March 20, 2012

[Soapweed]

Wreck this morning. The heifer got on her back, with her feet tangled in the wire panel, as she was trying to give birth to her calf.

Rectifying the wreck. The Polaris pulled her around to where she could sit up, and I assisted the birthing process by pulling on a rope
looped around the calf's feet.

Cattle on the meadow

Just the right depth to wade in

Tastes good, too.

Crossing a culvert

Look Mom, no feet.

Mom, you are eating off a dirty dinner plate.

One of the older cows on the ranch. She turned 12 this spring.

One of the nosier cows

Cowboy on a silver screen

Source of cool clear water

 

[per]

Good save. If we build infrastructure they will find a way to use it against themselves.

How wide is your calf cage. Going to build one this week on the side of a ranger.

 

[North Ridge Ranching]

Got to be happy about finding that one in time. Our pastures were looking like yours until yesterday. Nice and dry and ready for new born pairs. Not so much today. Looks like we will have 2 break-ups this year. The moisture was needed though.

 

[Soapweed]

Good save. If we build infrastructure they will find a way to use it against themselves.

How wide is your calf cage. Going to build one this week on the side of a ranger.

The cage is four feet wide and six feet long. Here is a photo that might show some detail for you. The front unpainted tubing is a "bang-board"
that Sparky made, so that the gate would be less apt to get wrecked.

 

[gcreekrch]

How wide is your calf cage. Going to build one this week on the side of a ranger.

Something needed today?



Good save Soap, your babies are sure growing.

 

[WyomingRancher]

I've had a cow do the same exact thing, it's amazing how they try and kill themselves. Glad you saved her . Your cattle look great, this sure has been a kind March.

 

[NUFFIELD]

Some amount of calves Soapweed. You have some workload calving that lot.
Do you pen each cow as she calves to make sure calves get a suck or just watch them.

 

[North Ridge Ranching]

I know in most cases here, letting mother nature take care of things is usually the best policy. We try to watch and make sure that the calf sucks but if mom and baby look like they are doing good, we are usually happy with that. You run alot more head than me soapweed, but I am guessing it is similar at your ranch.

 

[Soapweed]

Some amount of calves Soapweed. You have some workload calving that lot.
Do you pen each cow as she calves to make sure calves get a suck or just watch them.

We check them every two or three hours, but try not to do any more with them than necessary. Unless the weather is extremely cold, they calve outside. Every night we bring in the springers, leaving pairs behind. The next morning, we pair out the cows with new calves, and "clean out" the calving lot before turning the heavies back into the day lot. If for some reason a calf doesn't suck, we drench them with a half gallon of colostrum made from powdered mix. After their appetite gets whetted, they normally figure out how to suck the next time they are hungry. We very seldom put a cow in the stanchion to help a calf suck. If that has to happen, that cow goes right to the top of the selling/culling list. By being harsh in this regard, we have pretty much eliminated these kinds of problems.

Our goal is to have the least amount of barn chores possible. I always figure calving is going very well if we don't have any "basket cases" around the barn.

 

[NUFFIELD]

Some amount of calves Soapweed. You have some workload calving that lot.
Do you pen each cow as she calves to make sure calves get a suck or just watch them.

We check them every two or three hours, but try not to do any more with them than necessary. Unless the weather is extremely cold, they calve outside. Every night we bring in the springers, leaving pairs behind. The next morning, we pair out the cows with new calves, and "clean out" the calving lot before turning the heavies back into the day lot. If for some reason a calf doesn't suck, we drench them with a half gallon of colostrum made from powdered mix. After their appetite gets whetted, they normally figure out how to suck the next time they are hungry. We very seldom put a cow in the stanchion to help a calf suck. If that has to happen, that cow goes right to the top of the selling/culling list. By being harsh in this regard, we have pretty much eliminated these kinds of problems.

Our goal is to have the least amount of barn chores possible. I always figure calving is going very well if we don't have any "basket cases" around the barn.

Thanks for reply. I was wondering how you manage so many head.
Guys here because their farms are smaller tend to go for the breeds that come into the most money and they are Belgium Blue, Charolais and limousion. Mostly assisted calving and dopier calves with the BB and Charolais. Most herds here are under 50 cows yet we are the largest exporter of beef in Europe

 

[NUFFIELD]

I must add that your system and breeds is very good and more natural than and easycare than practiced here. Good work.