Had a fr heifer calf born this morning in cubicle shed. Cow due 15th January. I served a few in early April as I was penalised for not supplying enough milk last January. A sexed mo salah calf. All good. Best of luck for calving 2022
They have to use the waste product from the sexed semen somewhere
The bull calf was from a fr stock bull
Would you change to a beef breed?
Have Angus and Hereford stock bulls too. Friesian bull was slaughtered before Christmas as he was a bit mental
I’ve yet to meet a man that had a fr bull that wasn’t a dangerous bastard. Why is it? They say the jersey is an even wickeder hooer
Just had the first calf born this evening. A nice bull calf from a mature cow. Weighing tomorrow, but seems to be around 50kg or so.
Just back in from a calving. A €240 ebi FR4726 sired calf, but it's a bull. 2nd calver and all is well with her so the bull calf is a minor issue. 5 calved, 2 fr bulls, 1 fr heifer, 1 limo bull and one BB bull.
Second calver calved yesterday evening. She had a great calf last year and she’s a big cow now. But had a rat of a calf. Loads of milk and very disappointing. Handled her as was sure she was having twins.
Did she gave a hard calving last year. Friend pointed out one time that whatever it is about nature, the body reacts and subsequently produces a smaller calf the following year. Always comes to mind when a small calf is born and remember she had a hard calving the previous year.
Nah, she was an autumn calver (September) and she calved outside on her own, never left a hand on her or the calf.
Never heard that before but it makes sense for a second calfer I had last year. She had a fine heifer the first year but it was a hard calving. So I put an easy calving bull on her but her calf form last year is the poorest calf I have. (Others out of the same bull are fine). Must keep an eye out for that now.
Had first calf here last weekend, a nice fiston heifer off a shorthorn cow.
Great to be able to get them out with the bit of dry weather at the moment.
Anyone have twins scanned this year?
Am sure I've a cow here with a set of twins inside her, will be 3rd year running if she does.
My own vet scanned her last year but said he wouldn't be able to tell me if it was a single or twins.
would certain scanning machines not be able to pick it up or is it down to the vet? He's a very good vet, hence why I'm wondering
There are very few people who can see twins when scanning from what i’ve seen, i think there’s a pretty short window to pick them up, i don’t know what stage this is at tho.
It's because they have no fear of humans due to the fact that they are reared by hand on a teat feeder/bucket so they become accustomed to human interaction - their siblings would have either been squeezed or slaughtered at up to 24 months.
Does that explain the aggression though? From what I’m told you couldn’t have one about the place. Long time since there were fresians about here but we never kept a bull. The beef bulls would all have a lot of handling and human interaction too. I suppose
there might be such a thing as a quiet fresian bull
Beef bulls are reared by their mothers so in a way, manners are put on them from a young age. They quickly learn their place in the pecking order. If you keep your distance from a beef bull and never make a pet of him, you've a much better chance of not getting attacked.
Ha aye their mothers or a fresian friend! The pecking order might be a big factor though yea. That’s good advice, my granduncle always said ‘never trust a bull’ and it’s the truth. Personally I like to keep a cow between me and him, especially if he’s facing me.
Most of the deaths that occur in farming with animals are from cows protecting their calf, this thing about bulls is a red herring, yes you shouldn't trust them but the reality is, a cow is far more dangerous, especially around calving.
They have to hear and know your voice, especially if you occasionally wear different coloured or brighter clothes. They are supposed to be colour blind but I don't believe they are.
First backwards calf earlier, Friesian heifer calf out of a heifer. Jacked it out. All good
Good stuff. Keep it going 😉
Pecking order is a thing, bought in fr bulls always seem to be more aggressive, any we've reared once thye hit the first winter have been put in with a few culls or incalf heifers or the odd time an AA being kept, as much to do with space as anythings,so have never had the chance to be the boss of a group their own age. Touch wood thats the way it has been. Still you have to know where they are, i throw paint up on their backs when they are with cows or heifers and out the gate at the first sign of acting the bollox. Reason I have them last year is I bought two fr bulls for the price of one AA.
lost one of the twins - cow walked on him.
livestock and dead stock and all that................
Fook, that's rough.
oul bitch
Earlier scanning the better 30days easy pick it up seemingly
Never scan here before 12 weeks because of loss of pregnancy. Probably learnt that lesson the hard way from the wife but that's a different story. Anyway, I've had 2 scanner lads over the years and they always tell me to watch for twins. The guy I use now is external scanning at 12 weeks plus and he always tells me about twins. Only expecting 1 set this year which is fine. Will never again go back to rectum scanning my poor cows.
Will the second one come safe?
He’s grand. One of those things. Once upon a time I used to get annoyed about losses but as long as it stays outside........
1st one out. AA out of LM heifer. Small but up and sucking within 20mins. 8 days early also. Loads of milk also.
