Thank God for quiet cattle!

KatyMac

Had a herd test today and one of my incalf cows wasn't able to fit in the crush. She must be carrying a big calf or twins (she had a set coupla years ago)! Anyway, we had to use a spare gate and squash her against a wall to get her injected. Not something I'd like to do if she was mad, but she just stood there without a move. The vet wasn't that convinced when I said it would work! Good job we didn't have to take blood this year.
She has 3 weeks to go before due date, so hope she doesnt get much bigger

grazeaway

KatyMac wrote: »

Had a herd test today and one of my incalf cows wasn't able to fit in the crush. She must be carrying a big calf or twins (she had a set coupla years ago)! Anyway, we had to use a spare gate and squash her against a wall to get her injected. Not something I'd like to do if she was mad, but she just stood there without a move. The vet wasn't that convinced when I said it would work! Good job we didn't have to take blood this year.
She has 3 weeks to go before due date, so hope she doesnt get much bigger

yipp quite cows are great. most of ours are grand but there is always one or two that can get a bit narky. we have 3 AAX's that dont like going into the crush and just drop the head down and blow snot every where. we had one a few years ago that we had to knock out in order to do a c-section on her.

That said i wouldnt swap them, we can walk in around them easy enough and move and handle them fine. They are not as quite as milking cows but we can still hand milk most of them if we need to. Was over at my neighbors on saturday to help him get a stone out of a cows leg. Jaysus that was some fun. cattle not used to people or going into sheds and defo didnt like the idea of a crush.

hugo29

KatyMac wrote: »

Had a herd test today and one of my incalf cows wasn't able to fit in the crush. She must be carrying a big calf or twins (she had a set coupla years ago)! Anyway, we had to use a spare gate and squash her against a wall to get her injected. Not something I'd like to do if she was mad, but she just stood there without a move. The vet wasn't that convinced when I said it would work! Good job we didn't have to take blood this year.
She has 3 weeks to go before due date, so hope she doesnt get much bigger

some say that testing can bring the cows to calving quicker, watch her

greysides

hugo29 wrote: »

some say that testing can bring the cows to calving quicker, watch her

My impression of that is that it only applies if they are close to calving, say a week, and it advances them by a few days.

KatyMac

hugo29 wrote: »

some say that testing can bring the cows to calving quicker, watch her

I'm hoping she'll bring every day with her just so that we might actually get into spring weather. She is outside on a reasonably dry farm. I have another one who is due on Friday, which is off test day - could be fun, as she isn't the calmest when it comes to calving! I also have all fingers crossed as there have been a few gone down with TB in the locality. I don't normally buy in, so am hoping!

Bodacious

Jees I wouldn't like to put heavy in calf cows through the shoot at this time of year, won't you have to get calves retested then before October sales ... Mid summer annual test when all calved suits me

Figerty

Had a 'crush resistant cow' a few years ago that stood up when the vet clipped her with scissors and only moved on the second jab!

not a hope of putting her in, but she just stood there. I stood in front of and she let the vet work away. Got her in the 'wrong way' of the head gate later for the blood.

keep going

a few years back we had a couple of cows that aborted and that time you had to get a blood test done for brucelosis 8 weeks later.at this stage they were on out farm and the vet called one day as he was in the area to blood them.the problem was there was no crush on that bit of ground so he thought we were goosed but i said we d give it a go.we just walked up to the cows in the middle of the field, i caught their heads and he took the bloods-he said he never saw anything like it:D

grazeaway

keep going wrote: »

a few years back we had a couple of cows that aborted and that time you had to get a blood test done for brucelosis 8 weeks later.at this stage they were on out farm and the vet called one day as he was in the area to blood them.the problem was there was no crush on that bit of ground so he thought we were goosed but i said we d give it a go.we just walked up to the cows in the middle of the field, i caught their heads and he took the bloods-he said he never saw anything like it:D

my dad had a few of those kinda cows when he used to milk. we had one cow that was so tame that we would very seldom need to put her in a crush. if we needed to take a stone out of her foot and missed her in teh parlour we could just walk up to her and be able to lift her leg in the field.

