When's calving starting 2021

Lime Tree Farm · 01-02-2021 8:34pm

Mac Taylor wrote: »

Use the bucket always......use salt on calf.....meal is too messy for me. Dash of salt all over especially the head also keeps them away from navel. Some of them go mad for iodine.

That was the way my Dad did it, salt on the calf.

charolais0153 · 01-02-2021 9:58pm

Mac Taylor wrote: »

Use the bucket always......use salt on calf.....meal is too messy for me. Dash of salt all over especially the head also keeps them away from navel. Some of them go mad for iodine.

Vets recommend the sprays anymore, enegmycin ,use it in all lambs and calves and no joint ill

Suckler farmer · 01-02-2021 10:10pm

We had heifer due end of March but started to spring up ten days ago. Initially we thought maybe we had wrong dates. Tail out all day yesterday. Passing blood and mucus. Handled yesterday evening. Heifer hadn’t opened. Vet came this morning. He was able to get heifer opened slightly. Calf was way down. Reckons calf is probably dead from a puck and heifer is aborting. Vet going to call tomorrow morning to give steroid/induce if heifer hasn’t made any further progress herself. Anyone any experience of this?

funkey_monkey · 02-02-2021 1:24pm

Suckler farmer wrote: »

We had heifer due end of March but started to spring up ten days ago. Initially we thought maybe we had wrong dates. Tail out all day yesterday. Passing blood and mucus. Handled yesterday evening. Heifer hadn’t opened. Vet came this morning. He was able to get heifer opened slightly. Calf was way down. Reckons calf is probably dead from a puck and heifer is aborting. Vet going to call tomorrow morning to give steroid/induce if heifer hasn’t made any further progress herself. Anyone any experience of this?

Had something similar happen a number of years ago. Walked into shed one morning and there was a dead calf lying at the feed gate. No explanation for it - was well enough developed and nothing abnormal. We put it down to the cow getting a kick at some stage.

Hard Knocks · 02-02-2021 1:29pm

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Had something similar happen a number of years ago. Walked into shed one morning and there was a dead calf lying at the feed gate. No explanation for it - was well enough developed and nothing abnormal. We put it down to the cow getting a kick at some stage.

Had the same recently
I’ve a habit of moving cows close to calving into a pen beside calving pen
Was told that was the reason, as there can be a bit of rough play

whelan2 · 02-02-2021 1:46pm

Have an in calf heifer with my dry cows in my new shed. After they are fed she does laps of the shed. Everyday. Shed is 10 bays long. Cant be good for the calf

Timmaay · 02-02-2021 2:01pm

15 calved, 2 downer cows this morning (one mf and one slipped ugghh), its lunchtime and I haven't even had time for breakfast yet, I'm beginning to feel like a real farmer again.

Timmaay · 02-02-2021 2:05pm

Timmaay wrote: »

15 calved, 2 downer cows this morning (one mf and one slipped ugghh), its lunchtime and I haven't even had time for breakfast yet, I'm beginning to feel like a real farmer again.

And the f£&king scraper tractor just ran out of diesel ugghhhh.

whelan2 · 02-02-2021 2:19pm

Timmaay wrote: »

And the f£&king scraper tractor just ran out of diesel ugghhhh.

Is it raining there?

Morris Moss · 02-02-2021 2:35pm

65 calved here so far, going for a long walk around the town this evening, need to get away from the farm for a while.

funkey_monkey · 02-02-2021 3:18pm

First one of the season calved this morning. Was expecting her to calf in March, but there you go.
Calf was up and sucked and out in the feed passage running up and down the shed.

Timmaay · 02-02-2021 3:19pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Is it raining there?

On and off. Alot of rain overnight. No surprises but absolutely nobody here with cows out. I haven't been out in the paddocks in like a month ha, but with the rain coming it will be 10days before we can even consider getting out. More juggling until then, luckily I got 2 silage pits nearly empty and no straw, just buying in loads as needed, so not too bad for sheds.

