When's calving starting 2022

Gudstock

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Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118947608#Comment_118947608

How are they now? Great calf - the full of the jacket - a tight fit

Gudstock

He has kinda gotten to his feet very briefly a few times but immediately fallen. When he did rise he didn't straighten the front legs.

He has gotten 2L beastings via tube 2 hrs after birth last night, only took a taste of it this morning with 500ml yogurt then, this evening maybe drank 500ml milk (at most) followed by another 500ml yogurt.

Gudstock

Cow remarkably ok so far.

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118948672#Comment_118948672

Maybe, get a bit of pain relief for him

squinn2912

5 to go now

James2022

Calved a heifer today. Knew straight away something was wrong with the calf. Was only taking a breathe every 30 seconds and heart was racing. Didn't blink or move its neck but would kick its back legs when shaken. Stayed alive about 15 mins which was strange since it wasn't breathing much. Not sure what was wrong. Perfect calf visibly and mother in good health.

golodge

Successful graffting. First calver lost her calf at 3days age. She was bawling for the whole day, so decided to try to give her another calf. She took it right away and the calf had a full belly within the first 15min. Happy mom and calf.

patsy_mccabe

Have a second calver here starting to calf. She has got very thin over the last few weeks but huge in the belly. Should I be expecting twins?

patsy_mccabe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118952582#Comment_118952582

If you pour some water in it's ear and get it to shake it's head, it helps to jolt them a bit. Rub some straw strongly on it's side helps get the lungs going too.

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955247#Comment_118955247

A second calver had twin Loyal bulls here last night, 9 months and 10 days. I find that almost always twins arrive between 9 months and 6 days and 10 days. She had twin Saler bulls last year, she’s a pain in the hole.

Lime Tree Farm

Wonder would a calf resucitator have worked, it does say it you need a heart beat before resuscitating

With the one here that was coming upside down and backwards, the Vet gave it an injection to stabilise the heart, said work the front and back legs while still on its side. We had done the water in the ear and pinch between nostrils.

.

patsy_mccabe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955247#Comment_118955247

She just calved a large heifer. Would have been my last guess, expecting a large bull or maybe twins. Pulled her out with my bare hands. Got caught at the hips for a while but calf not under pressure. Trying to get up now.

Dozer1

bought 2 cows at a clearance sale a few months back, 2nd one calved this morning, both seemed ok in the mart but are 2 pure lunatics nervous as hell and will be getting the road as culls in the fall, maybe sooner if they don't settle.

7 spring cows only this year and all calved no issue, glad I cut back significantly this year just not work the hassle.

High bike

Have a first time calver here at 294 days to Knottstown Roy and not a sign of calving on her,has anyone found him to be long gestation??

James2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118955288#Comment_118955288

Vet showed me that trick a few years ago. I'll always do it if the calf isn't responding quick enough. I rubbed straw into it and worked all its muscles. Tried every trick I could think of. It just didn't have a connection with its neck or head for whatever reason. The mother has no milk so I'm a bit relieved not having to bottle an animal for the next month.

whelan2

Had a pedigree Angus heifer calving last night. First calf from a new bull we bought. Was very tight. Tongue swollen. Calf roaring as we were pulling it out. Got it out OK. Water in the ear etc. Drinking the mother now. Was a tough one

Gudstock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118947608#Comment_118947608

An update on this guy, he's on the right track now after a few days of very tough work (milking cow, trying to feed him and exercising him), getting up and feeding from bucket a few times a day and walking a little, now to train him to the cow, a dose of hunger to encourage him i think. I topped him up with 2cc of Draxxin and Melovem yesterday which appear to have encouraged the drive in him.

ABitofsense

What do lads do with their late calvers? I've a good gap til end of May for last 4. 2 are big PD LM heifers & their starting to get a bit fat in the shed. Silage is abit too good.

Sugarbowl

I’ve a cow due end of May as well. She’s inside now but I plan to leave her run with the cows in another week. I can’t leave her inside alonE. Thankfully I put an easy calving AI bull into her so hoping for the best. She just kept repeating. But she’s in great condition now. Saw a mart during the week and poor money for suckler cows like her.

