When's calving starting 2021

emaherx

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

This is my first year using them. No problems yet anyway, didn't have any lose one or get tangled up. They are between 20 and 30 euro depending what type you get. I know a lot of fellas think they are a bit of a joke but I think they are the best yokes I ever bought. I have them on calves outside with a few weeks in bad weather and they never looked back for a minute. Buck leaping around every day when I'm checking them. Other years they'd be standing by a wall with a hump in their back shivering.

Only bought a few here this week, never noticed the bright orange ones though. Could be useful for finding my angus hide and seek champions.

emaherx

Another heifer calf here this morning. Only nine left to go.

Limestone Cowboy

First springer calved this evening, handy pull with a nice sim bull calf.

Lime Tree Farm

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

First springer calved this evening, handy pull with a nice sim bull calf.

That's a fine calf, he would want his top coat on tonight.

Limestone Cowboy

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

That's a fine calf, he would want his top coat on tonight.

He's in now and sucking. Kinda running out of space though.

Dozer1

Will this lady qualify as a "a roany" one:P

Base price

Just a reminder to anyone using calf coats to remember to check them weekly - loosen/adjust the chest and leg straps as the calf grows.

Dozer1

One of my week old calves has a swelled navel looks like the cord hasn't dried up at all vet gave me betamox is there anything I can spray on the cord to help it dry out.

Another calf just now calved herself a nice CH bull calf so all good

whelan2

Bathe the navel in salty water each day. A few times a day if you can. You'll have to give the betamox for at least a week to cure it properly

Dunedin

whelan2 wrote: »

Bathe the navel in salty water each day. A few times a day if you can. You'll have to give the betamox for at least a week to cure it properly

And take his temperature every day too to ensure he’s not getting sicker. Ideally 38.5

Lady Haywire

whelan2 wrote: »

Bathe the navel in salty water each day. A few times a day if you can. You'll have to give the betamox for at least a week to cure it properly

I use copper sulphate either. For some reason I always use warm salty water either, not sure if the warmth makes any difference though!

patsy_mccabe

I've a little zag heifer gone very heavy here. In calf to on-dit. Gone 292 days today. Worried she might not have any milk, but she's bagged up enough. Mother had very little milk.
Worried now she might be a problem.

tanko

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I've a little zag heifer gone very heavy here. In calf to on-dit. Gone 292 days today. Worried she might not have any milk, but she's bagged up enough. Mother had very little milk.
Worried now she might be a problem.

ZAG is poor for milk so won't help things there.
Only used On-Dit on cows here but never had to help any.
I'd have some good biestings handy if you can just in case she hasn't much milk.

Dozer1

vet advised me here with the issues I was having with large calves to induce if within a week, I'm being selective only picking ones that are as u described (small cows or very heavy looking), as you know the dates might be worth inducing.

All of mine have calved within 30 hours and cleared no issue but again guidance from vet is best.

Clue Girl

15 year old from Cork (Becky Hynes) on Six One news just now with twin calves (Jack & Jill) she helped deliver. Cute story.

Limestone Cowboy

After pulling number 13, 14 and 15 won't be far behind.

tanko

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

After pulling number 13, 14 and 15 won't be far behind.

Is the cow with the big belly one of these?

patsy_mccabe

tanko wrote: »

Is the cow with the big belly one of these?

She must be ready to burst by now.

Limestone Cowboy

tanko wrote: »

Is the cow with the big belly one of these?

No but she can't hold out much longer. Had to section a big horse of a charolais springer with a handy enough calf this morning. Don't know what was wrong, I gave her a heap of time and she was fully open but I couldn't get the head out through the pelvis, she wasn't as roomy as I thought she would be but she should have been well fit to calf what she had. Head was coming right but kept twisting when you tried to bring it through the pelvis which isn't a great sign. Thought vet would bring him handy enough with a head rope but he reckoned it was safer do a section. Both ok anyway which is the main thing. I had a way handier springer calf a way bigger calf a few days ago with a very small bit of assistance, they'd puzzle you at times. Another springer calving there now. Hopefully goes a bit better.

ABitofsense

Up & running finally. Heifer with little AA bull calf. I was worried about her as she's always abit giddy and kept on the small size so thankfully calved herself & calf up sucking quickly.

