When's calving starting 2020

50HX

Lm bull last night and heifer this a.m

Both Calved fine and up drinking within half hour

Down to the last 3

Left out the oldest Calvedo cows this morning. ....one if the best days farming when you see them kicking their heels

tellmeabit

50HX wrote: »

+1 on the multivit

Didn't need it this year yet but did use it twice last year now foundoing it good

Hunger is a great help too, by 2mor the dopeyness of calving should be gone off her

Gave her kick start and pain relief last night.mom too.

Tried her this am, she would suck for seconds and move away. I Was gettin ratty (lack of sleep getting me) because could see her trying over night on camera. They tried her on the other side. Sucked and moved. Then bang. She was all over it. Had the mother tied. Just left them out to see how they'll get on.

Checked the animals that have been out. 2 in calf. One 26 month heifer due to zag next week . Found her down will calf head out. Was ment to move them into shed yesterday. Calf dead one leg not coming. Heifer in trouble. Calving paralysis and just wrecked. Big **** up by me. I'm gutted. Never saw them after the afternoon yestersay. Has me really thinking about giving up with them. This and the last calver feel like I've let them down. 6 more in the next 3 weeks. 1 later in the year.

Lime Tree Farm

telmeabit. Calf born a week early by ZAG was probably a still born anyway. ZAG on 2 heifers here, went 292 bull calf and 297 days heifer calf. How is the heifer?

tanko

tellmeabit wrote: »

Gave her kick start and pain relief last night.mom too.

Tried her this am, she would suck for seconds and move away. I Was gettin ratty (lack of sleep getting me) because could see her trying over night on camera. They tried her on the other side. Sucked and moved. Then bang. She was all over it. Had the mother tied. Just left them out to see how they'll get on.

Checked the animals that have been out. 2 in calf. One 26 month heifer due to zag next week . Found her down will calf head out. Was ment to move them into shed yesterday. Calf dead one leg not coming. Heifer in trouble. Calving paralysis and just wrecked. Big **** up by me. I'm gutted. Never saw them after the afternoon yestersay. Has me really thinking about giving up with them. This and the last calver feel like I've let them down. 6 more in the next 3 weeks. 1 later in the year.

That's good news about the calf sucking, that job takes plenty of paitence. Best to keep an eye on them to make sure she lets her suck.

When was the heifer Ai'ed to ZAG? That's tough luck, you can never look at them often enough at this time of year. I've used ZAG a bit on cows and i don't think he's suitable for heifers especially calving at 24-26 months old. They can come big and shapey enough.
Put easy calving Saler bulls on your heifers, great comfort at calving time with them.
Things look bad when something like this happens but when you get the rest of them calved and out they'll look a lot better.

Ladeeen

Have a 3 year old heifer due to ZAG next week, noticed leaking a bit of milk yesterday, bit of slime there as well. Should I be anyway worried? She is indoors on hay, oats and minerals the last 6 weeks.

tellmeabit

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

telmeabit. Calf born a week early by ZAG was probably a still born anyway. ZAG on 2 heifers here, went 292 bull calf and 297 days heifer calf. How is the heifer?

Under pressure but improving. Trying to stand. Eating away now.

The bull wasn't say after. It was lm4217. And it is 281 says since Ai. For the last 2 calves i going by the calving date that AI gave. Hadn't checked myself the 283 days. Ah sh#t.

tellmeabit

tanko wrote: »

That's good news about the calf sucking, that job takes plenty of paitence. Best to keep an eye on them to make sure she lets her suck.

When was the heifer Ai'ed to ZAG? That's tough luck, you can never look at them often enough at this time of year. I've used ZAG a bit on cows and i don't think he's suitable for heifers especially calving at 24-26 months old. They can come big and shapey enough.
Put easy calving Saler bulls on your heifers, great comfort at calving time with them.
Things look bad when something like this happens but when you get the rest of them calved and out they'll look a lot better.

Bull was lm4217 when i check today. I used zag and saler and Blonde last year on maidens. Found zag easiest calved to be fair. Maybe the younger calving or else my management of them hasn't helped. Choice of replacement maybe

Ya. I've them out the back of house watching her. She sucked once for sure. But will bring them in shortly for another kick start and make sure she drinking.

charolais0153

Ladeeen wrote: »

Have a 3 year old heifer due to ZAG next week, noticed leaking a bit of milk yesterday, bit of slime there as well. Should I be anyway worried? She is indoors on hay, oats and minerals the last 6 weeks.

Nope, youll know next week,
A heifer on this farm will always be put to calf at 2 year old anymore, more trouble with the e stronger heifers imo

Buford T. Justice XIX

One of the busiest days calving this spring here today. 6 calves since 12, 4 fr heifers and 2 bulls. Jacked one heifer during milking and milked her to feed the calf.

The machine was barely off before starting again.

