Calving 2024

You can use him for SCEP this year, he qualifies on his July and September evaluation last year. If a bull qualifies on any single evaluation as far back as July last year he’s ok to use for SCEP this year. Check with the Herdplus section in ICBF tomorrow.

You couldn’t do any more. We all go through the same. You’ll get cows who put condition on themselves and deliver a small calf, others to starve themselves to deliver a monster.

+1.

I would get Bovicox (3ml/10kg orally) or similar from the Vet and dose asap. I would also ask your Vet about Gabbrovet to treat for four or five days.

I've heard farmers and Vets saying that calves cannot get coccidiosis during the first three weeks of age which is nonsense. Four years ago we had a six day old calf that had confirmed case of coccidiosis - dung sample tested by our Vet and a second by Oldcastle Laboratories. Our Vet at the time said that there are always exceptions to every rule and never rule out those exceptions. Unfortunately that Vet retired from large animal practice but she was by far the best Vet that I and OH have ever had the pleasure to work with and was an integral member of our business.

AS far as I'm aware the October 2023 stars will carry through the duration of scep.

If she's a heifer, her udder might be sore. It will just take time.

give her a good draw with someone holding the tail. Will be less sore to get calf on then when pressure is off. Keep close eye for mastitis as that could be the issue.

Pulled 2 bull twin calves for a neighbour earlier. Went from thinking we had a dead calf to 2 live ones. First calf was coming backwards with both legs down. Had first one out a good 10 mins, before checking the cow for a second.

What are the little white bits on the hair - maggots?

Maybe. I was thinking ringworm when I saw it first but the white bits threw me. You would normally see ringworm around their eyes, muzzle or ears first before it spreads along their neck/shoulders.

Nits?

That's what I thought, although I thought the redness on inside would be something sinister - maybe it's just brushing or marks from rubbing. Just looks a bit odd. I'll keep an eye on him anyway.

I have a 6 week old bought in calf here that is not right. Off his milk and alittle wobbly at the back legs.

He gets up no problem but head abit droopy and generally lazy.

He had a cough but that seems to be gone now after getting injections.

Any ideas?

Maybe pneumonia. Take to vet and let him listen to lungs and heartbeat

@golodge lovely hay and many of us Irish farmers would like to have it as feed. We have had wet weather since July last year and hay/straw became very expensive and difficult to locate. What is the weather like with you now. I presume the cold temperature and snow is gone.

That's a super success story. Lovely and compact and 20 cows standing with 20 calves of their own. @Anto_Meath being done in a month is a great feeling. Last year I managed it in 36 days

Bit tougher here this year. 2 left to calve of 25. Synced 5 heifers and 4 cows. 6 held to first serve. Calving started on the 25th march with the heifers in calf to an Angus and then a week break until the cows kicked off. Few issues with calving, 3 with legs down, 2 coming tail first into the the world, one of these lost. 1 case of pneumonia outside with a 2 week old calf, jacket and a shot of zeleris sorted that.

Of the 2 left of calve one is spring up well and will be calved in the next 5 days, the last one will drag towards the end of may.

Compact calving with sucklers is vital. It's as easy to be watch 3 or 4 to calve as to the single one. The big thing is being strict on the day the bull is pulled out or finished when when the last straw goes in. 9weeks is plenty.

A small tip that I have found handy over the years is to only bred heifers that have calved in the 1st 3weeks of calving. These are the ones that their mother's have gone in calf to the 1st serve. Sets a good foundation for the future.

The big question for @Anto_Meath will you sync this breeding season

It works easily. Just keep the bull away from here. Follow the protocol for FTAI on here and ai her. A few days after ai, let her back in with the bull to pick her up for repeats.

The problem arises if you have big numbers for repeats, puts the bull under pressure. In a herd of 20-25 an experienced bull will have no issue with the repeats after FTAI,

and Knell is one of the top rated for replacements! Docility should be more of a factor for replacements.
Have a load of knell here myself. Not noticing any particular wildness from them yet.