Dozer1

lost a 2nd calf last night, 2nd calver watched her for a bit and went and handled her calf was dead so I started jacked him out, big b*stard of a CH bull, got stuck at the hips but got him out for a finish cow got up just about, no idea how he died as she was only barely starting to calve

10 calved lost 2 calves and 1 cow so far another one in now for today....can't wait

Dozer1

just in after a good pull on today's one but nice heifer calf and cow is grand aswell no more for a few days thank god

funkey_monkey

Dozer1 wrote: »

lost a 2nd calf last night, 2nd calver watched her for a bit and went and handled her calf was dead so I started jacked him out, big b*stard of a CH bull, got stuck at the hips but got him out for a finish cow got up just about, no idea how he died as she was only barely starting to calve

10 calved lost 2 calves and 1 cow so far another one in now for today....can't wait

That's tough going - was that the one with the navel problem?
Glad you got the next one out okay.

Dozer1

No last nights one was a second calver lad with the navel is improved hoping the straw and strict diet will hopefully help from now on.

Neo Sanders

What's the longest gestation people have seen? I had one calve last night, she was 309 days. I was dreading it, as the bull has history. But it was a heifir calf and came out with a reasonable pull.

Hard Knocks

Neo Sanders wrote: »

What's the longest gestation people have seen? I had one calve last night, she was 309 days. I was dreading it, as the bull has history. But it was a heifir calf and came out with a reasonable pull.

In my time we’ve had 285 to 302 days
Allot of the gestation length is down to the cow
I noticed last year a SIxHE heifer carrying a SA was the longest

patsy_mccabe

One of my heifers calved earlier. I checked her around 5am and she was all excited going around in circles. Checked her again at 7.30 and at the same crack. No sign of legs.
Calf came with the ropes only and she more or less pushed him out, while I was fumbling with the jack. She hasn't stood up yet, but seems fine. A lodge hamlet bull.

I ain't looking forward to the next one and her pins are starting to drop now.

emaherx

Cameras paid for themselves again.

Was watching a heifer to calve, could see her pushing on the cameras, went over to yard which is a few min away by car. Big (for an Angus) calf coming backwards, so I called the vet and he was out in a few min. Nice bull calf safe and sound now.

whelan2

Eldest lad bought the remainder of my dad's pedigree Angus sucklers. First of them calved this morning in cubicle shed with twin heifers. One of the twins had her front and back leg stuck down the slats. Got her out with a struggle. One of my own cows was calving to a Belgian blue. Absolute monster of a bull calf. Jacked him out. He's 50/50 under pressure breathing. Vet was here with another cow and gave him a shot of something. All go. Glad we've no football on today

Limestone Cowboy

Weird one here that I never seen before, had a springer calve yesterday morning and looked to have a nice bag of milk made. Had a nice pull with the calf and he was a bit slow so put her in to milk a bit of beastings after an hour and got nothing off her, a few squirts of a honey like substance in each teat and no milk at all. Got a shot of oxytocin straight away for her but shes no better today. What's the chances she'll come into it? Often seen blood in the milk but never came across this before. No obvious reason she shouldn't have it, her mother and comrades off the same bull had plenty and she's in good form.

minerleague

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Weird one here that I never seen before, had a springer calve yesterday morning and looked to have a nice bag of milk made. Had a nice pull with the calf and he was a bit slow so put her in to milk a bit of beastings after an hour and got nothing off her, a few squirts of a honey like substance in each teat and no milk at all. Got a shot of oxytocin straight away for her but shes no better today. What's the chances she'll come into it? Often seen blood in the milk but never came across this before. No obvious reason she shouldn't have it, her mother and comrades off the same bull had plenty and she's in good form.

Had one here like that, be fine , calf doesn't need anything extra

tanko

Neo Sanders wrote: »

What's the longest gestation people have seen? I had one calve last night, she was 309 days. I was dreading it, as the bull has history. But it was a heifir calf and came out with a reasonable pull.

I think 305 days is the longest here, was a Lim bull on a black whitehead cow, 309 is mad.
Limousin bulls are the worst, had several over 300 days with KJB, he's a disaster gestation wise, not hard calved tho.
I think it has more to do with the bull than the cow.

