Something unrelated to COVID, climate change, politics, etc......

[woodland]

It appears the other forum has gone to the Dodo birds...........

This is what I was up to today. Just supplementing the cows as they finish up the corn. Just curious how everyone is making good use of this beautiful weather we have? It’s been a little above freezing the last few days and looks to stay that way for a while.

My sidekick is enjoying it too. Ironically I spend more of my awake hours with him than anyone else.

Besides finding a bred heifer turtled and dead, blowing a rad hose on the bale truck, dead batteries and a failed block heater on a tractor, and a bunch of yearlings that escaped by climbing over a low fence it went fantastic............

At least it’s not 40 below. Anyone calving yet? 🍀

[checking]

It appears the other forum has gone to the Dodo birds...........

This is what I was up to today. Just supplementing the cows as they finish up the corn. Just curious how everyone is making good use of this beautiful weather we have? It’s been a little above freezing the last few days and looks to stay that way for a while.

My sidekick is enjoying it too. Ironically I spend more of my awake hours with him than anyone else.

Besides finding a bred heifer turtled and dead, blowing a rad hose on the bale truck, dead batteries and a failed block heater on a tractor, and a bunch of yearlings that escaped by climbing over a low fence it went fantastic............

At least it’s not 40 below. Anyone calving yet? 🍀

You won't get me to admit that BL don't M.

[littledoggie]

It appears the other forum has gone to the Dodo birds...........

This is what I was up to today. Just supplementing the cows as they finish up the corn. Just curious how everyone is making good use of this beautiful weather we have? It’s been a little above freezing the last few days and looks to stay that way for a while.

My sidekick is enjoying it too. Ironically I spend more of my awake hours with him than anyone else.

Besides finding a bred heifer turtled and dead, blowing a rad hose on the bale truck, dead batteries and a failed block heater on a tractor, and a bunch of yearlings that escaped by climbing over a low fence it went fantastic............

At least it’s not 40 below. Anyone calving yet? 🍀

Not calving until April. Too old for the February calving. Good luck to those of you who are.

Do you know about the recovery position for compromised newborn calves?

https://www.tsln.com/news/tips-for-smoother-calving-and-healthier-calves/ https://www.tsln.com/news/tips-for-smoother-calving-and-healthier-calves/

[woodland]

You won't get me to admit that BL don't M.

I like our little cows and how they handle whatever gets thrown at them by us and Ma Nature. I think there’s nothing much left of the corn for them but they hardly come to see you when you drop a load of nice grass bales for them. Must be happy.

Colour is irrelevant in my eyes but I think they look sharp😎

[Blaithin]

Cows smashed the cold snap. Didn’t even phase them at all. Other than they seemed to drink like elephants right when water was getting to be a pain!

Now that it’s warmed up it’s like they’ve fallen off the edge. It always amazes me how much they eat when it’s cold and then how much they don’t when it warms up. They are not cleaning up their bales with any enthusiasm this week Lol

They’ve been around the side of the house for a bit now, working on fertilizing the front yard. I like being able to peak out the front window and see them. They follow a similar schedule to me and don’t really get out of bed very early.


I have a fairly spread out calving block considering there’s only about 8 to calve but I don’t mind. Spreads out the cost of buying fosters! First to drop is going to be the Simmental on the far left. Should go in the next couple weeks. Then at least 2 of the 3 heifers are end of March. Don’t know when the 3rd is due. Cows were at a different pasture so no wooing was seen to know their dates but they should be March/April as well.

[littledoggie]

Cattle tend to really tank up on food BEFORE the cold weather gets here. A good indicator that it's coming.

[woodland]

Not calving until April. Too old for the February calving. Good luck to those of you who are.

Do you know about the recovery position for compromised newborn calves?

https://www.tsln.com/news/tips-for-smoother-calving-and-healthier-calves/ https://www.tsln.com/news/tips-for-smoother-calving-and-healthier-calves/

Never heard of that before. We occasionally hang them up if they were pulled and not breathing great. Always tickled their noses and had fluid come out but never heard that it could be stomach fluid.............

Got some free edumacation today.

Ma Nature is pretty smart and not many wild creatures around here are born in snowdrifts. I try to follow her lead when possible. Plus the longer days in a couple months mean fewer night checks😉

[Blaithin]

Hanging them compresses their lungs.

Makes sense when you stop and think about it. We all know that older animals don’t do well with their head down and organs on their lungs. Just never really think about it when all you’ve known is hanging them on the gate.

One of those extreme Oh duh moments when I first seen the recovery position 😂

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Hanging them compresses their lungs.

Makes sense when you stop and think about it. We all know that older animals don’t do well with their head down and organs on their lungs. Just never really think about it when all you’ve known is hanging them on the gate.

One of those extreme Oh duh moments when I first seen the recovery position 😂

Always humbling to know that we have been doing something wrong forever. Lots of good info in the article.

Our long time vet says he has those kind of moment regularly, when he learns that what he was taught in vet school, and has been doing for years, is completely wrong.

Knowledge progresses. Imagine the weight on the conciense of the Doctors who used to kill so many birthing mothers by contaminating them with dirty hands from the mortuary, when it was eventually accepted.

[GDR]

Pretty cool picture of your cows Woodland, that's a lot of bunks.

Hot and heavy lambing here, havent got much sleep last few days, all seem to wait till nighttime this year. Should be down to just stragglers in a few days. Then I'm on whelping duty, my helper is due for a batch of pups in 10 days. Cows start mid March. Baby central here for 3 months as usual.

