bike wrote: »

Pg have sa 4059 and sa 4060 both easy calving for heifers and as far as I know they can get you any of the bulls from Munster ai and they have all the other salers bulls mentioned

Might try a few in June or July. But I’m making sure the heifers are 420kgs before anything goes into them. I bought 3 that are ready any time so at least I have them

Lady Haywire

Would never go back to 3yr old calving here- max would be 30 months & only then if she repeated a couple times or was late showing heat as I'd not aim for it.As long as the heifer is from a line with no calving issues (we rarely, rarely buy in anything) I'd fire away with whatever I'm comfortable with, judging on the heifers size & hip bone width & dam history. No issues with two CH calves off 22 & 23 month old heifers but I'd not chance that on the PB limos, they get a bull under 5%.

But what works here probably wouldn't suit everyone, we still like to be here for calving (or at least one of us!) so taking chances with CD is more to do with how we're set up.

Only one overdue to Cloughbrack Navarone for now, she was too far on incalf to scan but it's likely to be a bull knowing the cow. Next due in a fortnight.

squinn2912

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Would never go back to 3yr old calving here- max would be 30 months & only then if she repeated a couple times or was late showing heat as I'd not aim for it.As long as the heifer is from a line with no calving issues (we rarely, rarely buy in anything) I'd fire away with whatever I'm comfortable with, judging on the heifers size & hip bone width & dam history. No issues with two CH calves off 22 & 23 month old heifers but I'd not chance that on the PB limos, they get a bull under 5%.

But what works here probably wouldn't suit everyone, we still like to be here for calving (or at least one of us!) so taking chances with CD is more to do with how we're set up.

Only one overdue to Cloughbrack Navarone for now, she was too far on incalf to scan but it's likely to be a bull knowing the cow. Next due in a fortnight.

What do the PB limos get usually?

Lady Haywire

squinn2912 wrote: »

What do the PB limos get usually?

Off the top of my head we've used RHF, EBY, THZ, KZH for the last 5/6 years & for the first time this year we've gone for Loyal. Had a run of bulls & got rid of a few older pedigrees so numbers are down a bit.
Didn't like EBY, won't use him again. Best breeder of all has turned out to be a little unregistered RHF one, spat out a THZ lass back in 2016 whose first calf was the Salers (in 2018) which had the CH a page or two ago. I only remember the dates as they all seem to calve before 2 years of age.

Hard Knocks

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Only one overdue to Cloughbrack Navarone for now, she was too far on incalf to scan but it's likely to be a bull knowing the cow. Next due in a fortnight.

Looks a good bull

Lady Haywire

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Looks a good bull

Ah the cow is 14 so trying to balance style with easy calving. She's the lady who had the blue prizewinner last year. Can't remember her ever having a CH bull calf before though, mostly blues used on her.

tellmeabit

tellmeabit wrote: »

Bb Rws bull calf.
287 days
Cow calved away herself

weighed him this evening 56kg @ 3 days old.. never weight accurately before.. what is that like?

whelan2

Eldest lads heifer calved. She's a red white head had a curaheen earp bull calf . Navel didnt cut itself when he came out , what do ye do in that situation?

Lady Haywire

whelan2 wrote: »

Eldest lads heifer calved. She's a red white head had a curaheen earp bull calf . Navel didnt cut itself when he came out , what do ye do in that situation?

Use my thumbnail to break it usually, or urge the heifer/cow up & it'll snap then.
Bet he's chuffed, is he

patsy_mccabe

Had a cow calf today. Calf didn't drink within the hour, so I went in and latched him on. He'd loose the teat and turn the head around and just look at me, as if to say "Come on, help me here". He kept doing it too.

High bike

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Had a cow calf today. Calf didn't drink within the hour, so I went in and latched him on. He'd loose the teat and turn the head around and just look at me, as if to say "Come on, help me here". He kept doing it too.

be careful he doesn’t adopt u patsy:D

whelan2

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Use my thumbnail to break it usually, or urge the heifer/cow up & it'll snap then.
Bet he's chuffed, is he

Ye she was sort of stuck and had to use tongs to get her up. It broke then. Ye very happy. Christmas has come again

squinn2912

I have a heifer here springing up she’s an any day now girl. Bones are up still but I just noticed blood on the slats and a bit of slime. Should I be concerned?

Lime Tree Farm

The pins don't always drop completely, the teats smooth and filled up is another indicator, plus an enlarged and loose vulva. Stained mucous is normal, with a show of some blood, as long as its not extensive

amens

Had splatter of blood in one pen on the slats this year. Saw it twice and couldnt identify the cow responsible. Some of the cows were a week before calving, others two. All calved normally later.