Spots-R-Us

[Puzzled]

First calf heifer. She is 1/2 Murray Grey, 1/4 Corriente, 1/8 Herford and 1/8 Angus. The calf is out of a grade Angus bull. That calf's color pattern, courtesy
of the Corriente genes is very dominating. I really like the heifers hair-do. Her yearling half sister (from the same Murray Grey bull) has the same hair-do.
Most people will assume the calf is Pinzqauer, not so.

 

[Faster horses]

That's quite a cross! Pretty calf!!

 

[Puzzled]

I thought I might get a black calf from her. His legs were black, his head was black but as the delivery progressed
I began to see that infamous color pattern. Oh well, he is healthy and she is a good Mom.

 

[Puzzled]

100% calved out in 21 days. First calf hit the ground February 20th, last one dropped her calf today.

 

[Puzzled]

Need some suggestions. My spotted cow is not doing well. She is 2 yrs. with first calf. Number 1 suspicion is she is not adapting to the lush grass. The three cows are getting 50-60 lbs. of grass hay per day. They have HiMag minerals. This cow has bad diarrhea, gave her some Anti-Diarrheal boluses, but has had minimal effect. Her calf looks good but is beginning to act like milk production has diminished.

She was really sick yesterday, I was scared to death she would be dead this morning. But she is up and eating some hay eyes are alert but she looks like ----. Thinking maybe I should pull her clear off pasture.

Other question: How do I introduce the cows to this lush feed ? If we get some dryer weather here, would mowing the grass that has such a head start, diminish the impact it has on there digestive system ?

Monday I hope to find a large animal vet to look at her. I know she's not CAB and would not fit in with the Canadian cattle, but I do like this cow and her calf has a good start. And trust me she actually looks worse than the pictures portray her.

 

[Faster horses]

It's most likely acidosis. Put some dry hay out for dry matter. Either a round bale or even some little
square bales. That will dilute the lush feed. They need fiber going into the rumen so the cows chew their cud as much as possible to *maximize saliva production with it's bicarbonate. They'll eat the dry hay eventually, but not like they eat it it in the winter. It can even be junk hay, straw, probably not any type of grain hay though.

I agree that you need to get that stopped. It could weaken her and she could wind up with coccidiosis.

*I didn't know that, I looked it up.
www.ecofarmingdaily.com Treating Acidosis in cattle.

Good luck!

 

[Puzzled]

It's most likely acidosis. Put some dry hay out for dry matter. Either a round bale or even some little
square bales. That will dilute the lush feed. They need fiber going into the rumen so the cows chew their cud as much as possible to *maximize saliva production with it's bicarbonate. They'll eat the dry hay eventually, but not like they eat it it in the winter. It can even be junk hay, straw, probably not any type of grain hay though.

I agree that you need to get that stopped. It could weaken her and she could wind up with coccidiosis.

*I didn't know that, I looked it up.
www.ecofarmingdaily.com Treating Acidosis in cattle.

Good luck!

Thank you. Most of the info I was finding focused on Dairy cattle. And speaking of chewing her cud, that I watched for yesterday, and did not see. She was just really uncomfortable, she would lay down in an upright position, with her head resting on the ground

In a time long ago, there was a slaughter house in this area. The owner would feed to fatten some animals, his own small feedlot. He made his own mix of grain, I know it had beet pulp pellets, corn, molasses and I don't know what all else, but it also had lots of chopped hay mixed in. It was referred to as chopped feed. We fed some to our bottle calves when they got a little older, and they really thrived on it. But that hay probably played a significant role in keeping the cattle/calves healthy.

 

[Faster horses]

Thank you. Most of the info I was finding focused on Dairy cattle. And speaking of chewing her cud, that I watched for yesterday, and did not see. She was just really uncomfortable, she would lay down in an upright position, with her head resting on the ground

In a time long ago, there was a slaughter house in this area. The owner would feed to fatten some animals, his own small feedlot. He made his own mix of grain, I know it had beet pulp pellets, corn, molasses and I don't know what all else, but it also had lots of chopped hay mixed in. It was referred to as chopped feed. We fed some to our bottle calves when they got a little older, and they really thrived on it. But that hay probably played a significant role in keeping the cattle/calves healthy.

I don't think you were planning in it, but I'd be careful, at this point, feeding molasses. Beet pulp and chopped hay would have added fiber (dry matter) which is important. I remember going to a ranch that was irrigated pasture. The cows were NOT on the irrigated green grass, they were along the road trying to get some dry matter there. It's a requirement. One thing we learned through the years in Montana, in the spring when the grass is green, it has everything in it BUT it is full of moisture. By putting an old round bale of hay out (for dry matter) they actually were happier and they bred up better. We used to say in the spring "they are chasing green grass." Actually they were chasing dry matter. I do now see that she is eating on some old hay in the first picture. Just keep putting it out.

Do you have any mineral with magnesium? That might help. Grass like you have, if it were in Mt or WY could result in grass tetany. Are you feeding them mineral at all? I don't want to scare you, but grass tetany is caused from a mineral imbalance and hi mag mineral can help with that. If you see her unsteady on her feet, she probably does need to see a veterinarian. I'm concerned that she isn't chewing her cud.

 

[Puzzled]

They do have access to a Hi Mag mineral. Thanks for the tip on molasses. It's frustrating, I cross fenced their little field to enable rotation, it has made a huge difference in the volume of feed that it produces, grass is crowding out weeds. But the cows were healthier on short feed.

I think I created my own problem.