When's calving starting 2021

funkey_monkey

Is it trying to milk?
Your can get a really long metal milking needles. That might be what you need, but I'd be worried about an infection if it is not milking.
Are you sure it's not blind?

Sami23

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Is it trying to milk?
Your can get a really long metal milking needles. That might be what you need, but I'd be worried about an infection if it is not milking.
Are you sure it's not blind?

No it's not blind and feels fine just can't get milk out

tellmeabit

Zag bull 297 days.

Cionn80

Getting near bed time

whelan2

Cionn80 wrote: »

Getting near bed time

Indeed. Another calf born. Alarm set for 4 hours time...

Cionn80

whelan2 wrote: »

Indeed. Another calf born. Alarm set for 4 hours time...

Sorry was trying to post a picture of a newborn but it wouldn’t let me

tanko

Cionn80 wrote: »

Sorry was trying to post a picture of a newborn but it wouldn’t let me

I think you have to have a certain number of posts to post pictures, 20 or 50 posts or something like that.

Cionn80

tanko wrote: »

I think you have to have a certain number of posts to post pictures, 20 or 50 posts or something like that.

Ok, I’ve done it before though, but the last couple of time I tried, it wouldn’t let me

ABitofsense

4 in the last 2 days here, all heifer's.
Lovely lodge hamlet heifer calf of LMx(dairy) 2nd Calver today, she's nice length & shape, hopefully turns into nice replacement as the mother has milk.
2 other ZAG heifers but both very small & short from big HEx & AAx cows. ZAG just doesn't cross well on my cows at all, won't be using him again. One calf is just 29kg at birth, great lively calf.
Other one is Knell and nice calf too.
All calved themselves this year so far which is great comfort when at work.

Who2

ABitofsense wrote: »

4 in the last 2 days here, all heifer's.
Lovely lodge hamlet heifer calf of LMx(dairy) 2nd Calver today, she's nice length & shape, hopefully turns into nice replacement as the mother has milk.
2 other ZAG heifers but both very small & short from big HEx & AAx cows. ZAG just doesn't cross well on my cows at all, won't be using him again. One calf is just 29kg at birth, great lively calf.
Other one is Knell and nice calf too.
All calved themselves this year so far which is great comfort when at work.

I’d a lodge hamlet of an mbp heifer and an eby of a gunshot heifer here this year and they are both exceptionally lively rats of things, it’ll be curious to see if they shape up. I’d another si heifer calve down a plain but growthy lodge hamlet heifer here, which I’d count the pick of them. The rest all got sa and si and all I have are bulls.

tellmeabit

Eby bull off 1st timer, 294 days.
Was hoping for a few heifers. 5 bulls 2 ladies

50HX

Found zag fine on smaller cows, hopeless on big framed cows

Sold a zag heifer last week, 610kg @ 25mnths made 1480
Had her ai'd but broke down, left heright on with remaining heifers that were ai'd
Got soybean as a weanling with prob 1kg of ration for first winter, never again saw ration

50HX

5 calved since sat a.m

Vet to a fiston that turned sideways inside and head back, wasn't comfortable in getting him to turn, every man/woman there own job, took a bit of jacking at the hips tho

Cows are mud fat this year by me, not helping with calving, had to Jack another fsz and another edj blue as well

Lost a smasher dbz heifer (only 3 straws left), calved inside the cover with head turned back, cow was very agreesive and by the time I got her out of the pen she was gone
Better than me stretched in the yard I suppose but still scorned

rushvalley

50HX wrote: »

5 calved since sat a.m

Vet to a fiston that turned sideways inside and head back, wasn't comfortable in getting him to turn, every man/woman there own job, took a bit of jacking at the hips tho

Cows are mud fat this year by me, not helping with calving, had to Jack another fsz and another edj blue as well

Lost a smasher dbz heifer (only 3 straws left), calved inside the cover with head turned back, cow was very agreesive and by the time I got her out of the pen she was gone
Better than me stretched in the yard I suppose but still scornec

Can you still get edj straws or was it just one you've had for a long time? Used to have a smashing cow bred by him

50HX

I don't think he's there anymore, I have a few left in the pot, i've an edj heifer to calve in sept

squinn2912

Over the halfway point now with a nice lim x char calf I think it’s a heifer. Mammy not up for letting me look much. She took an age to come and then took her time calving when she did come but she’s a month earlier this year and no jack. That’ll do well

Base price

Whelan - how is the calf's eye now. Did it improve with the injection.

whelan2

Base price wrote: »

Whelan - how is the calf's eye now. Did it improve with the injection.

Calf is a lot better thanks. We let her and the mother out yesterday.