Mooooo · 02-02-2021 3:34pm

Two new calving gates installed today, hopefully wont need much use but at least they are there now. The two sheds will allow for the Feb burst and one can be converted back to a calf shed once the burst has passed.
1 bull 5 heifers so far

DukeCaboom · 02-02-2021 6:32pm

Mooooo wrote: »

Two new calving gates installed today, hopefully wont need much use but at least they are there now. The two sheds will allow for the Feb burst and one can be converted back to a calf shed once the burst has passed.
1 bull 5 heifers so far

Any flecks this year??

Mooooo · 02-02-2021 7:09pm

DukeCaboom wrote: »

Any flecks this year??

The 5 fleck crosses are in calf, one slipped to March so in calf to a Hereford, another to start of April so in calf to stock bull and the others are in calf to Fr, but no cows in calf to fleck. They have a longer gestation, if calves come black and white they don't get much more compared to a fr bull in the mart and the cows themselves don't outperform the hol/ fr on milk but eat more.
After the first week of March cows will be calving either from AI Hereford/ Belgian blue or AA stock bull. Think there are only 4 or 5 in calf to BB tho

dar31 · 02-02-2021 8:16pm

DukeCaboom wrote: »

Any flecks this year??

heard muted reports of a good few hol/fr in calf to flecks having to use the side door

DukeCaboom · 02-02-2021 8:50pm

Mooooo wrote: »

The 5 fleck crosses are in calf, one slipped to March so in calf to a Hereford, another to start of April so in calf to stock bull and the others are in calf to Fr, but no cows in calf to fleck. They have a longer gestation, if calves come black and white they don't get much more compared to a fr bull in the mart and the cows themselves don't outperform the hol/ fr on milk but eat more.
After the first week of March cows will be calving either from AI Hereford/ Belgian blue or AA stock bull. Think there are only 4 or 5 in calf to BB tho

Every body here is grateful for you sharing so honestly. Don't think many will chance them.

Wildsurfer · 02-02-2021 9:03pm

Mooooo wrote: »

Two new calving gates installed today, hopefully wont need much use but at least they are there now. The two sheds will allow for the Feb burst and one can be converted back to a calf shed once the burst has passed.
1 bull 5 heifers so far

What gates did you go for Moo? I'm debating between Bo steel and O Donnell Eng as they can fix the headlock with a drop pin and the full gate swings around the cow to guide her in. I have one where only a small section of gate swings and it can be hard to get cow in as she'll keep wheeling around

Limestone Cowboy · 02-02-2021 9:05pm

Wildsurfer wrote: »

What gates did you go for Moo? I'm debating between Bo steel and O Donnell Eng as they can fix the headlock with a drop pin and the full gate swings around the cow to guide her in. I have one where only a small section of gate swings and it can be hard to get cow in as she'll keep wheeling around

Think Condon do one like that too.

thatsmighty · 02-02-2021 9:08pm

Watching on the calving cameras

dar31 · 02-02-2021 9:46pm

Wildsurfer wrote: »

What gates did you go for Moo? I'm debating between Bo steel and O Donnell Eng as they can fix the headlock with a drop pin and the full gate swings around the cow to guide her in. I have one where only a small section of gate swings and it can be hard to get cow in as she'll keep wheeling around

Bo steel gate here, absolutely brilliant, can't fault it in any way.

whelan2 · 02-02-2021 9:48pm

Are many people getting the texts/ calls to genomic test bulls for ai? Had 2 calls/ texts today about another calf, interest in 2 calves last week.

Suckler farmer · 02-02-2021 10:07pm

Suckler farmer wrote: »

We had heifer due end of March but started to spring up ten days ago. Initially we thought maybe we had wrong dates. Tail out all day yesterday. Passing blood and mucus. Handled yesterday evening. Heifer hadn’t opened. Vet came this morning. He was able to get heifer opened slightly. Calf was way down. Reckons calf is probably dead from a puck and heifer is aborting. Vet going to call tomorrow morning to give steroid/induce if heifer hasn’t made any further progress herself. Anyone any experience of this?

