Northern Rancher
Well-known member
I've calved in -50 and in +100-heat is wayyy easier to deal with.
Why we calve in May
- Thread starter rancherfred
- Start date
WyomingRancher
Well-known member
Big Swede said:
Agreed, and if your calving was something you dreaded, instead of looked forward to, it was time for a change. I look forward to hearing how your transition works for you
. What was it like sleeping soudly through these past few blizzards???Life is way too short to not enjoy what you're doing :wink:!
Big Swede
Well-known member
Wyoming Rancher, I wouldn't exactly say that I dreaded calving season, but rather I dreaded the weather that almost always seemed to accompany it. February and March calving can be a breeze when the weather is nice I'll be the first to admit it. There were years when you could calve hundreds of cows without a bit of trouble. BUT, you knew there was going to be a but didn't you? Most years you hit a couple blizzards and below zero temps and all the trouble that comes with it was starting to wear me out. My best friend right now has been fixing all the mismatches and orphaned calves that always follows a storm. He's been doing that since the storm quit a few days ago. So much work and frustration.
The funny thing is that for every 10 guys who say they wish they weren't calving in this crappy weather, at least 9 of them will turn their bulls out at the same time next year. :shock:
The funny thing is that for every 10 guys who say they wish they weren't calving in this crappy weather, at least 9 of them will turn their bulls out at the same time next year. :shock:
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
It's always a sunny day when the bull goes out lol.
Mrs.Greg said:
That may be true with regards to the flat land Peace, but it doesn't happen (touch would) here. It gets cold, we may get snow, but alot of snow is 4 or 6 inches. Winds at 50 km gusting to 70 is big time wind here, but there is no end of shelter.
I don't believe I would trade climates for love nor money :wink:
My heart goes out to those that do have to deal with it, and those that survive it with there herds reasonably intact have my respect and admiration.
per
Well-known member
Silver said:
:agree:
WyomingRancher
Well-known member
Big Swede said:
Now, if he's your best friend, shouldn't you be helping him in his time of misery
??? Actually, my question is what's the deal w/ the mismatched and orphaned calves. Is it because they get separated too long before they're paired up again, many cows die? I'm not familiar with that.Big Swede
Well-known member
I can't believe you never get screw ups after a blizzard. Usually calves that are under a week old. Calves all get wet, some cows forget what their calf smells like and end up claiming another calf. So you go out after a blizzard and look for hungry calves. Their mother is helping another cow raise her calf and without gettting them in to reaquaint them they will not claim their own calf. Add to the equation a foot or two of snow and slop and it becomes very frustrating. I've spent 3 or 4 days after storms getting everything paired up again and then when the next storm hits you start all over again. I don't know how the oldtimers did it without tags. That's the main reason I use them.
The most aggravating thing is when you push a hungry calf up to its mother and they walk on by like they have never seen them in their life.
The most aggravating thing is when you push a hungry calf up to its mother and they walk on by like they have never seen them in their life.
WyomingRancher
Well-known member
Big Swede said:
:shock: :shock: :shock: Oh my goodness, I've never even heard of that before, let alone experienced it. Eartags would take on a new significance in that situation. No wonder storms are sent straight from heck for you guys! I can't imagine that...and hope I never see it! That's unbelievable!!! Now I'll be worrying about that happening...since I'm a professional worrier :shock:.
Will they usually take them back once you get them back together, or do some turn into graft-type projects???
I'll tell you, after learning what all goes on in these blizzards for you folks, I'm realizing just how spoiled I really am. It's not always a picnic here, and I've gone through king sized wrecks before, but most of my troubles I can manage around. Ignorance truly is bliss... :wink:.
Soapweed
Well-known member
WyomingRancher said:
In the March 11-12 Blizzard of 1988, we had six calves born outside within the same hour. We didn't have a hot-box at the time, so brought all six calves into the "mudroom" entryway on our house so they could get warm. Peach used the same towel to dry off all six calves. Don't think that didn't confuse the six momma cows. :? None of them knew which calf was theirs when we turned them back together. We had to individually put each pair into box stalls, and use liberal amounts of O-No-Mo to rectify the situration. :roll: :wink:
Big Swede
Well-known member
O-No-Mo also known as magic dust around here usually does the trick. Put the cow in the head gate, let the calf suck, sprinkle a little magic dust on them and leave them overnight. Never seen yet where that doesn't work but what a pain in the butt. By the next morning you would never know that there was a problem, till the next storm that is.
LaramieRiverWrangler
Member
Impressive photos of the blizzard in NE. We had our storm the 4th and 5th and I could tell from the radar that NE was going to get slammed.
We began our spring calving the 3rd along the river with trees for protection and luckily it was not too cold. Only minor problems and maybe 1 or 2 calf losses we could blame on the storm.
We are trying to calve our heifers right along with the 3's and 4's outside in the pasture. For the most part it is going well but I still have an occasional heifer that has not figured out what her job really is. That is when I wish I were back at the barn where I could lock her up with the calf for at least 24 hours. Do most of you still calve your heifers through the barn?
We began our spring calving the 3rd along the river with trees for protection and luckily it was not too cold. Only minor problems and maybe 1 or 2 calf losses we could blame on the storm.
We are trying to calve our heifers right along with the 3's and 4's outside in the pasture. For the most part it is going well but I still have an occasional heifer that has not figured out what her job really is. That is when I wish I were back at the barn where I could lock her up with the calf for at least 24 hours. Do most of you still calve your heifers through the barn?
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
Any heifer that can't mother her calf out on grass doesn't really deserve to become a cow. I figure if 95% plus can get it done why bother with the few who can't. The old ranchers up here used to just sort of any cow that wasn't wet at branding time-it took care of just about all management problems-poor mothers-bad udders-dumb calves etc. Plus you had a good package of grass fat cows to sell. Just got home from the yards in town the improvement in cow prices has them coming to town sooner-lots of cows with full udders that must of just lost a calf.
WyomingRancher
Well-known member
LaramieRiverWrangler said:
Welcome buddy! Glad to hear the storm wasn't too bad for you
. If you haven't yet, you should check my pictures out of the calves...mostly out of your bulls... I'm liking them a lot... as usual . Also pretty happy with the yearling heifers. Hope your calving goes well.