When's calving starting 2020

liosnagceann75

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I wanted to pull the calf at the time, but I had to collect a relative with special needs and she had to be collected. An hour earlier or later and I would have been fine.

I had to collect someone from the airport. Cow calved beforehand. Milked the cow and stomach tubed the calf. Put the cow back with the calf. Arrived back from the airport to find a twin dead with the bag over its head. Wasn't a happy camper that night. Furious with myself that I didn't handle the cow as the first calf was handy enough

tanko

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I wanted to pull the calf at the time, but I had to collect a relative with special needs and she had to be collected. An hour earlier or later and I would have been fine.

Sorry, i thought you decided to give her more time until you got back.
You were unlucky with the timing.

Say my name

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Lost a calf calving today. Sick over it. The first cow to calve this year. Had a few just before Christmas.

Big roomy cow so not sure what happned. She was a long time calving and I handled her. Calf didn't seem that big and I thought then calf was still alive. Had to go away for an hour to collect a relative. Came back and saw on the camera she had the legs out. Got to shed and she had calved.
Can't figure what went wrong. Maybe got caught up in the umbilical cord during the day and cow had trouble righting it when it died.
Heifer calf, maybe 50kgs. She spat it out in the end.

I'm good to tell people these thing happen, but when it's yourself, it's a right sickner.

I had a heifer calve an Angus calf unassisted. Left her to lick the calf and went off to feed other calves.
Came back and she had the navel ate off the calf and the stomach sack and guts sucked out through the navel hole.
Never seen it before and don't want to see it again.

I was sickened I hadn't taken the calf away straightaway but sure how would anyone know these things would happen.

I do tend to bang on about minerals but slow calvers a lot of it is lack of minerals and high k silage.

Mooooo

First of the aa stock bull that was with the heifers calves landed, slight pull with the hands to get the head out but a nice heifer calf. Have just about enough replacement heifers born with about 9 or so cows left to calve with fr, maybe one or two less, everything else will be AA or ai HE or BB. Had a new bull with the heifers and a late sub in with the cow's as well so hopefully they'll be ok calving. Ironically the bull I had with the heifers on paper is after turning out harder calving than the one I ended up getting for the cow's

Lime Tree Farm

Say my name wrote: »

I had a heifer calve an Angus calf unassisted. Left her to lick the calf and went off to feed other calves.
Came back and she had the navel ate off the calf and the stomach sack and guts sucked out through the navel hole.
Never seen it before and don't want to see it again.

I was sickened I hadn't taken the calf away straightaway but sure how would anyone know these things would happen.

I do tend to bang on about minerals but slow calvers a lot of it is lack of minerals and high k silage.

Cows lick the navel as Iodine spray is sweet. Switching to Chlorhexidine should prevent the cow damaging the navel.

dh1985

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I wanted to pull the calf at the time, but I had to collect a relative with special needs and she had to be collected. An hour earlier or later and I would have been fine.

Bottom line is collecting your relative was more important. It's a sickener to lose a calf but sometimes other things are just more important and you have to prioritise. Everyone loses animals and hindsight is great and all that but you done the right thing.

Say my name

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

Cows lick the navel as Iodine spray is sweet. Switching to Chlorhexidine should prevent the cow damaging the navel.

I never treat navels.

Chlorhexidine. That's pink stuff?
I think I used it here once for teat spray.

whelan2

Say my name wrote: »

I never treat navels.

Chlorhexidine. That's pink stuff?
I think I used it here once for teat spray.

If the bed is clean they are normally ok

emaherx

Say my name wrote: »

I never treat navels.

Chlorhexidine. That's pink stuff?
I think I used it here once for teat spray.

I'd say more likely calf had a weakness at the navel than something the cow did, came across one like it before with a cow that calved outside. Calf was still alive with intestines completely out there wasn't much hope for calf and I went to get gun to put it down but by the time I got back it was already dead.

Some times there is just nothing you could have done differently to save them.

Buford T. Justice XIX

emaherx wrote: »

I'd say more likely calf had a weakness at the navel than something the cow did, came across one like it before with a cow that calved outside. Calf was still alive with intestines completely out there wasn't much hope for calf and I went to get gun to put it down but by the time I got back it was already dead.

Some times there is just nothing you could have done differently to save them.

I had 2 cows calving last year, both in the corner of the field. I put ropes on the first one and pulled, calf grand and cow licking him.