That calving article, basically what we do here for the most part, been sitting babies up like that for a long time, then rub them on either side of their spine, or sometimes "pump" their back leg towards their body, seems to work well. Dont generally have much issues with calving, lambing presents more problems. Always like when the vet suggests to do a c section early. Havent needed one for 20 yrs myself but a friend did one a couple years ago, bill was over $1200 with mileage, after hour charges etc. Vets have lost touch with reality of livestock farming and have pretty well become equine and small animal vets. Still know a couple good ones, they just aren't close enough to me when you need them.

Was gonna add some lambing pictures but Agriville keeps saying there is an error???

[woodland]

Cattle tend to really tank up on food BEFORE the cold weather gets here. A good indicator that it's coming.

Interesting. I always notice the water springs around here start running more a couple days before it warms up. Must be the pressure change driving these changes???

[woodland]

Cows smashed the cold snap. Didn’t even phase them at all. Other than they seemed to drink like elephants right when water was getting to be a pain!

Now that it’s warmed up it’s like they’ve fallen off the edge. It always amazes me how much they eat when it’s cold and then how much they don’t when it warms up. They are not cleaning up their bales with any enthusiasm this week Lol

They’ve been around the side of the house for a bit now, working on fertilizing the front yard. I like being able to peak out the front window and see them. They follow a similar schedule to me and don’t really get out of bed very early.


I have a fairly spread out calving block considering there’s only about 8 to calve but I don’t mind. Spreads out the cost of buying fosters! First to drop is going to be the Simmental on the far left. Should go in the next couple weeks. Then at least 2 of the 3 heifers are end of March. Don’t know when the 3rd is due. Cows were at a different pasture so no wooing was seen to know their dates but they should be March/April as well.

I know my friend likes calving now so the bulls can start breeding in the corrals. That way they can keep track of which bull gets which cow on what day. I suggested a DNA test might save time but they are kinda resistant to change. As long as our cows get bred within three cycles I’m happy. What are foster calves worth these days?

It really seems like the odds are stacked against us at keeping water flowing at -30. The axe is my weapon of choice to open up the waterers.

The way our yard is setup if I see cows out the window when I wake up I know there’s a open gate or fence to fix.


Fun times😎

[woodland]

Pretty cool picture of your cows Woodland, that's a lot of bunks.

Hot and heavy lambing here, havent got much sleep last few days, all seem to wait till nighttime this year. Should be down to just stragglers in a few days. Then I'm on whelping duty, my helper is due for a batch of pups in 10 days. Cows start mid March. Baby central here for 3 months as usual.

That calving article, basically what we do here for the most part, been sitting babies up like that for a long time, then rub them on either side of their spine, or sometimes "pump" their back leg towards their body, seems to work well. Dont generally have much issues with calving, lambing presents more problems. Always like when the vet suggests to do a c section early. Havent needed one for 20 yrs myself but a friend did one a couple years ago, bill was over $1200 with mileage, after hour charges etc. Vets have lost touch with reality of livestock farming and have pretty well become equine and small animal vets. Still know a couple good ones, they just aren't close enough to me when you need them.

Was gonna add some lambing pictures but Agriville keeps saying there is an error???

Been building more bunks lately as there seems to be more cows here all the time. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not? 😉

The vets have priced themselves out of our place as well. Closest one is 50 km away. We get them to semen test in June and ultrasound the bred heifers in December. We get two different vets out so that opens two different doors to get medicine at. YouTube on the phone at the maternity pen is an amazing resource.

What kind of issues do lambs run into? Haven’t been around many of them as they’re pretty scarce around here.

Pictures are always great. Please try again😎

[Sheepwheat]

I always forget there are these other forums. Seems more farming info on this one. Don’t want to hijack, but being as sheep are basically a little cow, I’m here to learn more. And I appreciate the pics.

[Blaithin]

I know my friend likes calving now so the bulls can start breeding in the corrals. That way they can keep track of which bull gets which cow on what day. I suggested a DNA test might save time but they are kinda resistant to change. As long as our cows get bred within three cycles I’m happy. What are foster calves worth these days?

It really seems like the odds are stacked against us at keeping water flowing at -30. The axe is my weapon of choice to open up the waterers.

The way our yard is setup if I see cows out the window when I wake up I know there’s a open gate or fence to fix.


Fun times😎

400-500 has been the normal for fosters the last few years. Some want higher, I just be patient for others to appear. Or can go to the auction and take a chance on a calf there. Also got a couple dairies I’m in touch with that do Beef bulls on the cows so I can get them for a little less if I need a bunch of calves in a short time span. Currently trying to have a cow need a calf at the same time a dairy has a Belgian Blue cross calf available as I’m interested in seeing how that cross does.

My waterer is alright. Bigger trough with a floating de icer but at past -30s it can’t keep the whole top open. The hole gradually gets smaller and smaller 😂

Since my bull is with the cows year round I could have calves anytime (like the surprise Christmas calf...) but usually they’re close enough to home that I can see some sort of action going on to know when they’re due to start calving. They do seem to have mostly congregated into April so I just leave them to their own thing the last few years. The heifers it’s nice to know when they’re due though, just because they’re heifers!






GDR does feeding sheep in the evening have the same effect as feeding cattle in the evening; mostly day time births, less night time ones? I thought I read somewhere it does. Might be something to try next time if you aren’t already doing it, just to help nights not be so busy!