Calving 2012...a year to forget

[North Ridge Ranching]

Hey WR, I am just wondering about your Balancer Bulls. Are they a cross bred bull, and if so what breeding. They look good. Are you using them on some straight Angus cows or on cross breed cows?

 

[WyomingRancher]

Thanks for the kind comments, I truly appreciate them. There were many days I just wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. It seemed like no matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, nothing would go right. My crappy luck still continues, but as long as the losses stay outdoors, I really have no problems at all :wink: .

Yes, these coyotes will hunt in packs. The first morning the coyote assassin showed up, he killed two circling a calf, and saw another one nearby :twisted: .

The Balancers are a Gelbvieh/Angus cross. The majority of the cows in this herd are at least 1/4, up to 1/2 Gelbvieh. These bulls will be bred to these cows. A more motivated person would probably design a better crossbreeding program, but this is a pretty simple way to do it... especially with my interest level in designing elaborate breeding programs :wink: .

 

[floyd]

Amazing what a little frozen water can move, eh?

 

[MO_cows]

That death by boulder takes the cake. Never woulda seen that coming.

The survivors and the cows look great. You gotta be doing something right, even if some days things go wrong.

 

[leanin' H]

I put a cow under the shed this afternoon as it was spitting snow and sleet. She is an old sister who has calved unassisted multiple times and even up on the mountain. I left her to her business and ran two bulls to town to have em' tested. When i got back, i went to check the cow. Big, beautiful bull calf laying there dead with the sack stuck to his head. Cleaned completely off except where he needed it most! :roll: She is a kinda flighty old rip and i don't have a graft even if i thought she'd put up with me trying to get her to take it. So, i guess salebarn next week. :? Not as bad as a boulder but still pi$$es me off!

 

[Faster horses]

That's why when you are using a hide to graft a calf, it's so important
to have the tail attached...

Sorry that happened to you H, but it has happened to everyone.
We had a heifer calving in the barn and went outside so as to
not distract her. We waited no more than 15 minutes at the most.
Went back in the barn......and......dead calf with the sack over his
head. Talk about beat yourself up. So near and yet so far. :?
At least the cow is worth good money.

 

[Howdy1]

My Grandpa always said "you can't save them all. Forget about the dead ones and pay attention to the live ones." It seems to me the longer you are in this business the less a dead calf bothers you. You can always do everything right and nuture does what it wants. Just tough sometimes.

 

[coyote]

I thought there was only a thousand and one ways to die, now I see it is 1002.

Thanks for the pictures, pretty country.

 

[3words]

I put a cow under the shed this afternoon as it was spitting snow and sleet. She is an old sister who has calved unassisted multiple times and even up on the mountain. I left her to her business and ran two bulls to town to have em' tested. When i got back, i went to check the cow. Big, beautiful bull calf laying there dead with the sack stuck to his head. Cleaned completely off except where he needed it most! :roll: She is a kinda flighty old rip and i don't have a graft even if i thought she'd put up with me trying to get her to take it. So, i guess salebarn next week. :? Not as bad as a boulder but still pi$$es me off!

Those are the ones that pi$$ a guy off the most,when they are our own mistakes for having a dead calf.Oh well can't save them all,you can do is try your best.