Went to the second one and had to jack the calf a small bit, out he popped 2 minutes after the first one.

Turned around to the first one and the calf stone dead

Limestone Cowboy

2 cows and a springer with their bones down this morning. The day they'd pick to go calving...

valtra2

Second fatality last night.Had one last night back wards and cord wrapped around leg,pulled her out on my own with just ropes. Got her out hung her up but she died half hour later never came too. Loads of fluid out of her mouth. Another one this morning backwards easy pull with ropes and she grand up and at it in 20 minute another just after calfing a few minutes ago no assistance and now there is another one starting to show signs of calfing. Not one all week long, think they must know I am off the weekends.

Mooooo

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

2 cows and a springer with their bones down this morning. The day they'd pick to go calving...

Back when we were autumn calving used to calve most outside a storm would always bring on a few. A lull here but a few springing up together now

orm0nd

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

Cows lick the navel as Iodine spray is sweet. Switching to Chlorhexidine should prevent the cow damaging the navel.

We add at least 30 % methylated spirits to the iodine. Also helps to dry up the navel cord quickly.

Biscuitus

Mooooo wrote: »

Back when we were autumn calving used to calve most outside a storm would always bring on a few. A lull here but a few springing up together now

Whenever heavy rain was due I'd always notice cows with calve a few days early.

Coincidence maybe but I had a surge of cows early before the Beast from the east 2 years ago.

Nature eh?

Limestone Cowboy

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

2 cows and a springer with their bones down this morning. The day they'd pick to go calving...

That's the springer out of the way anyway.

RD10

4 singles and Fiston twins all born on friday, Twins born to a 9yr old cow, calved herself & both coming right way thank god. Other 4 born were from two cows & two heifers, had to pull one of the heifers but all well. bit of a baby boom before the storm.

Sugarbowl

RD10 wrote: »

4 singles and Fiston twins all born on friday, Twins born to a 9yr old cow, calved herself & both coming right way thank god. Other 4 born were from two cows & two heifers, had to pull one of the heifers but all well. bit of a baby boom before the storm.

That was a busy day!! What will you do with the twins, will you take one off the cow eventually?

Gods Gift

RD10 wrote: »

4 singles and Fiston twins all born on friday, Twins born to a 9yr old cow, calved herself & both coming right way thank god. Other 4 born were from two cows & two heifers, had to pull one of the heifers but all well. bit of a baby boom before the storm.

Have a fiston bull here. Easy calving and they really take off after 10 days/2weeks

tanko

RD10 wrote: »

4 singles and Fiston twins all born on friday, Twins born to a 9yr old cow, calved herself & both coming right way thank god. Other 4 born were from two cows & two heifers, had to pull one of the heifers but all well. bit of a baby boom before the storm.

All things considered, Fiston is a super bull. I noticed here when i used him that he throws more twins than average, it's something to watch with him.

Limestone Cowboy

3 calved here this morning at the same time, had to pull 2 ch bulls and the other calved a charolais heifer by herself.

older by the day

dh1985 wrote: »

Bottom line is collecting your relative was more important. It's a sickener to lose a calf but sometimes other things are just more important and you have to prioritise. Everyone loses animals and hindsight is great and all that but you done the right thing.

I don't think your a farmer at all. Like the "bull" said you don't love the land. Unless the relation was on the way to the solicitor to make their Will. Look after your cow first

Lady Haywire

older by the day wrote: »

I don't think your a farmer at all. Like the "bull" said you don't love the land. Unless the relation was on the way to the solicitor to make their Will. Look after your cow first

Bullsh!t. That's the fastest way to become a loner who doesn't get on with relatives. I'm all for putting cattle high on my list of priorities but family always have and always will come first.

older by the day

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Bullsh!t. That's the fastest way to become a loner who doesn't get on with relatives. I'm all for putting cattle high on my list of priorities but family always have and always will come first.

I think you missed my attempt at humorous sarcasm there. But calving time is calving time. Leg down, calf caught at the hips even the bag around the head etc. We all miss them but I wouldn't leave a cow in pain to calf if I could

Mac Taylor

older by the day wrote: »

I think you missed my attempt at humorous sarcasm there. But calving time is calving time. Leg down, calf caught at the hips even the bag around the head etc. We all miss them but I wouldn't leave a cow in pain to calf if I could

Go back over what he wrote, none of us given a choice would leave a cow in pain, the cow calved on her own, it wasn’t as if he was heading off for a few pints. Helping out a relative or a neighbour etc will be long remembered after our farming heroics are forgotten.