that said she could get very unpredicable after calving and once went for me in the shed when i was injecting the new born calf. I would always try to give myself a bit of protection and so did it behind a cubicle. we had to get in the tractor to straighen the cubicle she hit it so hard. 2 days later and seh was back to normal. so id always be wary of even the quitest animal, they are huge after all and could do serious damge to you if they wanted to

EastTyrone

know a man who got into the milking lately, he bought ten freshly calved heifers way down in Wexford country and when he landed in the mans yard and reversed up to load them the farmer said "now before I let these cows out I don't want any of use to put a stick on a n animals back or shout a word at a beast" the man opened the pen they were in said "come on" and the 10 heifers followed the man onto the lorry and he was fit to walk through them to the back of the lorry again, he said to do the same when they got home and they did it and it worked! Also now they won't come into the parlour unless the man leads the in himself!

KatyMac

Bodacious wrote: »

Jees I wouldn't like to put heavy in calf cows through the shoot at this time of year, won't you have to get calves retested then before October sales ... Mid summer annual test when all calved suits me

I found the Department very awkward when I asked 2 years ago for my test to be put on into April/May. I'd had an accident and was on crutches. I rang and they went into a long explanation - the end result being that I was given 2 weeks grace and warned if I didn't get the test done in that period I would be restricted, etc, etc, etc! Ended up having to draft in a neighbour to help. I'm going to give it another go though. After yesterday. It wasn't fair on either man nor beast. As to having to get the calves tested, I generally don't have many to sell in the back end so that has never been much of a problem. Most of my sales are done in the spring.

Bodacious

KatyMac wrote: »

I found the Department very awkward when I asked 2 years ago for my test to be put on into April/May. I'd had an accident and was on crutches. I rang and they went into a long explanation - the end result being that I was given 2 weeks grace and warned if I didn't get the test done in that period I would be restricted, etc, etc, etc! Ended up having to draft in a neighbour to help. I'm going to give it another go though. After yesterday. It wasn't fair on either man nor beast. As to having to get the calves tested, I generally don't have many to sell in the back end so that has never been much of a problem. Most of my sales are done in the spring.

It took me a couple of years to get it where i wanted.. kept pushing back on them and gaining 3 weeks to a month between vet and dept. it is lovely now in june time all calves stamped for selling in october/nov

i just took over a herdnumber now though that is february test so ill be looking to get that out until june some how as id like to get all tested on same day

Sam Kade

I had a friesian/Holstein heifer calve 2 days ago. I milked her by hand in the cubicals after she calved. I had a bullock that I bought a few years ago and he was stone mad every time he was put through the crush he would keep going and jump the crush gate.

Western Pomise

Have mainly shorthorn cows with good frames,all bar one giddy lady can be handmilked after calving if any hassle.Had an AAx cow around 10 years ago that we bought in calf to replace a cow that died after calving,she was old enough when bought but calved a fine Char heifir calf a month later,it was coming to end of lambing season,had had lucky year and only ended up with one pet lamb,was pain having to feed pet every day on her own....you guessed it:)...I had noticed cow was like a pure pet,brought the pet lamb into byre when she was due a feed,cow was tied up,put lamb in under her,put teat in her mouth and waited for the fireworks,she took one look at lamb and continued chewing the cud!....she reared her calf and the lamb for the summer...when the vet came to test in back end the lamb ran into the pen after the cow as she was been tested,Sent a picture of the calf and lamb sucking the cow at the same time in mid summer into the Journal....Pr**ks never printed it or returned it!!.....kept lamb to be a ewe but she never went in lamb so sold her as a 3 year old.

keep going

Bodacious wrote: »

It took me a couple of years to get it where i wanted.. kept pushing back on them and gaining 3 weeks to a month between vet and dept. it is lovely now in june time all calves stamped for selling in october/nov

i just took over a herdnumber now though that is february test so ill be looking to get that out until june some how as id like to get all tested on same day

next thing you or your neighbour will have a reactor or doubtfull and throw the whole thing out -i did the same and the next thing contiguos test has put mid march:(

Figerty

Western Pomise wrote: »