3rd last one calved here this evening. Outside with no assistance. A little red saler heifer for myself!

mr.stonewall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118966358#Comment_118966358

Let them out to a small bit of ground and tie up a strip wire. Have 6 left to calve and they are in a small 1.5 acre wet paddock Plan on putting a few drains in it later this year so won't mind the damage. I move the wire on a small bit every day or so and they will skin in. Even have the rushes under the wire skint. Having them outside is great for them to loosen out. plan on putting them on the farm roadway when this is skint to clean the grass off.

Being outside is Better on man, better on beast and most important better on the pocket

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967575#Comment_118967575

One thing to watch out for with a late calver like that is that if there are cows bulling, she might go mad mounting them like a bull, something to do with their hormones going mad close to calving, they can throw their calf because of this, the placenta can become detached. When cows were calving nearly all year round years ago here i remember a few cows who lost calves this way and saw it happen on a neighbours farm last year. Could you leave her in the shed and give her hay.

Seven Saler calves off Manclaux so far here and six of them bulls, what is your heifer off?

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967804#Comment_118967804

+1

I let the last 4 out today into the paddocks beside the yard. I have a strip wire that I will move every few days but their isn't much grass on it cause I let cows out to graze it in Feb.

Sugarbowl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967805#Comment_118967805

I’ve 3 SA heifer calves…. 1 is Highfield Odhran and the other 2 are Dennis from Eurogene. All came red/blonde in colour. I’ve 1 bull out of Knottown Roy he’s black. Comparing them, Roy is the longest calf.

I’ve kept replacements off Dennis. Nice cows for me, milky as well.

RD10

Ended up having to do a section on a second calver I bought in.

Should it have been stated in the mart if she had a previous section done on her last year? Or is that luck of the draw?

Big hairy coat on her so didn't notice until now

Gudstock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118966232#Comment_118966232

6 days later and he's drinking the cow for the first time!

Are charolais just trouble for part time farmers? We've never had a charolais bull just AI'd a few last year. 2 of the 3 almost died, the Lapon lad above, and had a Lapon heifer at 9 days old almost die of pneumonia on Christmas eve... Are there certain CH bloodlines to go for that throw very very consistent small, hardy calves?

tanko

Yeah, I’d say on average Charolais calves are harder calved and can give more bother than other breeds. I’ve noticed a lot of part time farmers switching from CH to Lim bulls in recent years. Hard to beat a good easy calved Lim bull imo for part timers.

I’ve used Fiston a good bit, always found him very easy calved and very lively calves, some of them were nuts when they were older tho. He’s gone now but have seen sons of his about.

patsy_mccabe

I've seen Fiston calves here locally and you'd laugh if you saw them. They are unreal. I've never seen calves grew and fill out as quick. I polled one last week. Only about a month old and he was a serious animal. The farmer reckoned he'd get €600 for him in the mart and hard to disagree with him. Never seen them dopey when young though.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118972060#Comment_118972060

Limo all the way, more durable

James2022

Fiston has lively calves. Easy calving too. Pity he's gone. I tried simmental AI this year and they were tough. All needed a bottle and encouragement standing, no interest to suck the mother. The bulls just wanted to lay down and give up when born. Great calves though but would not want many of them since they needed extra attention.

Had a calf who took a bottle of colostrum when born but wouldn't suck the mother or feed from a bottle again. Left it alone for 12 hours. Mother wasn't to happy with a bag near bursting the next morning. Stuck the calf under her and he drained all 4 quarters. 90% of the time hunger is the answer.

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118979896#Comment_118979896

All Charolais calves bar 2 here, no difference in any, up and sucking within 10-15 mins, cows would be on oats, reduced silage and get a bit drench 21-28 days pre calving is a good help

Omallep2

Hi Hard Knocks, what type of drench do you give?

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118981401#Comment_118981401

We’re giving Cow Fertility

Stationmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118972060#Comment_118972060

we got a new ch bull last year. He's on the small side but lovely shape. 10 calves so far and only 1 pull with a LM cow. Savage looking calves. All calved outside (and during the day which was an extra bonus!).

Gudstock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118982748#Comment_118982748

What breeding is he?

minerleague

What starts has to finish, last one last night midnight. Cow goes loco around calving so had her in since morning, big lazy bull and hard to latch onto teats meant had to put her behind gate to suckle but he was helping so easy enough. Its always the wildish ones seem to need most help 😋 All out alive anyway, 2 older cows with mastitis ( easy cured thankfully ) this year and a bit of scour in 1 batch of calves, 3 first calvers calved on own and took to calves like oldtimers so happy overall.

alan10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904378#Comment_118904378

Not so lucky with next AA5373.

