Calving 2019 - Advice and Help thread

squinn2912 · 09-02-2019 10:59pm

The wild one always rears a great calf they say! Only one place for them. But I’d qualify that by saying you need to be careful with them all round calving, some calm well after that

L1985 · 24-02-2019 8:32pm

Compact calvings a great idea apparently....
Honestly have no Idea how dairy men do it. I know I'll be glad in a months time but at the moment poor cows are being whipped in and out of calving pens as another one keeps calving behind them! I like to leave them in there for a couple of days to make sure they bond and are drinking ok. That's gone out the window or out the gate!!
Have To laugh thou -first cow due was checked every couple of hours....in a week before hand...now they are lucky to get a couple of hours in the pen!! Bulk of its over now thou and it's gone well so far.

squinn2912 · 24-02-2019 8:36pm

L1985 wrote: »

Compact calvings a great idea apparently....
Honestly have no Idea how dairy men do it. I know I'll be glad in a months time but at the moment poor cows are being whipped in and out of calving pens as another one keeps calving behind them! I like to leave them in there for a couple of days to make sure they bond and are drinking ok. That's gone out the window or out the gate!!
Have To laugh thou -first cow due was checked every couple of hours....in a week before hand...now they are lucky to get a couple of hours in the pen!! Bulk of its over now thou and it's gone well so far.

Great early calving! We’ve one calved and she made a five at me through the gate when doing the naval.

whelan2 · 24-02-2019 8:37pm

Calved a cow today. A Belgian blue calf bb2083. It's a bull I'll never use again. Monster of a calf. Had to reset Jack 3 times. Head was massive. Big bull calf. She was served 15th of May.

charolais0153 · 24-02-2019 8:41pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Calved a cow today. A Belgian blue calf bb2083. It's a bull I'll never use again. Monster of a calf. Had to reset Jack 3 times. Head was massive. Big bull calf. She was served 15th of May.

He didnt bring too much time with him really.

whelan2 · 24-02-2019 8:42pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

He didnt bring too much time with him really.

No but lucky it was a good sized cow. Had one to him 2 weeks ago too and it was a difficult calving too.

patsy_mccabe · 27-02-2019 12:54pm

Had a cow calve outside last night. Perfect conditions. Thought she'd calve during the day, but she didn't oblige. Old cow, 15 years. I locked the dog up before heading out to check her at around 4am. This cat that follows me around appears and drives her nuts. She even tries to go tru a fence to get her. She's a very quiet cow, but it's something I wasn't expecting. And me there with a head light in the dark with her.

anthony500_1 · 27-02-2019 1:25pm

patsy_mccabe wrote:

Had a cow calve outside last night. Perfect conditions. Thought she'd calve during the day, but she didn't oblige. Old cow, 15 years. I locked the dog up before heading out to check her at around 4am. This cat that follows me around appears and drives her nuts. She even tries to go tru a fence to get her. She's a very quiet cow, but it's something I wasn't expecting. And me there with a head light in the dark with her.

It's amazing the smallest thing that can spook them. Some night for a cow to calf out. Perfect

Mooooo · 27-02-2019 2:03pm

The headlight can be a target too, all they may see is the light and not you. Went out one night to bring in a calf, only a day old but on the cow for the day, the little fecker was running mad but when I turned on the torch the fecker made a beeline straight for me

squinn2912 · 01-03-2019 2:48am

6 heifers calved a couple of weeks and 4,
Cows, just up from pulling a nice red heifer out of a 15 yo Angus cow. Tired but pleased. Poetry conference I. Derry tomorrow morning. Balance is key!

sonnybill · 02-03-2019 12:02am

Can a calf pass 2 big black first faeces without successfully taken colostrum? I’ve a big lazy lad her trying to suss him out

tanko · 02-03-2019 12:19am

sonnybill wrote: »

Can a calf pass 2 big black first faeces without successfully taken colostrum? I’ve a big lazy lad her trying to suss him out

They dont usually do that without having sucked first.
Have you felt his stomach, does it feel full?

sonnybill · 02-03-2019 12:35am

tanko wrote: »

They dont usually do that without having sucked first.
Have you felt his stomach, does it feel full?

He big sleepy dopey lad, I will feel his gut again but I’m thinking he got a suck as I went to get supplies! He wouldn’t suck for me at all but I think he tackled the front tit as he won’t suck bottle or not hungry for fake colostrum.. cow not playing ball at all

charolais0153 · 02-03-2019 12:48am

sonnybill wrote: »

He big sleepy dopey lad, I will feel his gut again but I’m thinking he got a suck as I went to get supplies! He wouldn’t suck for me at all but I think he tackled the front tit as he won’t suck bottle or not hungry for fake colostrum.. cow not playing ball at all

Can u bring her in. Id tube him to be safe. I wouldnt like to let him die for lack of milk. Hes probably sucked saying that though

sonnybill · 02-03-2019 12:48am

She done well to get him out of her in the first place

charolais0153 · 02-03-2019 1:22am

sonnybill wrote: »

She done well to get him out of her in the first place

A bear of a yoke. What bull is he out of

sonnybill · 02-03-2019 1:44am

charolais0153 wrote: »

A bear of a yoke. What bull is he out of

Biggest calf I ever had alive, got one freak bigger one time but he didn’t make it!