Lady Haywire

older by the day wrote: »

I think you missed my attempt at humorous sarcasm there. But calving time is calving time. Leg down, calf caught at the hips even the bag around the head etc. We all miss them but I wouldn't leave a cow in pain to calf if I could

Apologies, honestly thought you were being serious! It's difficult to read sarcasm without one of the :pac: faces.
I'd probably have done the same as Patsy, once I handled her and found it presented correctly & a normal size, especially if cow had a history of calving herself. Happens us all.

Lime Tree Farm

older by the day wrote: »

I don't think your a farmer at all. Like the "bull" said you don't love the land. Unless the relation was on the way to the solicitor to make their Will. Look after your cow first

That reminds me of the old bachelor farmer returning home after having lost his cow and calf, on seeing his two old sisters toasting themselves by the fire, said “Isn’t that grand, my fine cow dead, and ye two alive”.

dh1985

older by the day wrote: »

I don't think your a farmer at all. Like the "bull" said you don't love the land. Unless the relation was on the way to the solicitor to make their Will. Look after your cow first

You are joking but unfortunately that's the way many people still think these days. They are only worried about betterment of themselves. The older tradition of obliging ones neighbours or friends is dying out with everyone racing around been busy in there commercialised lives. The obligment trait still exists greater in the farming community than any other. Wouldnt it be a pity to lose that. Something fulfilling about obliging someone. Where would we all be without helpful neighbours.
Ones family and friends will be more use to anyone when the sh1t hits the fan than any cow in the shed.
Not having a go at you older by the day as you were joking but just trying to put things in perspective

squinn2912

Was on a stag in Westport last night. I just went one night and stayed up watching a cow that calved yesterday in the end all good. While I was driving home another calved. Side door job and there’s a dead calf down there. Raging.

Dunedin

dh1985 wrote: »

You are joking but unfortunately that's the way many people still think these days. They are only worried about betterment of themselves. The older tradition of obliging ones neighbours or friends is dying out with everyone racing around been busy in there commercialised lives. The obligment trait still exists greater in the farming community than any other. Wouldnt it be a pity to lose that. Something fulfilling about obliging someone. Where would we all be without helpful neighbours.
Ones family and friends will be more use to anyone when the sh1t hits the fan than any cow in the shed.
Not having a go at you older by the day as you were joking but just trying to put things in perspective

Had a weekend away booked with herself a few week ago. The calving was quiet and had no calf for 9 days beforehand and took a chance going away ( albeit I kept a close eye from the phone). Anyways 4 cows calved when I was gone. I have a great neighbour to call and all was well. He knows he gets it back off me any time but great to have that understanding all the same.

RD10

Sugarbowl wrote: »

That was a busy day!! What will you do with the twins, will you take one off the cow eventually?

Will leave them with the cow, she should be fit for them.
Fingers crossed there won't be any casualties but in the case that there was, i can always foster one of them onto another cow.

john mayo 10

Found a calf dead on the slats this morning. Time just up. I'd say she got a belt off another cow in the pen. CWI bull calf. Bummer

RD10

A right sickener that is, after carrying for 9 months.

antrim1

john mayo 10 wrote: »

Found a calf dead on the slats this morning. Time just up. I'd say she got a belt off another cow in the pen. CWI bull calf. Bummer

Had the same last week, first calver Simx a week short of her due day, lovely Simmy heifer calf... I reckon she has got a kib from one of the older cows in the pen. Not a nice start. 3 comerades standing ready to go anytime. One has twins on board.. cameras getting plenty of viewing!

Mooooo

First cow issue overnight. Fleck cross heifer had a monster of a bull calf and cow struggling to get up. Had her down as in calf to an AA but markings have come black and white so must check if I ai'd her a fr. If so it's the first big fr off one of them. Would an aa to a simxfr come with black and white on places other than the head?

tellmeabit

1st one to calve is at 285 days now, 3yr old incalf to ch4321.
She has been restless the last day or so, have her in straw pen now. Has softened and has a bit of springing.

