When Calving Starting

Brown Podzol

Put this calf transporter together over the holidays, while Mahony was scratching his hole. Channel iron is from 10 year old decommissioned scraper rail and the quick attach bracket is off an old shear grab. Floor is an old slat mat. Only purchase is two sheets of Stokbord, €100.



http://imgur.com/b428OPk
http://imgur.com/vjM51UZ

Dawggone

frazzledhome wrote: »

There are 2 full time here. We have a contract milker who had surgery last Oct and is back to work Tomorrow.

We have a yard man (his words) taken on for calving. He works 8 to 6 5 days a week. We also have a young lad we can call on

For calving we do nights ourselves with yard man doing 1 per week. Feed near calvers at midnight and head to bed if nothing is calving. Back in yard a 5.30, very few night calvings.

Well set up with a large straw bedded shed that holds 60 cows near calving. A few headlock gates with all kit to hand.

Last year we were nearly dead moving cows, spent money on 10 well positioned and HUNG gates so now moving or drafting a cow is a one man job day or night.

Much the same system here but we didn't have to do any conversions as we stopped doing bull beef and now have 33 (I think!) individual calving pens. Very handy..
Same as you we feed at 10 or 11 o clock at night and back in yard at 5:30.
In fairness the majority calve during daytime.

mahoney_j

Brown Podzol wrote: »

Put this calf transporter together over the holidays, while Mahony was scratching his hole. Channel iron is from 10 year old decommissioned scraper rail and the quick attach bracket is off an old shear grab. Floor is an old slat mat. Only purchase is two sheets of Stokbord, €100.



http://imgur.com/b428OPk
http://imgur.com/vjM51UZ

Fine job won't have to scratch my hole for rest of year ,last week has been some shock to system .up at 6.30,barely out of yard at 6 and up a couple of nights .have to say love been busy again

Reggie.

Brown Podzol wrote: »

Put this calf transporter together over the holidays, while Mahony was scratching his hole. Channel iron is from 10 year old decommissioned scraper rail and the quick attach bracket is off an old shear grab. Floor is an old slat mat. Only purchase is two sheets of Stokbord, €100.



http://imgur.com/b428OPk
http://imgur.com/vjM51UZ

Great job

whelan2

had 3 heifers calved during the night 2 calved grand by themselves the last one is very nervous, put her down crush, when i got the calf out she kicked back with her 2 legs and sent the jack flying, not looking forward to milking her

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

So exciting reading all about the new babies! Hope they all arrive safe and sound

whelan2

learnt a lesson last night, always store calving jack inside, it was frozen over when i went to get it , also to leave it ready for action, took a while to get it working

Greengrass1

whelan2 wrote: »

learnt a lesson last night, always store calving jack inside, it was frozen over when i went to get it , also to leave it ready for action, took a while to get it working

How's the back?

whelan2

Greengrass1 wrote: »

How's the back?

grand now thanks, must be all the rest i got:)

Timmaay

Pulled out the Jack this morning for the 1st time this year this morning, gentle pull on a reasonably big heifer calf, then 20mins later had to jack out a monster of a AA bull calf from a heifer, who was dead. Annoying but the heifer is ok, I'll have to keep an eye on the rest of the incalfs, the 2nd cut silage they are on is obviously better stuff than I thought.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Why was he dead? our cow had a deaf calf once and the vet cut the head calves head off (I don't know why) but she had to be tested for some disease

whelan2

Timmaay wrote: »

Pulled out the Jack this morning for the 1st time this year this morning, gentle pull on a reasonably big heifer calf, then 20mins later had to jack out a monster of a AA bull calf from a heifer, who was dead. Annoying but the heifer is ok, I'll have to keep an eye on the rest of the incalfs, the 2nd cut silage they are on is obviously better stuff than I thought.

these things happen, milk lorry man woke me up at 5 this morning that there was a heifer calving against the wall, calf half out and stuck ,jack was frozen, he gave me a hand to get calf out which was dead, big aa bull calf. Thinking of getting a calving camera in, i replaced the house windows with double glazed windows and dont hear anything from calving shed anymore

howdee

Everything was going grand till last night. Had a cow that was lazy calving last year and the calf died so I was ready this year. Bulled her to Hyd and easy calving bull and she was coming 8 days early. What arrive was a monster of a bull calf with one leg down that had to nearly be c sectioned out of her.. The calf was nearly dead but we revived him. He only started walking an hour ago.

oooge1

whelan2 wrote: »

these things happen, milk lorry man woke me up at 5 this morning that there was a heifer calving against the wall, calf half out and stuck ,jack was frozen, he gave me a hand to get calf out which was dead, big aa bull calf. Thinking of getting a calving camera in, i replaced the house windows with double glazed windows and dont hear anything from calving shed anymore

You have a good milkman , pity about the out come

Nettleman

my first cow is due twins next month-LZF. 5.7% CD. I haven't calved twins ever. Think im going to just get vet out as soon as she starts. any advise? Shes nearly 6 years old, 4th calf. Calved on her own last year outdoors.

tanko

Nettleman wrote: »

my first cow is due twins next month-LZF. 5.7% CD. I haven't calved twins ever. Think im going to just get vet out as soon as she starts. any advise? Shes nearly 6 years old, 4th calf. Calved on her own last year outdoors.