Cavesland Levi - Pirate and a Cf52 cow

My cow is cottage Devon though, she a great calver, all of her dam sisters etc just pop them, half sister is a BB and calves TVR no prob, this one is 5th calver, carries no time 284 days only and outwintered so strong and fit and she needed it all!

Spat out last two out of Fiston but this lad is bit too hard calved for me

anthony500_1 · 02-03-2019 1:44am

sonnybill wrote:

She done well to get him out of her in the first place

You sure he was not missing in the rushes for a few weeks. Monster calf, she did very well to get him out on her own

sonnybill · 02-03-2019 1:58am

anthony500_1 wrote: »

You sure he was not missing in the rushes for a few weeks. Monster calf, she did very well to get him out on her own

I was sitting watching her and she got up and down a few times as she must have thought “what the hell do I have to do to shift this lad?” He frightened me the length of him like a big foal stretched out on the ground

greysides · 02-03-2019 2:04am

Nice calf. Top him up with colostrum. He's too nice to lose. Those big, hard calved lads are often dopey on arrival, the extra time and stress of the harder delivery does extract a toll.

charolais0153 · 02-03-2019 2:25am

sonnybill wrote: »

Biggest calf I ever had alive, got one freak bigger one time but he didn’t make it!

Cavesland Levi - Pirate and a Cf52 cow

My cow is cottage Devon though, she a great calver, all of her dam sisters etc just pop them, half sister is a BB and calves TVR no prob, this one is 5th calver, carries no time 284 days only and outwintered so strong and fit and she needed it all!

Spat out last two out of Fiston but this lad is bit too hard calved for me

284 days is nothing for a calf like that.
That levi looks a fine bull. Might get the munster man to put a straw of him in a cow or two. Youd want to start keeping heifers off them cows.

sonnybill · 02-03-2019 5:24am

charolais0153 wrote: »

Can u bring her in. Id tube him to be safe. I wouldnt like to let him die for lack of milk. Hes probably sucked saying that though

I gave him one of them calf aid or life aid tubes not worth a toss, atbirth tubes by Stockcare are the business but I all out, they seem to have a hunger stimulant that sends them wild to suck, I tubed him to be safe, I got scared and made up 2.0 litre my infant sons milk, 3 eggs, honey and sugar, keep him going til daylight.

Hope it will do him no harm , cow is settling a bit bit still a ball ache , handy sized calf that’d motor away himself would be preferable

tanko · 02-03-2019 6:54pm

How is he today?

sonnybill · 02-03-2019 9:03pm

tanko wrote: »

How is he today?

Hi Tanko,

What I did last night kept him going and was at vets this am first thing and got that Survivor colostrum product and tubed him again to be safe , vitamin E injection and couple of steroid 12 hours apart.

He still dopey and I not seen him sucking but he is at her , windy here tonight but she moved him a good piece and put him into a great spot

patsy_mccabe · 03-03-2019 6:27pm

Had some cows near calving in a paddock near the shed last night. Let them into the yard today and noticed one had some cleaning hanging from her. Saw her earlier standing near the ditch but no sign of calving. Thought she was starting to calf but checked the paddock anyway just in case. Spotted a lump of cleaning but no calf. If it wasn't for her white forehead, I wouldnt have seen her. She borrowed right into the ditch. Had to get down low and pull her by the front leg.
With the constant rain, she was drenched to the skin and shivering. Got her into the shed and dried her with straw and in under the infra-red lamp. God, they're a great job. 10 mins later and she stopped shivering. She wouldnt drink the cow, but I had a feeling she did anyway. Let the cow back in 2 hours later and she went over and drank her. Those limousins are hardy devils.

Mac Taylor · 03-03-2019 7:28pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Had some cows near calving in a paddock near the shed last night. Let them into the yard today and noticed one had some cleaning hanging from her. Saw her earlier standing near the ditch but no sign of calving. Thought she was starting to calf but checked the paddock anyway just in case. Spotted a lump of cleaning but no calf. If it wasn't for her white forehead, I wouldnt have seen her. She borrowed right into the ditch. Had to get down low and pull her pull by the front leg.
With the constant rain, she was drenched to the skin and shivering. Got her into the shed and dried her with straw and in under the infra-red lamp. God, they're a great job. 10 mins later and she stopped shivering. She wouldnt drink the cow, but I had a feeling she did anyway. Let the cow back in 2 hours later and she went over and drank her. Those limousins are hardy devils.