LMX Heifer 2 year old, walking round field with tail up for 2-3 hr Sunday morning~ 9am, took her in 1pm and feet there. Left for another hour, no pushing so I started jacking. Struggle to get head out and then hips stuck @ pelvis and lost the calf. Had to get vet out to quarter calf.

Huge calf – back quarters unreal for Angus – heifer very muscle/flesh also

Heifer down since calving, presume nerve damaged, lifted with hoist and once a day – no joy. Rang vet and nothing else they can recommend.

She’s eating, dunging (not urinating – it flows out when I lift her)

 Waiting on knackery to collect this evening.

Shes a twin – this is a pic of her sister, they are identical -  she was due Sunday also (they were synchronized to same bull) – not looking forward to this one.

Any recommendations?

Wonder if I tackled too early? Water bag wasn’t out …and she wasn’t pushing?

whelan2

I'd give her time. A week is what I normally do.

James2022

It's a hard call to make if you acted early or not. There is a point where you have to get the calf out. Housing/moving an animal that's calving always delays them calving too. No waterbag usually means a calf is coming backwards or has some malpresentation preventing it from coming. No pushing is a bad sign though, especially after 4 hours.

My recommendation is have her housed and have the vet on speed dial if there is a problem.

Stationmaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118982916#Comment_118982916

I was thrown in at the deep end here - first year at it so learning even the basics as I go! Do you mean what were his sires and dams names?

patsy_mccabe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118983917#Comment_118983917

Have you given up on the down heifer? You know, they do often get up. I find if you turn them over on the other side every day, it helps a lot with trapped gas etc. It also stops one side getting sore.

Mooooo

Finished yesterday, well I think so one heifer who I thought was empty has me wondering so will scan her. Week earlier than last year. If I could pull another week this year, just remind myself in June!

funkey_monkey

Got a calf with a drooping ear that has been diagnosed with Mycoplasma. Was given Draxxin. How long should it take to recover and how would it have picked it up? No other signs of it in the herd.

tellmeabit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118987409#Comment_118987409

Same as that. It's an effort but can sometimes you get reward. Can walk out some day and they would be up. Being outside helps a whole lot

whelan2

You'd know after a few days if they're going to get better. Always worth a chance

ginger22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118987435#Comment_118987435

Why would you need to scan her. Just put a hand in her same as AI, you will know if there is a calf there or not.

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118988258#Comment_118988258

Is that be rectal palpation?

RD10

@Funkey Monkey

I had that in a calf last year, absolute torture for a long time, although I don't think calf was diagnosed properly at beginning, a lot of messing with several different antibiotics for weeks. Calf was getting different stuff and might improve for 2 o 3 days but go bqck to square one again, sore drooped ear and not feeding right. was ready to give up on him a different vet suggested one last intervention. It worked thank god. Forget the name of it now but once he was a few weeks clear I shipped him and the mother off, wasn't chancing him getting sick again.

Did your cow have a mastitis by any chance?

my Cow was out in field and noticed her kicking at calf, taught it was down to her having lot of milk, was bringing calf in twice a day for a suck and didn't realise she had a mastitis til few days later on closer inspection. calf was starving coming in each time so would nearly suck her dry. I think he knew the bad one but still took little bits which I think led to it. I read somewhere before that can be the cause of it. Will post link if I can find.

Out of curiosity how is ur calf?

funkey_monkey

@RD10 - Still housed here as not enough grass ahead of them yet. Cow does not have mastitis. However, we'll run her up the crush tonight and double check. The calf is well filled out and not exhibiting any symptoms other than a droopy ear and maybe slight swelling at eye on same side. It seems to be sucking cow okay too and sporting about.

Only thing I'm wondering is whether he sucked a dirty teat and got an infection?

RD10

Droopey ear, cough, head tilt, swelling above the eye and after few weeks a bit of balance issue were all signs in my own calf but they all resolved thankfully. He was left with the slightest head tilt but would have to look at him very closely to notice.

Remember vet saying those middle ear infections are a bad dose and hard to treat and take a long time to heal.

If I remember correctly most antibiotics will not work against it, has to be a specific treatment so what I will say is make sure vet gives you the right stuff.

I Keep a diary here every year and Have all info wrote down, must check back on it this eve.

Great if calf is suckling well but definitely worth a look to check for mastitis.