OK NIGHT CALVERS
- Thread starter HAY MAKER
- Start date
Big Muddy rancher
Well-known member
Hey were you the other one that voted the same as me Haymaker?
If there are heifers on the place it's every two hours. The past couple of years there hasn't been any heifers kept so when it's nice right before supper then at midnight and four. However when the wind is blowing and snow is flying it's every two. The embryo cows also get special treatment and are checked every two hours.
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
Heck when it's 75 above I wait till morning lol.
Kato
Well-known member
It all depends. When it's heifers, and/or it's 40 below, then every four hours. We put the most likely suspects in the barn if it's really cold, but the success of that depends on how well we choose who's the most likely suspect. :shock: :wink:
If it's nice out and it's mature cows, then it's one check at bed time, and another first thing in the morning. No scheduled checks during the day because Hubby is outside all day anyway, and keeps his eyes open.
The really late cows who get to calve in the pasture are expected to manage quite nicely by themselves. Usually that's only a couple of cows who are on probation and lucky to be here due to the rotton cull cow prices.
If it's nice out and it's mature cows, then it's one check at bed time, and another first thing in the morning. No scheduled checks during the day because Hubby is outside all day anyway, and keeps his eyes open.
The really late cows who get to calve in the pasture are expected to manage quite nicely by themselves. Usually that's only a couple of cows who are on probation and lucky to be here due to the rotton cull cow prices.
cowzilla
Well-known member
Check them once at night ( more if storming) usually at 1:00 . Spring must be here lots of Canada Geese paired up and ckackling at night. Can't live with the cows all the time bad things can happen 5 mins after you leave. Few years ago I worked at a plant, gone for 10-12hrs at a time and cows where on there own . Lost 2 calfs out of 100 cows and lost those ones on the weekend ( when I was home ) One was when I was having coffee with my dad telling him how good calving was going :roll:
DiamondSCattleCo
Well-known member
Every two hours until the evening temps climb above -5C or so, depending on humidity. Then I switch between 2, 3, or 4 hours, depending on how many I think are going to calve and whether its heifers or not.
Rod
Rod
We play it by the situation. When it's real cold, every two hours or less. When it's warm (say, above 20F) then every 3 hours or so. Now that we hardly have any left to calve (70 or 80) and it's warm, we only check at dark and first light.
Ranch Mom
Well-known member
We play it by ear too.
When it's nice we check just before dark and if one is calving, we keep checking till she's done. If nothings happening, we don't see them again until daylight.
When it's cold and windy, we check as often as we can, 2 hrs at least.
During this most recent storm, we were out continually, bringing calves in to warm, taking calves back to pair up. We have no barn for our cattle so it makes it tough.
k_ranch truly slept for a half hour the first night, I slept 3. The second night was almost the same, but harder to stay up.
When it's nice we check just before dark and if one is calving, we keep checking till she's done. If nothings happening, we don't see them again until daylight.
When it's cold and windy, we check as often as we can, 2 hrs at least.
During this most recent storm, we were out continually, bringing calves in to warm, taking calves back to pair up. We have no barn for our cattle so it makes it tough.
k_ranch truly slept for a half hour the first night, I slept 3. The second night was almost the same, but harder to stay up.
cowsense
Well-known member
BMR had to give up night checking; had trouble finding his black cows in the dark and when he did find them he couldn't win the foot race! :???: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :wink: 
Tap
Well-known member
Ranch Mom, I assume you guys have some good shelter over there on your creek. When do most start calving in your area? Around here a lot start the first of April, but some quite a bit earlier, and some later.
Good luck calving.
Good luck calving.
DiamondSCattleCo
Well-known member
cowsense said:
<chuckle> I don't find that at all funny. Well, maybe I do, but it took a couple years. :lol: A few years ago, Dad bought me this MONSTER rechargable spotlight for a christmas present. Thought with all those candles, it would great for calving season. So I got it all ready, and on the blackest night we'd had in ages, I used it for the first time. In the middle of a pen full of black cows, this flashlight starts to die, and it goes FAST. I stepped on 2 tails, a couple feet and tripped over two more bellies. Bit of quick scrambling got me away from 'em without getting flattened, and then I was over the fence. Checked the owners manual when I made it in the house. That great big monster of a rechargable flashlight was good for FIVE minutes of burn time.
Guess I shudda read the destructions first
:lol:
Rod
the_jersey_lilly_2000
Well-known member
hehe which reminds me of someone's brilliant idea that we should work cows at night, since its so hot in June and July.(I was protestin before we got started) ..penned em in the evenin. Set up the generators, and big lights on the corners of the pens. Not all our cows are black, but when its dark it really dont make that much difference tween red and black......the lights don't do anything but blind you. when your not lookin towards one, you've just turned away from one and see spots!!!!........After a couple hot breaths breathin on my behind, I said to heck with this. lets finish up in the mornin. aint worth gettin hurt over!!!! We aint tried that NO MORE!!!!