Only reading your piece now:D, my lady was inside but calved on the slats to Ulsan the saler bull, bull calf up and standing but cold, wiped him down and milked the heifer and got 2l into him, wrapped him up in straw, went back an hour later and he was chasing her. A SalerXLim should be lively too:D

patsy_mccabe · 03-03-2019 7:46pm

Ya, read your comment in the Chit Chat.:D I didnt mention that I got soaked to the skin and had to go shower and change. Crush is outside so had to hold up calf in the pouring rain. One of those days, as you say. Still all worth it when you see them pull through.

Mac Taylor · 03-03-2019 7:55pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Ya, read your comment in the Chit Chat.:D I didnt mention that I got soaked to the skin and had to go shower and change. Crush is outside so had to hold up calf in the pouring rain. One of those days, as you say. Still all worth it when you see them pull through.

I’m on my third jacket and 3rd set of gloves this weekend !!!! Thankfully our crush is at the back of shed inside....really is a god send, agree with you though it’s great to see them up and running.

RD10 · 03-03-2019 8:04pm

sonnybill wrote: »

Can a calf pass 2 big black first faeces without successfully taken colostrum? I’ve a big lazy lad her trying to suss him out

Yes they can - ive seen a calf 10 minutes old, & still laying wet on the ground pass poop.
Just because they've pooped does not gaurantee they have fed!

L1985 · 03-03-2019 8:14pm

This is prob a v v stupid question but sure when has that atoppped me &#55357;&#56834;.
Is there something like a food colourant or similar you could put on the cows teats so you would be confident if a calf is drinking or not? Some on the first day or two I wouldn't be fully sure and also if a calf gets sick I'd like to know if their still drinking...I know you can kinda tell by looking at the cows teats but some of ours have massive udders and it would take four calves for them to go down! It would save some time when I'm standing trying to see if the calf is drinking or not.!

patsy_mccabe · 03-03-2019 8:38pm

I think the best thing is to seperate the cow and calf and let them in then every 8 hours or so. A right pain, but at least you will be there when they drink.

Who2 · 03-03-2019 8:49pm

I was talking to a lad yesterday who told me about using liquid paragon Mod: liquid paraffin as a calving lube. He said to fill a flexible stomach tube, insert the tube in around a few places around the unborn calf and squeeze in the liquid paraffin, that way you would soak the calf in it and he reckons the calf slips out like a wet fish. Has anyone ever tried it?

greysides · 03-03-2019 8:59pm

L1985 wrote: »

This is prob a v v stupid question but sure when has that atoppped me ��.
Is there something like a food colourant or similar you could put on the cows teats so you would be confident if a calf is drinking or not? Some on the first day or two I wouldn't be fully sure and also if a calf gets sick I'd like to know if their still drinking...I know you can kinda tell by looking at the cows teats but some of ours have massive udders and it would take four calves for them to go down! It would save some time when I'm standing trying to see if the calf is drinking or not.!

You could try some Alamycin spray on the tests and look for a blue tongue in the calf... to prove the concept. If it works you'd need to come up with some non-antibiotic colouring.

Mac Taylor · 03-03-2019 9:11pm

greysides wrote: »

You could try some Alamycin spray on the tests and look for a blue tongue in the calf... to prove the concept. If it works you'd need to come up with some non-antibiotic colouring.

A herd of a lad using food colorant, spray the tears red.... never tried it though.

valtra2 · 03-03-2019 9:16pm

Would like a bit of advise. Have a calf 2 weeks premature and was up and down when born and after few days has went down and now have been stomach tubing him for last few days. Very weak. Had vet out few days ago and have treated him with antibiotics and anti inflammatory and still the same. Any thing I could do. Thanks

L1985 · 03-03-2019 9:17pm

Might be worth trying it out with the food colouring-@patsy I agree in theory but in reality I don't have time during calving times and I don't have enough pens either!! I have done it on occasion but I don't like seperating them too early either as it affects the bonding. It's only occasionally but I think it might help us spot a calf not drinking-also we usually have a couple of foster calves in the mix and they can be robbers m.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 03-03-2019 9:31pm

valtra2 wrote: »

Would like a bit of advise. Have a calf 2 weeks premature and was up and down when born and after few days has went down and now have been stomach tubing him for last few days. Very weak. Had vet out few days ago and have treated him with antibiotics and anti inflammatory and still the same. Any thing I could do. Thanks

Keep him warm anyway. Smaller animals get chilled quicker and take longer to warm up afterwards. And a little feed more often might help too. Awkward with a stomach tube though.

