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Been a little busy

G

gcreekrch

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
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11,768
Location
west chilcotin bc
Calving has been going hot and heavy. We did have quite a few calves before due date last Saturday but 5 days after official start date we are better than 30% done on total herd. Heifers are nearly half done on 140 head.

In 72 hours from midnight last Friday to midnight Monday there were 56 calves born, roughly 10%.

We did find a guy with experience to help and while it took a bit for us all to feel out how to work together, he has been a Godsend in taking a bunch of weight off Debbie and I.

Got 3 calving now, maybe get some shuteye in an hour or so. NR would make a comment about whores and thieves but I think this pays better. :D

Have been keeping up but my thinker is working a little slow the last week to make much for comment.

Shipping the cheap calves we bought last fall next week. Bought a load of breeding heifers last week. With any luck, the double in quality will only cost $150 or less.
 
gcreekrch said:
Big Muddy rancher said:
I suppose you've been Face-booking in your spare time. :wink: :lol: :lol:


Steaming right along. :D :D
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Guilty to some extent........................... :oops:
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I figured you were very busy, I saw on the news that the porn sites were not as profitable as they have been.....
 
Hang in there, Gcreek. Soon you'll be done.

We don't pull our bulls too quick, as I've always thought a late calf was better than no calf. We've been calving since about the 20th of February, and still have not quite ten percent to go. At least the weather has warmed up a bit, but they still need to be watched.
 
Sounds good gcreekrch, hope things keep going smoothly. Got my first heifers calf about a week ago and got 12 yesterday. Cows start in about 10 days.

By the way Soap I agree with you, a late calf is better than no calf. :lol: 8)
 
that all sounds better then looking for work, gcreek :wink:

calving is just starting to roll along here, got about 40 on the ground.
 
Glad you're busy, it might keep you outta trouble. My oldest almost has me convinced to get him some purebred Buckeye chickens from a gal out in your country near Tatlayoko Lake. If we come all that way for chooks I'm sure we could get together for coffee.
 
Justin said:
that all sounds better then looking for work, gcreek :wink:

calving is just starting to roll along here, got about 40 on the ground.
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It's been fun calving the last few days,hasn't it. Weather is really cooperating.
The young man that leases our place has about 30 on the ground. He started the 18th I think and calves in the hills.
His cows are in really good shape. They were wintered on some year old grass
hay, alfalfa and mineral. They do look good. Fun to see them like that
after that long, cold winter.
 
It happens.

A friend called last evening wondering if I had a fresh cow that needs a calf or has colostrum. I said yes and no - her calf is fine and I'm not catching her to get colostrum - he'd be better off to go get some powdered colostrum for his calf.

Turns out the he went back to work yesterday for the first time since he was laid off in the winter. Comes home to find a new calf standing beside its dead momma who didn't know when to quite pushing and had her calf bed pushed out laying behind her.

He had two cows...

That bites.
 
We are nearly done, about 28 left of so. Until last night we had a calf for every cow we went into the winter with. Last night we had a cow get on her back and die, and a poor calf we were treating expired. So now I'm off to see if I can make one pair out of two :?
Also had a bloated calf this morning. Let the air out of him with a 16 ga. needle, went for some penicillin and now can't find the little devil :shock: After I introduce the new family to each other I'll go look for the calf and /or ravens.
 
With only 18 head I am still an amateur but started calving on the 3rd and only have 2 left.

For the last 3 years I have only had 1 heifer a year and none worth keeping - - - I have 8 heifers and 8 bulls so far and about 6 of the heifers are out of cows I would keep from so I feel I will be able to expand and or cull this fall.

This will give me an excuse to get rid of #15 ( Old Meany ) and #17 is 10 years old and has a large udder this time ( first time ) so I feel she is getting close.

I have about 6 head that are 10 years old but still seem to be working good - - - with good teeth, condition, and disposition how long should I keep them?
 
George said:
With only 18 head I am still an amateur but started calving on the 3rd and only have 2 left.

For the last 3 years I have only had 1 heifer a year and none worth keeping - - - I have 8 heifers and 8 bulls so far and about 6 of the heifers are out of cows I would keep from so I feel I will be able to expand and or cull this fall.

This will give me an excuse to get rid of #15 ( Old Meany ) and #17 is 10 years old and has a large udder this time ( first time ) so I feel she is getting close.

I have about 6 head that are 10 years old but still seem to be working good - - - with good teeth, condition, and disposition how long should I keep them?
Click to expand...

In your conditions I would expect a cow could easily go 12-14 years if she is keeping her teeth, good udder and maintains herself well. I know a guy that just sold the last two cows he got as heifers from an estate sale and they were 23, bred, and in great flesh :shock:
Our oldest are 12 this year, and we will cull them. I'm sure they'd go a bit yet but we try to always keep our herd youthful and saleable at all times. It gives a person a lot more options. Usually we have 1/3 of the herd as first and second calvers.
 

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