Sugarbowl

New arrival in the early hours - a Highfield Odhran SA heifer calf off an AU first calver. Calved herself practically - lovely red calf with a replacement index of 197. Used that bull many times but my first time getting a heifer... delighted 😀

High bike

Sugarbowl wrote: »

New arrival in the early hours - a Highfield Odhran SA heifer calf off an AU first calver. Calved herself practically - lovely red calf with a replacement index of 197. Used that bull many times but my first time getting a heifer... delighted ��

is that bull still available?

tanko

High bike wrote: »

is that bull still available?

No, he's gone unfortunately, unless some techs have him in their pots.
Have used him on the heifers for a few years here, got a lot of bulls off him, a great bull, have a nice Odran cow had an Ivor bull this year.
Used Knottown Roy on the heifers last year, none arrived yet, have seen some lovely calves off him.

High bike

tanko wrote: »

No, he's gone unfortunately, unless some techs have him in their pots.
Have used him on the heifers for a few years here, got a lot of bulls off him, a great bull, have a nice Odran cow had an Ivor bull this year.
Used Knottown Roy on the heifers last year, none arrived yet, have seen some lovely calves off him.

Have a nice Odran 2nd calver here myself ,was thinking of him a couple of heifers this year might try Roy instead thanks

whelan2

Calved a fr cow there, calf was coming backwards. Checked out farm pedigree Angus calved, calf up and drinking. Cup of tea now before milking

RobinBanks

whelan2 wrote: »

Calved a fr cow there, calf was coming backwards. Checked out farm pedigree Angus calved, calf up and drinking. Cup of tea now before milking

I don't think i have seen a calf coming backwards on my time here at the farm. Generally if a calf is coming backwards are they ok or are there issues getting them to breath. Heard of lads putting backwards calves over gates.

whelan2

Just take your time , until the backside comes out, then try and get it out quick enough. They normally dont open as well as when the calf is coming forwards

Grueller

RobinBanks wrote: »

I don't think i have seen a calf coming backwards on my time here at the farm. Generally if a calf is coming backwards are they ok or are there issues getting them to breath. Heard of lads putting backwards calves over gates.

It's generally no problem Robin. I have had a few but most of them were in a set of twins. Usually the first calf would present OK and the second backwards. As soon as you start pulling the calf get it out as quick as you can so it doesn't suffocate.
In a single that might not be as easy because the calf will be bigger and the cow might not be as open as one where a twin has already popped out.

tanko

RobinBanks wrote: »

I don't think i have seen a calf coming backwards on my time here at the farm. Generally if a calf is coming backwards are they ok or are there issues getting them to breath. Heard of lads putting backwards calves over gates.

That's mad that you've never seen one, often with twins one or both can come backways here and an odd single calf but that would be rare. The important thing is to spot it and not leave the cow too long calving cos she won't be able to calve herself, the feet will be pointing the wrong way up. The jack needs to be kept straighter than normal too. A calf backways and upside down is a real pain.
When your jacking a calf, once the umbilical cord is broken you have to get them out pretty quick or they'll suffocate. you'd wonder is more harm than good done to calves hanging them over gates sometimes.

whelan2

Can't be easy to lift them over a gate either. When a calf is coming normally you'd let it hang for a second in the cow to let fluid out. Can't do that when they're backwards.

tellmeabit

whelan2 wrote: »

Can't be easy to lift them over a gate either. When a calf is coming normally you'd let it hang for a second in the cow to let fluid out. Can't do that when they're backwards.

Always try aim for this here, amazes me the amount of fluid that you see when cow calves standing compared to calving lying down.

whelan2

Noticed the amount of fluid this calf had this morning. Took a few seconds for him to start breathing

The Rabbi

When the calf is coming backwards,arse out carefully then jack away.When the calf is out keep jacking till you run out of jack,then you can swing it upright with the calf hanging upside down.I put the head of the jack into the corner of the pen,then when its upright you can hold it with one hand and clear the mouth with the other.

Limestone Cowboy

Hide and seek.

jfh

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Hide and seek.

Some pic there limestone

SuperTortoise

Had a calf this week coming backways and upside down, so the feet were presented "as normal" with the dewclaw underneath, threw me for a second as i put my hand in to look for the head and all i could feel was a massive set of "shoulders", i did think for a few seconds that this fella was an elephant, but handled again and i felt a tail and it clicked, anyways jacked him out without any major pressure, he got it tight to take the first breath and it was touch and go for the first few minutes but he came grand, big bull calf, gave him a suck and he is flying.
You do need to be quick once the hips are out, lost a twin last year due to not being quick enough with the pull, heifer came out as normal, but the bull calf behind her was backways, i felt like i was only a couple of minutes getting him out but anyways it was too long.