The Trusty Tuber is handy for calves like that, it's almost foolproof for tubing calves.

valtra2 · 03-03-2019 9:34pm

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Keep him warm anyway. Smaller animals get chilled quicker and take longer to warm up afterwards. And a little feed more often might help too. Awkward with a stomach tube though.

The Trusty Tuber is handy for calves like that, it's almost foolproof for tubing calves.

Have him under red lamp and getting 1.5l 3 times a day. 9,4,11

sonnybill · 03-03-2019 9:48pm

RD10 wrote: »

Yes they can - ive seen a calf 10 minutes old, & still laying wet on the ground pass poop.
Just because they've pooped does not gaurantee they have fed!

I was just about to clarify that, my calf never broke the seal on any of the cows teats yet he passed the 2 big black lumps of mericodium

tanko · 03-03-2019 9:51pm

sonnybill wrote: »

I was just about to clarify that, my calf never broke the seal on any of the cows teats yet he passed the 2 big black lumps of mericodium

I was wrong about that, shows what i know. How is he getting on, sucking away himself??

Lady Haywire · 03-03-2019 9:52pm

And if they're stressed or under pressure coming out of the cow they'll pass it then too! It's never foolproof. The auld finger up the asshole to encourage them to press is a great job.....yuck though :pac:

Say my name · 03-03-2019 9:55pm

valtra2 wrote: »

Would like a bit of advise. Have a calf 2 weeks premature and was up and down when born and after few days has went down and now have been stomach tubing him for last few days. Very weak. Had vet out few days ago and have treated him with antibiotics and anti inflammatory and still the same. Any thing I could do. Thanks

I'm not sure how anyone would take this.
Probably as a brain fart.

But since the antibiotics have been done and you may have nothing to loose.
I wonder would a small drop of Guinness help?
I've heard of poitin being tried but maybe that'd be too rough?

Edit: Another thing I've done is give raw eggs with mixed success.
Not sure how that'd work with Guinness though..

sonnybill · 03-03-2019 10:00pm

tanko wrote: »

I was wrong about that, shows what i know. How is he getting on, sucking away himself??

He alive but he broke my heart !! I took her in from winterage as he could be persuaded along today and she has settled. I didn’t like the look of him and I was justified, seal not broken on any tit, front tit looked sucked and clean etc but he was only licking it and never got on, he was surviving on what I was tubing him, milked her out gave him 4 litres in stomach tube , going to give him the other 2.0 litre now ... far from ideal but I hope he will be okay

greysides · 03-03-2019 10:11pm

Mac Taylor wrote: »

A herd of a lad using food colorant, spray the tears red.... never tried it though.

That must be your best best Yorkshire accent. 😀

I've just changed my tablet's keyboard for one with bigger 'buttons'.😕

valtra2 · 03-03-2019 10:11pm

Say my name wrote: »

I'm not sure how anyone would take this.
Probably as a brain fart.

But since the antibiotics have been done and you may have nothing to loose.
I wonder would a small drop of Guinness help?
I've heard of poitin being tried but maybe that'd be too rough?

Edit: Another thing I've done is give raw eggs with mixed success.
Not sure how that'd work with Guinness though..

I have done the egg today.
I don't think me with a few pints of Guinness will help the calf....

whelan2 · 03-03-2019 10:15pm

There's a zinc sulphate test. Young lad learnt about it in ag college recently. I had never heard of it. You do it through a blood test I think. Does anyone know anything about it. It gives you the immuno globulin status of the calf.

valtra2 · 03-03-2019 10:19pm

whelan2 wrote: »

There's a zinc sulphate test. Young lad learnt about it in ag college recently. I had never heard of it. You do it through a blood test I think. Does anyone know anything about it. It gives you the immuno globulin status of the calf.

Is that the test they do to see if the got
Adequate colostrum

whelan2 · 03-03-2019 10:21pm

valtra2 wrote: »

Is that the test they do to see if the got
Adequate colostrum

Ye. I had never heard of it before. Could be useful

greysides · 03-03-2019 10:22pm

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Keep him warm anyway. Smaller animals get chilled quicker and take longer to warm up afterwards. And a little feed more often might help

THIS was exactly what I was going to post. I see from a later reply you're feeding three times a day. I think four or five would be better, initially anyway.

Raw eggs is an old 'cure' but I think I remember being told they can't digest it...

A little bit of LIVE yogurt after the milk, a teaspoon or so, might help too.

I know a woman who reared a seven month premature calf successfully. The keyword there was 'woman' (and screw the sexists). You can't beat TLC and an experienced farm woman will know what to do from rearing kids and calves.

greysides · 03-03-2019 10:23pm

whelan2 wrote: »

Ye. I had never heard of it before. Could be useful

Lab test, unless someone knows otherwise.

Calving 2019 - Advice and Help thread

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