Calving 2026

Got things going here last weekend, a lovely marked bull calf. Good square lad with a small bit of shape to him, it's out of the new sim bull so happy enough, Calved herself and calf up and sucked no bother within the hour, have the next 4 due over the next week or so, hopefully they will go the same way.

2 heifer calfs born today. First roan one is a first calver, had to jack calf but calf up and sucked in 40 mins, Second one this evening cow never got contractions bag out but no effort to push at all, so had to intervene. Calf up and about but tendons stretched in the 4 legs. Not standing for long so it's a balls trying to get her to suck. Perseverance and stubborness will have to come to the fore

Get a selenium shot off the vet and give it to the calf for 2-3 days also. Stretch out the legs twice a day aswell if you have the time.
no harm to bandage the calf’s legs at the spot where the skin is coming into contact with the ground- it’ll help prevent the skin breaking and more problems. Make sure there’s a good bed of straw underneath so they don’t come into too much contact with the concrete.
We have had it here a couple of times in the past and it’s always worked out for us.

Put calf across small bale of straw or hay. It will save your back when you're trying to get it to suck.

Calving started a bit early here, thought cow was aborting but appears was carrying twins - lost one early but kept calf sac. Before calf came she put out withered sac of other calf which must have got infected. Never seen like before, passing 2 cleanings now.

A good bit premature, 3 or 4 weeks at least. Has perked up since birth though

Just after being born there, has dried off much paler now. Looked like he had too much skin for his body when born, now he looks normal just very small. Finding this winter tough with constant wet, water got into one slatted tank and silage disappearing very fast.

Ideally that would be a better way. I put cows on hay at weaning and leave them on it until I run out usually in mid Jan then move to silage. I want to change up the yard to pit silage and convert the cow sheds away from ring feeders to a feed passage.

Those cows look to be in good condition, don’t think i’d give them nuts before calving either.

Will ask here as I've lost where I asked previously.

To give cows a pre calving boost I'm going to give them some soya. Doesn't seem to take much to make a difference - 300g/head/day seems to be sufficient to boost colostrum.

They seem to be in reasonable condition otherwise, so would they benefit from rolled oats too? They have been getting average silage and pre calver minerals.

And you still have time to post. 😎 Good luck with them.

Roan heifer to get the ball rolling.

nice outfit. What’s the breeding