Who2

tellmeabit wrote: »

Gave her kick start and pain relief last night.mom too.

Tried her this am, she would suck for seconds and move away. I Was gettin ratty (lack of sleep getting me) because could see her trying over night on camera. They tried her on the other side. Sucked and moved. Then bang. She was all over it. Had the mother tied. Just left them out to see how they'll get on.

Checked the animals that have been out. 2 in calf. One 26 month heifer due to zag next week . Found her down will calf head out. Was ment to move them into shed yesterday. Calf dead one leg not coming. Heifer in trouble. Calving paralysis and just wrecked. Big **** up by me. I'm gutted. Never saw them after the afternoon yestersay. Has me really thinking about giving up with them. This and the last calver feel like I've let them down. 6 more in the next 3 weeks. 1 later in the year.

ive been thinking of getting out this year as well. pure hardship and nearly scared to check them. im up to seven calves lost and a cow. Yesterdays was one of the most annoying, a nice two week old limx blue heifer decided to drown herself.

tanko

Ladeeen wrote: »

Have a 3 year old heifer due to ZAG next week, noticed leaking a bit of milk yesterday, bit of slime there as well. Should I be anyway worried? She is indoors on hay, oats and minerals the last 6 weeks.

When was she Ai'ed?
She might be going to calve a lot sooner than you think. If she's going to have twins she'll calve a week earlier than normal also.

bogman_bass

tellmeabit wrote: »

Ch heifer.maybe 27 months. Asked for ZAG or easy calving lm. What's what he gave. Not my normal Ai guy.

The want to suck is gone on the calf. Maybe because it's full now, but if not any trick to encourage suck

Forget honey and all that other messing. Google “Madigan Squeeze Technique” when I think of all the hours of my life I wasted messing with calves that wouldn’t suck when this works so well

Who2

bogman_bass wrote: »

Forget honey and all that other messing. Google “Madigan Squeeze Technique” when I think of all the hours of my life I wasted messing with calves that wouldn’t suck when this works so well

Have you had much success? i presme you used ropes on the calf for 30 mins and how quick with success?

patsy_mccabe

bogman_bass wrote: »

Forget honey and all that other messing. Google “Madigan Squeeze Technique” when I think of all the hours of my life I wasted messing with calves that wouldn’t suck when this works so well

You'll have to throw up some pics.

bogman_bass

Who2 wrote: »

Have you had much success? i presme you used ropes on the calf for 30 mins and how quick with success?

I tried it for the first tin last week.
Calf was 36hours old and had been tubed twice at that stage
Wrapped him tight around the chest with a strap (no knots or tie around the neck like in the photos)
Milked the cow out a bit more for 10 minutes
Came back and instantly he was sucking
And when I say sucking he’d take the chrome off a ball hitch.

bogman_bass

And I’m done!
Grand lively VUL calf out of a APZ 3rd calver

Say my name

bogman_bass wrote: »

I tried it for the first tin last week.
Calf was 36hours old and had been tubed twice at that stage
Wrapped him tight around the chest with a strap (no knots or tie around the neck like in the photos)
Milked the cow out a bit more for 10 minutes
Came back and instantly he was sucking
And when I say sucking he’d take the chrome off a ball hitch.

I was nearly having to do that this year.

Did the calf go to sleep like they show the foals doing?

High bike

Pity I didn't know bout that 6 weeks ago, had a fecker of a bull calf that broke my heart for 3 days before I got him going

bogman_bass

Say my name wrote: »

I was nearly having to do that this year.

Did the calf go to sleep like they show the foals doing?

No but he was fairly relaxed

charolais0153

Who2 wrote: »

ive been thinking of getting out this year as well. pure hardship and nearly scared to check them. im up to seven calves lost and a cow. Yesterdays was one of the most annoying, a nice two week old limx blue heifer decided to drown herself.

Cows went ok this year thank god but ewes were hardship, what went wrong with them?

Base price

charolais0153 wrote: »

Cows went ok this year thank god but ewes were hardship, what went wrong with them?

A sheep farmer neighbour buys a few bales of straw every week during the lambing season from us and he was saying the same. He had pure hardship lambing with mostly ewes (and a few lambs) dying. He couldn't figure it out when I asked him what the problem was. He said that he is thinking of reducing the sheep numbers and increasing the cattle.

Who2

charolais0153 wrote: »

Cows went ok this year thank god but ewes were hardship, what went wrong with them?

Massive calves from some cows I’d 3 cows down at the one stage, I rarely have one. I’m actually around more with this corona thing so it’s not that. The last calf rolled in under a fence and drowned in the only place in a drain that had a bit of water. I only put the fence up a week ago .it was open for years.

Timmaay

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

One of the busiest days calving this spring here today. 6 calves since 12, 4 fr heifers and 2 bulls. Jacked one heifer during milking and milked her to feed the calf.