Have mainly shorthorn cows with good frames,all bar one giddy lady can be handmilked after calving if any hassle.Had an AAx cow around 10 years ago that we bought in calf to replace a cow that died after calving,she was old enough when bought but calved a fine Char heifir calf a month later,it was coming to end of lambing season,had had lucky year and only ended up with one pet lamb,was pain having to feed pet every day on her own....you guessed it:)...I had noticed cow was like a pure pet,brought the pet lamb into byre when she was due a feed,cow was tied up,put lamb in under her,put teat in her mouth and waited for the fireworks,she took one look at lamb and continued chewing the cud!....she reared her calf and the lamb for the summer...when the vet came to test in back end the lamb ran into the pen after the cow as she was been tested,Sent a picture of the calf and lamb sucking the cow at the same time in mid summer into the Journal....Pr**ks never printed it or returned it!!.....kept lamb to be a ewe but she never went in lamb so sold her as a 3 year old.

Have you still got the negative?

Bodacious

keep going wrote: »

next thing you or your neighbour will have a reactor or doubtfull and throw the whole thing out -i did the same and the next thing contiguos test has put mid march:(

Probably that's what will happen alright running too smooth at the minute, this year I even got both herds tested on a Wednesday evening and read on a Saturday morning... Only 1/2 day off of work ... Result !!

KatyMac

Happy days! All passed. No calf(s) yet. The test didn't upset any cow. I've started dismantling the crush - will make it a wee bit wider. I've just realised that its against a wall that has 'bellied' a little, so we will rearrange things a little for next year!!

Western Pomise

Think we have....tbh we have piles of negatives and developed photos that are gathering dust and never put in albums,was bit peeved at time that Journal didnt print it....wouldnt imagine it was that common ....our vet who had around 30 years experience at time had never seen it before.It used to be funny to watch the cow in field,her calf would stroll over to suck her,the lamb could be 30 metres away but would run over and get in the far side or suck her from behind,he had one teat and the calf had three to work on.

freedominacup

Western Pomise wrote: »

Think we have....tbh we have piles of negatives and developed photos that are gathering dust and never put in albums,was bit peeved at time that Journal didnt print it....wouldnt imagine it was that common ....our vet who had around 30 years experience at time had never seen it before.It used to be funny to watch the cow in field,her calf would stroll over to suck her,the lamb could be 30 metres away but would run over and get in the far side or suck her from behind,he had one teat and the calf had three to work on.

Well here's your chance scan into whatever app the lads use here for scans and upload it onto this thread and you'll have your publication of it and the comic can go hang.

The rest of us will make a point of getting it to go viral and they'll have to publish so all the oul' fellas with no web access can see what all the fuss is about.

Figerty

You can buy a toke for scanning in negative and converting them to 'positives'. You get the full image digitised.

Would be good to see the picture.

yellow50HX

Western Pomise wrote: »

Think we have....tbh we have piles of negatives and developed photos that are gathering dust and never put in albums,was bit peeved at time that Journal didnt print it....wouldnt imagine it was that common ....our vet who had around 30 years experience at time had never seen it before.It used to be funny to watch the cow in field,her calf would stroll over to suck her,the lamb could be 30 metres away but would run over and get in the far side or suck her from behind,he had one teat and the calf had three to work on.

Isn't google great.
http://hamptonroads.com/2012/02/lambs-milk-motherly-spirit-virginia-beach-cow

Western Pomise

Western Pomise wrote: »

Think we have....tbh we have piles of negatives and developed photos that are gathering dust and never put in albums,was bit peeved at time that Journal didnt print it....wouldnt imagine it was that common ....our vet who had around 30 years experience at time had never seen it before.It used to be funny to watch the cow in field,her calf would stroll over to suck her,the lamb could be 30 metres away but would run over and get in the far side or suck her from behind,he had one teat and the calf had three to work on.

When I say we have loads of old negatives thats includes family photos etc so will will have a look to dig out one of cow some wet day....have a feeling Figerty is a bit of a doubting Thomas ...but that pic of cow proves it can and does happen....plenty of our farming neighbours saw the calf and lamb on the cow at the time too....lamb was a local celebrity:)

bogman_bass

Best cow in the herd calved Yesterday morning. So quiet I could hand milk her as she licked the calf. As quiet as any dairy cow we had

1chippy

We were dehorning calves on sat and had a cow actually snap one gate of the hinges and made a fair go on the second one while we were dehoring her calf. we knew she would be a bit of work so she still had another one to go through to get to us. I think its time we hang her up.