Calving 2019 - Advice and Help thread

Had a heifer I bought last year, calf last night. She's a purebred limousin and when I bought her the guy that owned her said she was quiet. Even a neighbour of his that helped me load her said she had no badness in her, just that she was giddy. She was trying to jump walls when we were loading her.

Well, she turned out to be an absolute pet. Last night she was as quiet as a lamb. Even let me stand up the calf in the field. But I thought no way she let him drink as she kept kicking and knocking him when he got near her. Off home to change the clothes, leggings the whole lot. Back up the field and I could hear him sucking in the distance. Kinda thing happening to me a lot this year.

Had this tank yesterday evening. Nice bit of a pull with him but got up and sucked himself after. 5 more to go.

My first heifer calved today from my lmxfr oows, she is 3/4 bred limousin, hca and adx back breeding. She has a nice bag of milk. The calf is a saler.

Unfortunately I have an unplanned pregnancy with a 14 month old heifer, 8 months in calf, got vet to handle her and calf is big so cesarean more than likely:mad:

We are half way through calving and everything going well.. 15 calves on the ground (inc 2 sets of twins all heifers - both scanned singles!!), only 2 bulls, the rest heifers. We lost Simmental stock bull last April to TB so took a risk and bought an unregistered 14 month Sim at the local mart to get with heifers early May. Have been lucky that he's throwing super calves!

We haven't had to lend a hand on any calving to far. They have all popped out and been up sucking in no time and thrive like mad with plenty of muscle! Will have a good crop of replacements for the bull in Spring 2021 all being well!

A lot of our neighbouring farms are rife with scour this year but thankfully we have got off lightly with only one calf going down... dung was white and watery! Couple of tablets down its throat and a jag of Bovigen have seemed to do the trick. The aul fella swears by the minerals and all pregnant stock gets a sprinkle over their silage daily from Christmas on. We ensure the calves get 2ml of selenium when they hit the ground . Also calving pens being cleaned and done with lime and fresh bedding of sawdust between use... keeps the vet out the the yard so far!

Hopefully another week will see the calving house cleared!

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Down to 3.

Are the mackeral in yet? Must head back there when I shift this cold.