Hard Knocks

tanko wrote: »

I think 305 days is the longest here, was a Lim bull on a black whitehead cow, 309 is mad.
Limousin bulls are the worst, had several over 300 days with KJB, he's a disaster gestation wise, not hard calved tho.
I think it has more to do with the bull than the cow.

Good to have easy calving with long gestation
But if use the same bull on a batch of cows giving different gestation then it can’t be the bull?

Base price

I had a pbr Blonde that went 211 days. Blonde's would be known to have long gestations.

Neo Sanders

tanko wrote: »

I think 305 days is the longest here, was a Lim bull on a black whitehead cow, 309 is mad.
Limousin bulls are the worst, had several over 300 days with KJB, he's a disaster gestation wise, not hard calved tho.
I think it has more to do with the bull than the cow.

It's from a lm bull by tanko (that's millbrook, not you. 😊) on a six cow. I think the bull is a big factor, I've had a good few carry ages after this bull.... But 309 is probably a record.. I've a ch bull, and never had a cow carry long with him, on the same herd of cows. Gest length is something I look at the figures of when buying a bull from now on.

RD10

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Weird one here that I never seen before, had a springer calve yesterday morning and looked to have a nice bag of milk made. Had a nice pull with the calf and he was a bit slow so put her in to milk a bit of beastings after an hour and got nothing off her, a few squirts of a honey like substance in each teat and no milk at all. Got a shot of oxytocin straight away for her but shes no better today. What's the chances she'll come into it? Often seen blood in the milk but never came across this before. No obvious reason she shouldn't have it, her mother and comrades off the same bull had plenty and she's in good form.

Had that last year here, should be grand, like you'd see the bit of blood in the milk, itsjust the stuff before the real milky stuff comes in.

RD10

Neo Sanders wrote: »

What's the longest gestation people have seen? I had one calve last night, she was 309 days. I was dreading it, as the bull has history. But it was a heifir calf and came out with a reasonable pull.

Had one i 308 days, chx cow to a ch bull.
Following year, same cow went around 311/312 days if i remember correctly - calf dead inside her a day or two.
Keep diarys every year so must go back and check out of curiousity

Say my name

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Weird one here that I never seen before, had a springer calve yesterday morning and looked to have a nice bag of milk made. Had a nice pull with the calf and he was a bit slow so put her in to milk a bit of beastings after an hour and got nothing off her, a few squirts of a honey like substance in each teat and no milk at all. Got a shot of oxytocin straight away for her but shes no better today. What's the chances she'll come into it? Often seen blood in the milk but never came across this before. No obvious reason she shouldn't have it, her mother and comrades off the same bull had plenty and she's in good form.

She should come into milk.
Have you fed the calf or is it trying to suck and getting nothing you reckon at this stage?
Oxytocin I reckon works better in a dairy cow if it's needed. In that I mean the farmer would give it in the parlour when she's in a row of cows getting meal with the machine going, beside cows who are also milking. So she'd have all the triggers to let milk down.
If the animal is stressed it won't work.

Maybe if you reckon you want to give another shot, take the calf away from her for an hour and a half or two hours beforehand. Give the shot in your calving gate or whatever and immediately put the calf back to her.

If it doesn't work in five to eight minutes, it's not going to work.

It's years since I had to give a cow a shot but between that and ag college something stuck.

patsy_mccabe

My little ZAG heifer just calved. A biggish ondit bull. Some pull, but I didn't overdo it. Was sure he'd get caught at the hips but he slipped out without too much hardship.
A relief now to have her calved. She was the one I was worried about.
A long day here today. I dunno how ye dairy guys do it. Hats off to ye.

tanko

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

My little ZAG heifer just calved. A biggish ondit bull. Some pull, but I didn't overdo it. Was sure he'd get caught at the hips but he slipped out without too much hardship.
A relief now to have her calved. She was the one I was worried about.
A long day here today. I dunno how ye dairy guys do it. Hats off to ye.

Good stuff, ONI isn't too bad, they don't usually have big ends or much muscle when they're born.
If ZAG heifers are shapey U grades they're not great calvers but if they're square R grade types they're not too bad.
Has the heifer any milk for him?

Limestone Cowboy

Say my name wrote: »

She should come into milk.
Have you fed the calf or is it trying to suck and getting nothing you reckon at this stage?
Oxytocin I reckon works better in a dairy cow if it's needed. In that I mean the farmer would give it in the parlour when she's in a row of cows getting meal with the machine going, beside cows who are also milking. So she'd have all the triggers to let milk down.
If the animal is stressed it won't work.

