Calving 2024

whelan2

Had a calf born this morning, pedigree Angus bull. Calved herself. Best of luck to all for calving 2024.

IMG-20240101-WA0001.jpg

Reggie.

Can't wait for calving 2024. Such a stress free time of the year

limo_100

I have a few heifers BB heifers calving in the next 10 days or so although going by there elders they may calve very early. But this year I decided to try a few new things so I have vax the cows with rotavac for scours ( do in batch's of 5) I have also bought the intranasal MSD pneumonia vaccine which I will administer when born and also do the navels with iodine as normal. Also will inject some multi-min injection as recommend by people on here.

Just wondering is there anything else I should be giving or anything people find good as I see gut tablets recommended and so on or am I fairly well covered?

Lime Tree Farm

We do the rotevac. Cow Pre-calver mineral licks (dairygold as they reject other brands). Tight calving pattern, close watching for signs of calving, plus on the camera. Colostrum within an hour of calving, iodine on the navel. Liberal use of hydro lime under the straw in the calving shed. That's the regime here, no calf vaccines for 3 months as they are on suckler cows, which reduces the efficacy.

golodge

We already started. The first three heifers landed on the 29th of December. Curently have six calves on the ground, the last one was born last night. 5:1 heifers win so far... Also noticed way longer gestations this year. The first photo with latest arrival. The only bull calf is pure limousin, sired by the french bull JT. He baked for 298 days and weighed 55,5kg. Only one cow calved before 285- at 283rd. Night's girl arrived at 295th day.

Lime Tree Farm

New postal rates - how much does postage cost for BVD and a separate cost for posting DNA samples ?

https://www.anpost.com/getmedia/1e370768-00b8-4cd1-bf66-b6054403296b/A3-Postal-Rates-Poster-Feb2024.pdf

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121600976#Comment_121600976

I was charged €2.40 to post one BVD sample a few weeks ago. I’m sure Francie Gormless will do something about this racket or maybe he won’t bother his hole.

Anto_Meath

The local argi store at the Mart collects the BVD samples, it's very handy, it's €2.50 a sample & you get your texts back the following Saturday. But the whole BVD thing is a bit of a sham at this stage.

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121601425#Comment_121601425

Local farmer had a positive last year, his only 1. Dam was an aged heifer

whelan2

Bit of a **** show atm getting calves registered, waiting on genotyping. Very hard to get through to tag supplier to order genotype tags for remaining tags from last year

Diarmuid B

Two calved so far, one Prohurst Eoghan off a AA/Lim heifer. Smashing calf with a good frame.

Twins then came on Christmas Day off an AA/SHX young cow, second fella was big and is knuckled on his front legs. Right leg is sorted now but left one is still not great. Physio every day will hopefully see him right🤞

Anto_Meath

@Hard Knocks I had a case last year too. First time ever, in a third calving cow that generations of her breed were on reared on the farm. It some pain in the hole.. they don't let you retest the animal or anything like that. You have 10 days to get rid of it and then they will pay you your €220 compensation in 12 months time. Plus you must blood test everything & vaccinate all females over 6 months for two years. There is no one in any department to talk to.. only for my vet I don't know what I would have done. I am told they done a desk top investigation and were of the opinion that the likely source was a neighbouring farm that a dealer has rented. Seemingly he had bought cull cows the year before that came from a farm that had an outbreak.

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121601652#Comment_121601652

The first year was always going to be a shambles, there are going to be very long delays getting calves registered.

Why did you sign up to it, i don’t see what you have to gain from it.

whelan2

I suppose for the pedigree angus really, getting hair samples back that they're not sufficient etc

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121603504#Comment_121603504

Forgot about the Angus cattle, do all the dairy calves have to be genotyped before you get the blue card?

whelan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121603617#Comment_121603617

Ye, send away samples then when results come up you get the card

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121603628#Comment_121603628

Do you have to wait for the DNA results before registering on AIM, or can you go ahead and register the calf with what you believe is the true parentage, and they will subquently release the blue card when they receive the DNA confirmation that your registration is correct.

whelan2

Yes you can register them but they wont appear on icbf until the sample has been tested. Then you'll get the card.

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121603695#Comment_121603695

Thanks for the info.

ABitofsense

How long is it taking roughly? When they announced the scheme think it was 7 days turnaround but wonder is that the actual case now

whelan2

We had to order the genotype tags for the remainder of what we had left last year, they arrived today. Will post samples tomorrow and let ye know how long it takes

whelan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121601096#Comment_121601096

Buy books of stamps when on offer. Think there was 1 or 2 free in the Christmas booklet, i bought 4 packs. There'll be another offer for valentines. They all have the N on them

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121603838#Comment_121603838

Last year it would take anywhere from 7 to 30 days. This year is going to be tough at peak calving times

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121603852#Comment_121603852

My button tags arrived today also, just wondering if their small little ears will have space for all that jewellery

whelan2

Ye tagged one this evening, will have to put a bit more time into tagging them now

Diarmuid B

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121603838#Comment_121603838

i have results for two that were sent in, took 16 and 19 days from when the lab received them to when they were processed.

whelan2

A calf I tagged yesterday with 3 tags has lost 2 of them today, the eid and genotype tags

patsy_mccabe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121608801#Comment_121608801

I smell a Dept inspection. 😎

sonnybill

I have 2 December bulls, 1 new red and 1 cavesland Levi (he quality)

nothing now until march , nice break ! Still looking forward to them went back to ai last year for majority , have twin bb’s en route etc

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121609405#Comment_121609405

Have you had many Levi calves and what do you think of him overall. I’ve used Loki (PTExCF52) with success

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121596766#Comment_121596766

You have very nice healthy stock. What system do you use when choosing which bulls to use on your cows/heifers. Does Lithuania publish a EuroStar system for judging stock.