Sami23

High bike wrote: »

you probably need something longer like a cotton bud,had something similar last year and the vet freed it with a long steel implement dont know what it was just be careful with it.Are u sure its soft and she hasn't mastitis?

I asked the vet about this and he said to leave it as it is cause even if he were to free it up it would more than likely keep getting blocked again and also mite lead to infection or mastitis down the line.
He said she'd have enough milk in the other tits for the calf anyway.

High bike

Sami23 wrote: »

I asked the vet about this and he said to leave it as it is cause even if he were to free it up it would more than likely keep getting blocked again and also mite lead to infection or mastitis down the line.
He said she'd have enough milk in the other tits for the calf anyway.

If she was mine I rather have her with milk in 4 quarters anyway but I suppose he's the one with the letters after his name best of luck with her

Dunedin

Sami23 wrote: »

I asked the vet about this and he said to leave it as it is cause even if he were to free it up it would more than likely keep getting blocked again and also mite lead to infection or mastitis down the line.
He said she'd have enough milk in the other tits for the calf anyway.

+1 on the above. And once the calf gets strong enough he’ll draw on all four

Dozer1

Another big lad today..

squinn2912

Dozer1 wrote: »

Another big lad today..

He’s some height!! She was glad to have that boy out

Dozer1

He was upside down and I couldn't straighten him so got the vet. cow is about 11 years old first cross off a FR loads of room. He'll only stand for a bit but fingers crossed

Sami23

Just curious what do most on here do if anything with calves navels after birth.

Spray with Iodine
Dip in Iodine
Something else
Nothing at all

Reason I ask is neighbour recently told me he doesn't put anything on them

minerleague

Sami23 wrote: »

Just curious what do most on here do if anything with calves navels after birth.

Spray with Iodine
Dip in Iodine
Something else
Nothing at all

Reason I ask is neighbour recently told me he doesn't put anything on them

Use nothing here for years, most calve outside. If using iodine was told once best to put it in small container and dip navel in

charolais0153

Sami23 wrote: »

Just curious what do most on here do if anything with calves navels after birth.

Spray with Iodine
Dip in Iodine
Something else
Nothing at all

Reason I ask is neighbour recently told me he doesn't put anything on them

Antibiotic spray enegmycin or alamycin

Lime Tree Farm

5 sprays of 10% Iodine into a coffee jar lid, cord gathered into it and rubbed into the navel after being born. Repeat again after the calf gets it first feed. Done soonest if found on the slats. We had been using Chlorhexidine, switched back to using the iodine again.

whelan2

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

5 sprays of 10% Iodine into a coffee jar lid, cord gathered into it and rubbed into the navel after being born. Repeat again after the calf gets it first feed. Done soonest if found on the slats. We had been using Chlorhexidine, switched back to using the iodine again.

I keep the lids off aerosol cans. They are handy for putting the iodine in to dip

Base price

A second calver red whitehead popped out a SH4473 (Chapleton Kingsley) bull calf. Three weeks ago I saw that an older calf was sucking her before I took her away so I defrosted besting and tubed the calf. I assume her besting wouldn't be great quality. He sucked her afterwards.

Lime Tree Farm

Base price wrote: »

A second calver red whitehead popped out a SH4473 (Chapleton Kingsley) bull calf. Three weeks ago I saw that an older calf was sucking her before I took her away so I defrosted besting and tubed the calf. I assume her besting wouldn't be great quality. He sucked her afterwards.

Is it more to do with the ability of calf's gut to absorb anti-bodies from the cows milk in the first 2 hours of life. and that ability decreasing as hours pass, than the quality of creamy fat in beestings. The calf will continue to obtain passive immunity from the cow in the following weeks.

Base price

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

Is it more to do with the ability of calf's gut to absorb anti-bodies from the cows milk in the first 2 hours of life. and that ability decreasing as hours pass, than the quality of creamy fat in beestings. The calf will continue to obtain passive immunity from the cow in the following weeks.

I thought that cows needed about 6 weeks dry period to produce quality colostrum. The cow's milk is yellowish but wouldn't be as thick as you would normally see. I reckoned by giving him the defrosted biesting that I was covering him.

greysides

Base price wrote: »

I thought that cows needed about 6 weeks dry period to produce quality colostrum. The cow's milk is yellowish but wouldn't be as thick as you would normally see. I reckoned by giving him the defrosted biesting that I was covering him.

Absolutely.

High bike

Base price wrote: »

A second calver red whitehead popped out a SH4473 (Chapleton Kingsley) bull calf. Three weeks ago I saw that an older calf was sucking her before I took her away so I defrosted besting and tubed the calf. I assume her besting wouldn't be great quality. He sucked her afterwards.

spot on there id say,its going to do hm any harm anyway