We had more senior vet out today. He scanned heifer. No calf. He said it’s probable calf never developed properly and has been passed in bits and pieces over the last week or so. He also said heifer hasn’t developed properly inside which may be the reason why calf didn’t develop

funkey_monkey · 02-02-2021 11:25pm

Suckler farmer wrote: »

We had more senior vet out today. He scanned heifer. No calf. He said it’s probable calf never developed properly and has been passed in bits and pieces over the last week or so. He also said heifer hasn’t developed properly inside which may be the reason why calf didn’t develop

That's a new one to me. Never heard of a calf being aborted in that way before. Not much condolence, but at least you can take heart from knowing there was nothing you could have done about it.
One for the hook.

older by the day · 02-02-2021 11:44pm

Suckler farmer wrote: »

We had heifer due end of March but started to spring up ten days ago. Initially we thought maybe we had wrong dates. Tail out all day yesterday. Passing blood and mucus. Handled yesterday evening. Heifer hadn’t opened. Vet came this morning. He was able to get heifer opened slightly. Calf was way down. Reckons calf is probably dead from a puck and heifer is aborting. Vet going to call tomorrow morning to give steroid/induce if heifer hasn’t made any further progress herself. Anyone any experience of this?

Same happened here, scanned to calf end of Feb. Small springing the end of November. No sign of a calf. Passing right dirt this week. It must have died inside. Usually they would pass something. Hopefully I won't see no more of it

Wildsurfer · 03-02-2021 12:31am

dar31 wrote: »

Bo steel gate here, absolutely brilliant, can't fault it in any way.

Yeah they look the business alright but I was thinking maybe a bit over engineered for dairy cows , probably more features to suit a suckler farmer?

Mooooo · 03-02-2021 12:35am

Wildsurfer wrote: »

What gates did you go for Moo? I'm debating between Bo steel and O Donnell Eng as they can fix the headlock with a drop pin and the full gate swings around the cow to guide her in. I have one where only a small section of gate swings and it can be hard to get cow in as she'll keep wheeling around

O Donovan engineering in Coachford, got a 10 ft and 12 ft. 10 ft was replacing an old head lock and gate in calving shed and got the 12 foot for another shed which was originally a calf shed .
The pic is the 10 ft one. They have ones which go all the way to the floor as well I think, the website should show what they have. Availability may be an issue this time of year tho.
The bar to the left of the locking bar has a spring in it so can be taken out if cow goes down or moved over for a bigger / smaller cow without having to unbolt it. They are a fair weight anyway

Mooooo · 03-02-2021 12:42am

DukeCaboom wrote: »

Every body here is grateful for you sharing so honestly. Don't think many will chance them.

No bother, the cows are grand but they were big when they were born, their brothers particularly, all went over time and had cows shook after them. Stubborn ol friendly yokes, but of no advantage, I think anyway, over the hol/fr

squinn2912 · 05-02-2021 10:33am

Yesterday morning this girl went early and calves on the slats. Not ideal but luckily all ok. Nice heifer calf

dar31 · 05-02-2021 11:07am

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Yeah they look the business alright but I was thinking maybe a bit over engineered for dairy cows , probably more features to suit a suckler farmer?

Yea seriously well made and heavy.
Have a condon engineering gate in same shed. They are light years apart even down to the bits that look the same are that bit better thought out and engineered on the bo steel gate.

Hard Knocks · 05-02-2021 11:40am

squinn2912 wrote: »

Yesterday morning this girl went early and calves on the slats. Not ideal but luckily all ok. Nice heifer calf

Lovely milky cow

ABitofsense · 05-02-2021 12:29pm

dar31 wrote: »

Bo steel gate here, absolutely brilliant, can't fault it in any way.

2nd this. I've had 2 different vets and number of neighbors comment on how good the design of the Bo steel gate is. I'd be lost without it! Madness how my father used to calve the awkward ones without one

squinn2912 · 05-02-2021 8:24pm

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Lovely milky cow

Thanks pal yea super cow that’s her 8th calf. She calved a week earlier 6 years ago so she’s kept her date brilliantly! Last years didn’t do well but he had a bad start I like the look of this calf.

Dunedin · 05-02-2021 9:23pm

dar31 wrote: »

Bo steel gate here, absolutely brilliant, can't fault it in any way.