Maybe if you reckon you want to give another shot, take the calf away from her for an hour and a half or two hours beforehand. Give the shot in your calving gate or whatever and immediately put the calf back to her.

If it doesn't work in five to eight minutes, it's not going to work.

It's years since I had to give a cow a shot but between that and ag college something stuck.

No I'm feeding the calf frozen beastings, had a fair pull with him and its only this evening I got him standing so sucking might be a few days away yet. Drawing what ever bit she has just to try and get her to let down more.

patsy_mccabe

tanko wrote: »

Good stuff, ONI isn't too bad, they don't usually have big ends or much muscle when they're born.
If ZAG heifers are shapey U grades they're not great calvers but if they're square R grade types they're not too bad.
Has the heifer any milk for him?

She seems ok for milk. I got him to drink 2 teats dry while they were both lying down. Did that twice today. Takes the bother of trying to get the calf to stand.

john mayo 10

Mental stuff here last night and this morning. Had to section a heifer. Bull calf by Zag. Big calf and there was no way he was coming out naturally. All grand till I checked this morning and she must have stood on the calfs leg and leg broke. Brought calf to the vet and luckily it's broke between the hoof and the knee. Bandaged up the leg as it's swelled and back Thursday to cast it.

tanko

I'm always very surprised when people talk about using ZAG on heifers and having no bother calving them, small calves and all that.
I put him on most of the cows here the first year he was out and had to jack a couple of them with big muscly ends.
I wouldn't put him on a heifer or even a second calver either.
I don't really see what purpose he serves, he can breed some serious muscley cattle when he clicks with a cow but overall they're too small. His daughters are poor for milk also. There are better choices out there.

Dunedin

tanko wrote: »

I'm always very surprised when people talk about using ZAG on heifers and having no bother calving them, small calves and all that.
I put him on most of the cows here the first year he was out and had to jack a couple of them with big muscly ends.
I wouldn't put him on a heifer or even a second calver either.
I don't really see what purpose he serves, he can breed some serious muscley cattle when he clicks with a cow but overall they're too small. His daughters are poor for milk also. There are better choices out there.

Zag are not good cows. I have 2 of them and worse cows I have.

Chuckie_Egg

tanko wrote: »

I'm always very surprised when people talk about using ZAG on heifers and having no bother calving them, small calves and all that.
I put him on most of the cows here the first year he was out and had to jack a couple of them with big muscly ends.
I wouldn't put him on a heifer or even a second calver either.
I don't really see what purpose he serves, he can breed some serious muscley cattle when he clicks with a cow but overall they're too small. His daughters are poor for milk also. There are better choices out there.

Defo not as easy as lads make out, I doubt any of the dairymen use him.
Calfs aren't great either, small and don't grow.
Some of them are desperate wild too, as in trying to climb up walls to get away from you.

Anto_Meath

I have used Zag a good bit on cows and heifers, probably have had about 60 -70 of his off spring over the last few years. I wouldn't have any complaints about him. I find him easy enough calved, only time I have had to intervene was when there was an issue like a foot down or twins. I also find his calves are quite enough and easy enough managed. I have 5 of his daughters as cows and I am happy enough with them, 1 of them was a middling milker last year, but looking at her calf in the shed now she is matching in with the rest of them. Sold heifers off Zag in the mart just before Christmas for two year old I got €1500 - €1600 and for 16 month old ones I got €1150 -€1230, so I was happy, got €1,500 - €1,700 for two year old bullock nearly all red limos. Calves can be little short but I wouldn't mind that to much.

Lime Tree Farm

Rotavec Corona Vaccine. Quote below is extracted from the Product Description on a UK website.


https://www.farmacy.co.uk/rotavec-corona/p456

"Product Description
NOTE: In-use shelf life has increased from 8 hours to 28 days after the vial has been broached"


Excipients
Thiomersal, Formaldehyde

endainoz

Had a beaut of a red and white Droimeann heifer born today. Handy sized calf, but unassisted and up sucking within 10 mins, a lot to be said for it!

endainoz

Had a beaut of a red and white Droimeann heifer born today. Handy sized calf, but unassisted and up sucking within 10 mins, a lot to be said for it!