Had several cows with twins last year. Usually with twins one or both calves will come backways so will have to be pulled. Once the first one comes out it's important to get the second one out fairly quick.
The one good thing about twins is that they are smaller than a single calf, once you get them straightened up inside the cow they are usually easy enough got out.
She might fire them out herself but if you don't feel confident calving her yourself then getting the vet is a good idea.
Cows having twins usually calve a week or so earlier than having a single calf.

Miname

Nettleman wrote: »

my first cow is due twins next month-LZF. 5.7% CD. I haven't calved twins ever. Think im going to just get vet out as soon as she starts. any advise? Shes nearly 6 years old, 4th calf. Calved on her own last year outdoors.

ive never had any difficulty with twins, 90% of the time they'll calve herself cause the calves are that much smaller. i wouldnt be panicking about the vet unless somethings wrong. give them plenty of time even between the first and second calf

mf240

Nettleman wrote: »

my first cow is due twins next month-LZF. 5.7% CD. I haven't calved twins ever. Think im going to just get vet out as soon as she starts. any advise? Shes nearly 6 years old, 4th calf. Calved on her own last year outdoors.

As said one may come backwards its often the second one. Unless they both present together ( youll feel three or four legs) which is unlikly then you should have no bother. But if your not cofident then get the vet. But try to learn from him for a next time.

Best of luck with it .

Miname

tanko wrote: »

Had several cows with twins last year. Usually with twins one or both calves will come backways so will have to be pulled. Once the first one comes out it's important to get the second one out fairly quick.
The one good thing about twins is that they are smaller than a single calf, once you get them straightened up inside the cow they are usually easy enough got out.
She might fire them out herself but if you don't feel confident calving her yourself then getting the vet is a good idea.
Cows having twins usually calve a week or so earlier than having a single calf.

why do you feel a calf has to come out quickly once the first is calved? ive left cows 2 hrs between first and second caf here and no issue.

tanko

Miname wrote: »

why do you feel a calf has to come out quickly once the first is calved? ive left cows 2 hrs between first and second caf here and no issue.

I'm just speaking from my own experience of calving cows with twins over the years. I've seen a couple of cases where the cow was left to her own devices to put the second calf out and it arrived stillborn. I don't take this chance anymore, once the first one is out I try to get the second one out promptly. Doing this has worked well for me anyway.
There is always the risk the second calf is coming backways so the sooner it's out the better in my opinion.

trixi2011

Waiting on a heifer to calve here bag out a half an hour ago just looked in on her now and she has the feet out had a quick look round the pen 3 more have calved while I've been waiting could be a long night yet

Kovu

Miname wrote: »

why do you feel a calf has to come out quickly once the first is calved? ive left cows 2 hrs between first and second caf here and no issue.

I don't know about tanko but we try to get them out quick here as otherwise the mother will bond with one calf and ignore the other one when it eventually appears. Usually comes backwards too. Or else she wont see it and lies on it

mf240

tanko wrote: »

I'm just speaking from my own experience of calving cows with twins over the years. I've seen a couple of cases where the cow was left to her own devices to put the second calf out and it arrived stillborn. I don't take this chance anymore, once the first one is out I try to get the second one out promptly. Doing this has worked well for me anyway.
There is always the risk the second calf is coming backways so the sooner it's out the better in my opinion.

The second calf is under no pressure. But id always just get him out anyway incase as you say that hes coming backwards. Have seen cows calve two by themselves but why risk it.

mahoney_j

Smashing night to be up calving,full moon and dry and crisp.went to check calving pens and set of twins looking at me,bull and heifer though both up and munching away so left them at it.beds more appealing at 3 am

Greengrass1

How many get up during the night?
DG member milking 120 but calving 150 with some help from his father gets up at 3. If he didn't he'd be run off his feet in the morning.

mahoney_j

Greengrass1 wrote: »

How many get up during the night?
DG member milking 120 but calving 150 with some help from his father gets up at 3. If he didn't he'd be run off his feet in the morning.

Check stock at 10 o click and anything showing signs of calving goes to calving pens where I have a camera which can be monitored from phone/laptop.alternate every second night with dad .get up at 3 am every night for peak calving.

whelan2

first yad calf there now, twins heifer and bull

kevthegaff

Im up every night twice normally, most calve at night 5 yesterday n and 3 last night. Beauty of crossbreds just keep an eye on them and feed the calf when theyre popped out, rarely use the jack and also they dont seem to build a bond compare to the fr/ho.

kevthegaff

kevthegaff wrote: »

Im up every night twice normally, most calve at night 5 yesterday n and 3 last night. Beauty of crossbreds just keep an eye on them and feed the calf when theyre popped out, rarely use the jack and also they dont seem to build a bond compare to the fr/ho.

have a camera on tablet too

oooge1

Well it kicked of here last night had four calve , one bull and four heifers (twin heifers) whaaa hoo !!