Could you stick up a picture of it.

squinn2912 · 08-02-2021 11:47am

Had one calved early to twins one dead and not full term and the other is weak enough. Got him fed with the tube and standing but he still has a lot to do. Will try a bale of straw under him and see can we get him to suck the cow. She’s a thick bitch at the best of times. I hate ones like this

Mooooo · 08-02-2021 12:56pm

Balls of a Sunday here, had a girl go over time and a big bull has her with a touch of paralysis on the right side. Had to mix the dries to make a bit of space and two dropped overnight then last night, no springing. Have the calves under the lamp hopefully they'll pull thru, bull calf stronger but heifer very weak

Mooooo · 08-02-2021 1:47pm

Are the red lamps after getting weaker or what these days? Feck all heat out of them compared to what I remember anyway

whelan2 · 08-02-2021 1:50pm

Mooooo wrote: »

Are the red lamps after getting weaker or what these days? Feck all heat out of them compared to what I remember anyway

Have you any calf jackets ?

Wildsurfer · 08-02-2021 4:38pm

Mooooo wrote: »

Are the red lamps after getting weaker or what these days? Feck all heat out of them compared to what I remember anyway

You wouldn't have got the 175w instead of the 250w by any chance? I often put two over a weak calf which helps

Mooooo · 08-02-2021 9:13pm

Must check the bulb that could be it. Bull calf has come round fine, lost the heifer. Have a feeling the mother stood on her, was only 10 days early. Have a calf jacket or two alright was just annoyed there wasnt more heat out of the lamp

whelan2 · 10-02-2021 1:44pm

5 calves this morning. All fr bulls

Reggie. · 10-02-2021 2:20pm

whelan2 wrote: »

5 calves this morning. All fr bulls

Keep them coming

Lady Haywire · 10-02-2021 2:43pm

I was putting reminders into Alexa this morning for calving dates for cows (don't judge me, it's very handy!!) and see three cows I'll need to keep replacement off. All three have come forward to March calvers from May & June calving two years ago.
One in particular had twins late May 19, huge white blue last year in April & due first week of March this year. Reckon fertility had dropped here for a while so trying to pick it back up again, along with milk.

RobinBanks · 10-02-2021 11:19pm

Sitting here waiting on a first calver to pop and got me thinking about times when a cow needed help and how making that decision to try to pull calf or ring vet is very difficult. I suppose it's a lack of experience calving cows but it's a very stressful time! I remember vet telling me that generally if you can get your hand over the calfs head and both the sides of his shoulders he should come out the back. If ya can't more than likely a c section is required.

tanko · 10-02-2021 11:30pm

What is she calving to, is she a blue cross heifer?

RobinBanks · 10-02-2021 11:59pm

tanko wrote: »

What is she calving to, is she a blue cross heifer?

Lm2014 Tanko. She's a big blonde heifer. Had vet here Sunday to bring a 2014 bull calf from a 3yr old heifer that was too fat. This lady is similar shape. Only myself to blame for not keeping the silage back.

Limestone Cowboy · 11-02-2021 12:03am

3 calves today, 2 ch heifers and a ch bull. Last 1 had a leg down but all good and sucked outside of that.

Dozer1 · 11-02-2021 9:45am

1st one yesterday evening, saw on the camera she was sick, when i got there I knew I was in for bother, one leg sticking out...handled her and calf was backwards.

got the vet as it was 1st from a new CH bull, smashing heifer calf came out ok in the end but not an ideal start calf.
As an aside it was the whitest calf ever born here kind of albino looking if I'm honest but she drank so she'll be fine

funkey_monkey · 11-02-2021 2:09pm

squinn2912 wrote: »

Had one calved early to twins one dead and not full term and the other is weak enough. Got him fed with the tube and standing but he still has a lot to do. Will try a bale of straw under him and see can we get him to suck the cow. She’s a thick bitch at the best of times. I hate ones like this

Hows this calf coming now?

Dozer1 · 11-02-2021 9:30pm

Flying it today

When's calving starting 2021

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