When's calving starting 2020

Limestone Cowboy

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Ya shes grand, no loss on her after it. Going to take the calf of the heifer that hurt her leg on the gate the other day and put her on her I think. Don't think the heifer will come right again.

Had the vet out doing a section on another one of the heifers that stole the bull today, nice size ch bull out of a neighbours bull all ok. The one that got caught on the gate was in a lot of pain, not really eating or able to move around, the leg was just hanging off her and she was losing condition at an alarming rate so got the vet to put her out of her misery while she was there. Really turning into a year to forget. 4 sections, a prolapse, 6 calves lost, 1 cow lost and we're not even half way there yet. Had 1 section in the last 15 years before this year.

Who2

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Had the vet out doing a section on another one of the heifers that stole the bull today, nice size ch bull out of a neighbours bull all ok. The one that got caught on the gate was in a lot of pain, not really eating or able to move around, the leg was just hanging off her and she was losing condition at an alarming rate so got the vet to put her out of her misery while she was there. Really turning into a year to forget. 4 sections, a prolapse, 6 calves lost, 1 cow lost and we're not even half way there yet. Had 1 section in the last 15 years before this year.

Very similar year to me, 1 prolapse 7 lost calves, 1 lost cow bought a new bull which cant walk now. 1 twisted calf bed.
I brought the autumn calvers back as its their last year around here and ive had 5 calved in the last three days and all good, itll come good yet.

Limestone Cowboy

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Well fúck that. Sorry to hear LC.
Think I got damn lucky with my big white lad.

It was mostly my own fault in fairness, I probably left her a bit too long before I went to help her because she has always calved away herself and I pulled when I should have made the call and done a section. I've had tighter pulls with springers and smaller calves but those bigger ones won't take that kind of hardship. Cow stayed standing until he was out to the hips and he wasn't badly caught there either. Was straight up again afterwards.

Limestone Cowboy

Who2 wrote: »

Very similar year to me, 1 prolapse 7 lost calves, 1 lost cow bought a new bull which cant walk now. 1 twisted calf bed.
I brought the autumn calvers back as its their last year around here and ive had 5 calved in the last three days and all good, itll come good yet.

My lim bull is up in a heap aswell, never seen anything as lame as he was last week. Got him pared and 2 shoes put on him but it'll be a long time before he's fit to bull anything again if he ever straightens up properly again. I was only kinda keeping him in reserve until the middle of June incase one of the other lads packed up and had planned on selling him. Not looking like a great plan now.

Who2

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

My lim bull is up in a heap aswell, never seen anything as lame as he was last week. Got him pared and 2 shoes put on him but it'll be a long time before he's fit to bull anything again if he ever straightens up properly again. I was only kinda keeping him in reserve until the middle of June incase one of the other lads packed up and had planned on selling him. Not looking like a great plan now.

mines the same, double hoof on both back legs, got shoes put on to try give one side a chance to repair but hes lost them and spends most of his time lying on his side. Im partly blaming hard ground but vet reckons its minerals and change of diet which kicked it off.

Mac Taylor

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Had the vet out doing a section on another one of the heifers that stole the bull today, nice size ch bull out of a neighbours bull all ok. The one that got caught on the gate was in a lot of pain, not really eating or able to move around, the leg was just hanging off her and she was losing condition at an alarming rate so got the vet to put her out of her misery while she was there. Really turning into a year to forget. 4 sections, a prolapse, 6 calves lost, 1 cow lost and we're not even half way there yet. Had 1 section in the last 15 years before this year.

Hi LC, keep the head up.... 2 yrs ago I lost 4 calves, 3/4 cows got screwed up....jeez I thought I’ve enough of this but kept plugging away....I also had a lovely dancer bull sold and he was infertile when I tested him. I know my tale of woe is of no good to you but at some stage we all have a year to forget and that’s just it as best you can move on and chalk it up.

squinn2912

One to go here now. Second calved just fired out a nice red calf at the dead of her leisure. Delighted with that. Well have to give her a jag in a month to try and take her back into the crowd

Rushy Fields

2last cow due to calve since Monday. Shes very edgy..... up and down the 3 acre field all day .... tail out evry so often.... lifting the back right lege every now and again.... Bag not fully filled yet and pins halfway down.... should i.leave her alone? Shes grazing away and doesnt seem sick. Just concerned there maybe isues inside?? Anyone shed some light or advice. Shes a TVR x Cow in calf to LM2014....

whelan2

Rushy Fields wrote: »

2last cow due to calve since Monday. Shes very edgy..... up and down the 3 acre field all day .... tail out evry so often.... lifting the back right lege every now and again.... Bag not fully filled yet and pins halfway down.... should i.leave her alone? Shes grazing away and doesnt seem sick. Just concerned there maybe isues inside?? Anyone shed some light or advice. Shes a TVR x Cow in calf to LM2014....

I'd handle her tbh. Could be a leg bent down or calf coming backwards or twisted womb

Who2

whelan2 wrote: »

I'd handle her tbh. Could be a leg bent down or calf coming backwards or twisted womb

Apparently there’s a lot of twisted calf beds the last few weeks. Id another few calves today, nine left to go, these have been moved from autumn to summer. Anything that doesn’t take in the next month will be hanging up next year.