The machine was barely off before starting again.

You must of synchronized the late calvers? You got many left? Still 20 to calf here, hangover from the tb, I culled very little last year, just left the bull in.

Mooooo

20 left here as well. I've had more big calves this year as well than I've had in a long time. 2 heifers were fecked after it, down and one needed shackles for 3 weeks, they are dry and 3 more I'm considering drying off as it took so much out of them. Have a cow calved a HE bull to SPL that has paralysis on the right side and with the dry weather the parlour yard is too dangerous for her but 3 calves are keeping her ticking over. Had hoped to be at 130 to 135 this year but id say 126 will be as far as I go as a few high scc ones to go as well. She you have the numbers you want you seem to have loads coming in but trying to get back up to numbers seems to take forever, esp when tb took sonmany of the solid cows

RD10

bogman_bass wrote: »

And I’m done!
Grand lively VUL calf out of a APZ 3rd calver

How do you find the APZ cow for milk?
Ai'd a cow to APZ few years back, calf came a lovely colour, bull of course. See P.G have him back again this year. Am thinking of using him on her again and try get a heifer this time.

Timmaay

Yeh I'm unlikely to get the peak yield I'd hoped this year, 25l will be the height of it if I'm lucky, I've hung onto too many very average cows. A cow doing 15/18l is still better off milked on the summer rather than culled I find. I'll still end up with over 130 which is the best part of 20 over my peak numbers last year so I can't complain too much, bar we get a serious drought, then them passengers will have to go.

bogman_bass

RD10 wrote: »

How do you find the APZ cow for milk?
Ai'd a cow to APZ few years back, calf came a lovely colour, bull of course. See P.G have him back again this year. Am thinking of using him on her again and try get a heifer this time.

Oh no shortage of milk but she was out of an excellent BBxFR cow

He had a miraculous conception and calved at 19 months old but she calved herself to be fair.

She’s an ok cow but not a patch on her IS4 herdmates

Mooooo

Anyone use SPL? Having baters of calves off him the fcukers. Thought a polled HE would be easier calving

Buford T. Justice XIX

Timmaay wrote: »

You must of synchronized the late calvers? You got many left? Still 20 to calf here, hangover from the tb, I culled very little last year, just left the bull in.

No, didn't sync any late ones. The few that I have dates for are a week to 10 days ahead of time. I see it here fairly often with late ones, they get a fit of calving down together for some reason. You see animals that are ages away and next day you look and they have a big bag and on the point of calving after bagging up overnight.

Have about 20 left here as well, they'll be tipping away for the next few weeks. We'll get most of a lactation out of them and hopefully bring a good share of them back a month or 6 weeks once they have no calving difficulty.

Ours slipped due to getting a shot of IBR a few years ago and TB complicates things as well with more cattle we didn't want at all having to be kept. Due a TB test at the end of the month as well:(

tanko

RD10 wrote: »

How do you find the APZ cow for milk?
Ai'd a cow to APZ few years back, calf came a lovely colour, bull of course. See P.G have him back again this year. Am thinking of using him on her again and try get a heifer this time.

I wouldn't use APZ, kept two heifers off him a few years ago, they wouldn't calve a mouse by themselves.
If you're using PG I'd go for Curaheen Earp, i think he's a real good bull. Have two heifers off him calved this week, well able to calve, seem to have plenty of milk even tho they're not off milky cows, good beefy heifers.
Good bull calves off him too. Earp isn't hard calved either, is suitable for second calvers i think.

Ladeeen

tanko wrote: »

When was she Ai'ed?
She might be going to calve a lot sooner than you think. If she's going to have twins she'll calve a week earlier than normal also.

She was A.I’d the 3rd July, I’ve used ZAG before, always had him go a few days over. I had heard that before with twins, will keep an eye on her anyway.

essgee268

YOU WERE LUCKY

tellmeabit

Who2 wrote: »

ive been thinking of getting out this year as well. pure hardship and nearly scared to check them. im up to seven calves lost and a cow. Yesterdays was one of the most annoying, a nice two week old limx blue heifer decided to drown herself.

Supoose sometimes a few things come all together and gets you thinking.

Finished off the day with a nice dbz bull calf. Wondering am i rushing in. Bag was out since 8 and by 11 the toes only showing. Pull with jack. Didn't think he would come.rang vet. He said give it another hour. Cow started pushing good then but little progress. Jack on the. Got him out by 12.30. I always thought once the water bag burst 2 hours for a cow.

My heifer from yestersay has walked to the girls at the house from a spot I didn't think she'd ever get out of. Yesterday wasn't as bad as I was thinking after.

Ladeeen

tanko wrote: »

When was she Ai'ed?
She might be going to calve a lot sooner than you think. If she's going to have twins she'll calve a week earlier than normal also.