She keeps kicking out one leg, not sure if it's a hurt or related to calving, new last couple days. Also has very loose ****, breathing rapid at times.
Going take temp shortly. Munsterai have her calving dste tomorrow..
Would you get waterbag if coming backward or if she was having difficulty?

doesn't have tail out but She doesn't look right to me. Depending on temp might out her in crush and handle her.

Parishlad

tellmeabit wrote: »

1st one to calve is at 285 days now, 3yr old incalf to ch4321.
She has been restless the last day or so, have her in straw pen now. Has softened and has a bit of springing.

She keeps kicking out one leg, not sure if it's a hurt or related to calving, new last couple days. Also has very loose ****, breathing rapid at times.
Going take temp shortly. Munsterai have her calving dste tomorrow..
Would you get waterbag if coming backward or if she was having difficulty?

doesn't have tail out but She doesn't look right to me. Depending on temp might out her in crush and handle her.

You're probably a bit over anxious with her being the first to go this year. However, no harm in handling her if you are not happy with her. Better safe than sorry.
If calf is presented incorrectly - coming backwards, leg down etc. there can sometimes be a delay in waterbag appearing and the cow could be actually trying to calve a while before you see anything like a bag.
Have the pins/bones dropped at all? I find sometimes with one coming backwards that the pins will soften but won't drop completely.

Limestone Cowboy

tellmeabit wrote: »

1st one to calve is at 285 days now, 3yr old incalf to ch4321.
She has been restless the last day or so, have her in straw pen now. Has softened and has a bit of springing.

She keeps kicking out one leg, not sure if it's a hurt or related to calving, new last couple days. Also has very loose ****, breathing rapid at times.
Going take temp shortly. Munsterai have her calving dste tomorrow..
Would you get waterbag if coming backward or if she was having difficulty?

doesn't have tail out but She doesn't look right to me. Depending on temp might out her in crush and handle her.

Safer handle her and you'll have an idea what's going on anyway. I often had one her kicking out the leg like that, think that's just a nerve being pinched whatever way the calf is against it. They should pass a waterbag if coming backwards but if she had a twist in the womb I don't think she would pass it. Some cows can just make harder work out of it than others too.

tellmeabit

Would be afraid of that but she would still be making a push?

Hopefully combination of both her and my nerves..
Thanks guys

tellmeabit

tellmeabit wrote: »

Would be afraid of that but she would still be making a push?

Hopefully combination of both her and my nerves..
Thanks guys

Temp 39.2. Lifted the leg and she is sore there. Gave a bit of a pair. Will get something from vet. Handeled her and all seems fine. Back in her pen..

Parishlad

tellmeabit wrote: »

Temp 39.2. Lifted the leg and she is sore there. Gave a bit of a pair. Will get something from vet. Handeled her and all seems fine. Back in her pen..

You can relax again so!

tellmeabit

Parishlad wrote: »

You can relax again so!

Ha ya. Hopefully all go well and be back in the swing of it. Have a few BB coming in next 2 weeks..

tanko

Brave enough choice for a three year old, what did you put on her last year?

tellmeabit

tanko wrote: »

Brave enough choice for a three year old, what did you put on her last year?

1st time up, asked Ai for easy calving Ch..

5.5 %
11 % for heifer. Oh duck

Parishlad

Another arrival today. Calved on her own as I was on my way to work. Had the BIL at home keeping an eye on things. Calf was very lively and was standing and sucking on his own within 20 minutes. If only they were all like that!
Lovely day here today. Can't wait to get them out of the shed!

whelan2

My washing machine calved, does that count ?

Reggie.

whelan2 wrote: »

My washing machine calved, does that count ?

Makes a change from the phone

older by the day

Mooooo wrote: »

First cow issue overnight. Fleck cross heifer had a monster of a bull calf and cow struggling to get up. Had her down as in calf to an AA but markings have come black and white so must check if I ai'd her a fr. If so it's the first big fr off one of them. Would an aa to a simxfr come with black and white on places other than the head?

A lot of montbelliarde cows would have Angus calves with a white patch on the head or belly or around the hoofs

50HX

Smasher of a fiston heifer this a.m

That's 6 now and 10 more in 3 weeks with a gap then for 2 weeks

squinn2912

Just an update guys. My father text me today to let me know that the wee blue heifer that went through the hard calving got up today. I replied that she did great work do which he retorted "I did"
I'm swamped with work at the moment and a bit less available to help with that so he's got her standing on his own. If he'd listened to me the night she was calving there'd be none of this of course but this is a small victory for us.