Lady Haywire

Ya, I'd handle her too. You won't do her any harm to just check all is OK. The cow we lost with the twisted bed was similar to how you describe. Not saying it's that or anything at all but if she was mine I'd not be able to sleep unless I checked her :O

Hard Knocks

whelan2 wrote: »

I'd handle her tbh. Could be a leg bent down or calf coming backwards or twisted womb

Had a heifer last week calve Backways, she was edgy most of the day, even tried rising on other cows
Didn’t realize it was a sign something was up
Know for again

patsy_mccabe

Neighbour had a cow acting like that before. Twisted uterus.

High bike

Had one here last year the very same pacing up and down the ditch all day with the tail up and down and grazing away.Was lucky got her on time there was a leg down

Limestone Cowboy

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Neighbour had a cow acting like that before. Twisted uterus.

You'd see it with big calfs too. They don't really start pushing until the head is up in the channel and sometimes they aren't able to put the calf up enough. I'd to section 2 springers that were acting the same, fully open but pelvis wasn't big enough to let the head through. Going around grazing and chewing the cud with their tail in the sky and no pushing.

tanko

Had two LM2014 calves here this year, he seems to be very easy calved.
A TVR cow should be popping out an Ivor calf no bother. There must be something wrong in this case.

Rushy Fields

tanko wrote: »

Had two LM2014 calves here this year, he seems to be very easy calved.
A TVR cow should be popping out an Ivor calf no bother. There must be something wrong in this case.

Handled the cow at 4am no sign of anything coming.... left her alone.
Vet arrived out at 9:30. Handled her.... nothing happening but she was fully open. Calf coming in right direction but no pushing fom cow... Said it was safe to pull calf out so i said lets do it....
Put the jack ropes on calf and pulled the calf out... she helped a small bit but it was a ok pull. No Jack required.....
Vet said it could be .a lack in oxitosin in cow because she wasnt pushing...
Anyway all ended good. Thanks everyone for your advice.....

bogman_bass

Rushy Fields wrote: »

Handled the cow at 4am no sign of anything coming.... left her alone.
Vet arrived out at 9:30. Handled her.... nothing happening but she was fully open. Calf coming in right direction but no pushing fom cow... Said it was safe to pull calf out so i said lets do it....
Put the jack ropes on calf and pulled the calf out... she helped a small bit but it was a ok pull. No Jack required.....
Vet said it could be .a lack in oxitosin in cow because she wasnt pushing...
Anyway all ended good. Thanks everyone for your advice.....

I had a cow like that last autumn. A seasoned calver so I don’t know why but she was fully open but fought me every step of the way trying to suck the calf back in.

addaword

Mac Taylor wrote: »

Hi LC, keep the head up.... 2 yrs ago I lost 4 calves, 3/4 cows got screwed up....jeez I thought I’ve enough of this but kept plugging away....I also had a lovely dancer bull sold and he was infertile when I tested him.

I remember I had a year like that once too. All you can do is keep going. In ally my many years I learnt there are odd bad times, you have to take the rough with the smooth.

Biscuitus

If a cow is restless with her tail up and no waterbag then in my experience its a backwards calf. You will often see they will sit down to push and then jump back up again.

patsy_mccabe

tanko wrote: »

Wait til you see the end and top on him in a few weeks, great muscle to them.

This is him now at 2 weeks (Gamin - ZGM bull calf). 5 Star for both Terminal and Maternal. For €10 a straw, it's great value compared what some of the AI companies are asking for unproven bulls.

Gamin Calf.jpg

Durrus Boy

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

This is him now at 2 weeks (Gamin - ZGM bull calf). 5 Star for both Terminal and Maternal. For €10 a straw, it's great value compared what some of the AI companies are asking for unproven bulls.

Gamin Calf.jpg

ZGM is the best and most consistent LM bull commercially available in AI in my opinion. Have had nearly over 50 now in past 3 years and none of them have disappointed

tanko

Yeah, he's a serious bull and very easy calved on cows.
Have you used him on heifers?

patsy_mccabe

tanko wrote: »

Yeah, he's a serious bull and very easy calved on cows.
Have you used him on heifers?

Ya I used him on a XGL heifer a week ago. Said I'd chance him on her as she's fairly square at the hips.

High bike

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Ya I used him on a XGL heifer a week ago. Said I'd chance him on her as she's fairly square at the hips.

thats a nice calf Patsy, what age will that heifer be calving at?

patsy_mccabe

High bike wrote: »

thats a nice calf Patsy, what age will that heifer be calving at?

30 months. She should be grand by then.

High bike

Was talking to a man that keeps a good few pure bred limos and he was saying that they should be well up to calving at 27 or 28 mts to an easyish calving bull

patsy_mccabe

High bike wrote: »

Was talking to a man that keeps a good few pure bred limos and he was saying that they should be well up to calving at 27 or 28 mts to an easyish calving bull

A lot of it with me, is to do with housing, or lack of it. Prefer to calf them as close as possible to grass.

charolais0153

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

A lot of it with me, is to do with housing, or lack of it. Prefer to calf them as close as possible to grass.

Tis easier keep a calf from september to april rather than a bull from april till the following year if ya get me, imo

patsy_mccabe

charolais0153 wrote: »

Tis easier keep a calf from september to april rather than a bull from april till the following year if ya get me, imo

True. Everyone wants to buy their breeding bull in April/May.