She did indeed calve a lot sooner! Calved around 2 today, bit of a pull with ropes, big bull up sucking in about 25 mins. One heifer left now, in-calf to a Curraheen Earp stock bull.

tanko

Good stuff, once you see milk coming they don't be long calving after.
Had a cow that was Ai'ed to XCD on July 1st calve this morning., thought she'd go a few more days, she caught me by surprise but a nice bull calf up sucking when i checked her. Eight left here now.

squinn2912

There’ll be nothing here today. That’s a week tomorrow off calving and that is bliss. Waiting on a sim/Fr heifer she should be next da reckons tomorrow but I think a bit longer. Bit of freedom allowed us to tag and horn the last few and squeeze the autumn bulls before weaning.

Got 6 cows and 3 heifers out with the bull gonna add 3 more tomorrow and then space it out a bit to calve in roughly tens then maybe get a week break. That big slap of calvings is tough on you.

Biscuitus

2 cows left to calve here. Told myself I was getting rid of May calving last year so pulled the bulls out for May 1st. I should be able to pull it back another week this year.

squinn2912

Wee surprise this morning one we weren’t watching too tight yet calved a nice lim heifer calf. Four to go thank God

squinn2912

Wee surprise this morning one we weren’t watching too tight yet calved a nice lim heifer calf. Four to go thank God

Biscuitus

Biscuitus wrote: »

2 cows left to calve here.

Let them out to the yard so I could give their pen a small mucking out and bedding to make it as comfortable as possible. Turned around to see they busted open a gate and were out in the nearest paddock. Well if they are that determined they can stay out on grass.

ABitofsense

Lovely shock the morning. A 2nd Calver went 10 days early ai'd to Zag so thought we would have abit of trouble. I moved her to the pin, she pops out a bull & then 5min later a suprise heifer!!, all herself. 2 smallish calves but lively, up & sucking in an hour. 14 down, 5 left now over the next 6 weeks. Going to be a drag the last few

john mayo 10

Had 2 calve last night. First was a Lm cow. Calf coming upside down. Got him turned but him head kept dropping down. She very roomy inside. Vet landed. Put on a head rope to hold his head up and jacked out a Ch bull by CH4159.
Then another one decided to join the party. A pure bred Sim cow No issues here. She very quiet. Jacked out a Ch bull by ch4160. She never lifted her head out of the bucket of nuts as she calfed. That's me done. All calfed.

john mayo 10

First picture is the CH4159 bull
Second picture is the ch4160 bull.

squinn2912

john mayo 10 wrote: »

First picture is the CH4159 bull
Second picture is the ch4160 bull.

Great looking cows and calves! You’re red up great and early

charolais0153

john mayo 10 wrote: »

First picture is the CH4159 bull
Second picture is the ch4160 bull.

4159 is a better bull, the 4160 are a bit low and a touch lighter imo

Gudstock

Have the last few in a bare haggard by the sheds getting hay.
No cameras now though, and of course they won't let me check the pins getting up during the night is getting old quickly.
Had one on Saturday that I thought was further away than she turned out, checked them at around 2pm, nothing close, doing jobs around the yard and checked again at 7, Ptx calved twin sim bulls, one alive and one dead. Very small light calves.

Parishlad

You may recall that I had a calf born back at the start of Feb who was completely knuckled in all four legs. He couldn’t stand for ages and I had to milk the cow and bottle feed him. When he eventually stood he was knuckling on all four legs. I spent loads of time with him every evening massaging and stretching out the tendons as best I could. He came good on the front legs after about three weeks. The back legs seemed like they would never straighten and I had almost given up hope. One evening I went to the shed and he was standing good on the back right leg. Three days later the left one came good. This was about seven weeks after he was born. I danced a jig when I saw how he had improved. Anyway, this is him today......:)


250BC0E7-546E-4145-8E3C-D570AE052523.jpeg

squinn2912

Parishlad wrote: »

You may recall that I had a calf born back at the start of Feb who was completely knuckled in all four legs. He couldn’t stand for ages and I had to milk the cow and bottle feed him. When he eventually stood he was knuckling on all four legs. I spent loads of time with him every evening massaging and stretching out the tendons as best I could. He came good on the front legs after about three weeks. The back legs seemed like they would never straighten and I had almost given up hope. One evening I went to the shed and he was standing good on the back right leg. Three days later the left one came good. This was about seven weeks after he was born. I danced a jig when I saw how he had improved. Anyway, this is him today......:)


250BC0E7-546E-4145-8E3C-D570AE052523.jpeg

Lovin that great calf!! We had several lads that took an age to straighten too and there’s a splint on the last lad doing a good job

Dozer1

And we're done

Lady Haywire

Tiniest heifer calf ever just landed by either Gamin or our rogue THZ bull. DNA testing for her will figure it out!