Oie, what a day

[DiamondSCattleCo]

With calving season in full swing, I decided to take a couple hours away to go look at a Welsh Black bull today.

When I got back, one of my older blazes had calved out and her calf was busy looking for some chow. Meanwhile, one of my new blacks was in the process of calving, but had broke her water bag all over the other calf. She had hooves coming but as far as she was concerned, she was done calving. Had to pull her calf before she realized that she wasn't done. Easy pull (had she not taken to the other calf, she would have popped it out on her own) right up until she decided to sit down and take a rest. Then she finished calving sitting down. Never saw that before.

The neighbor had come with me, and as we were having some lunch, his wife called and said one of his Simm heifers was having trouble. Went over to his place and had the hardest pull of my life over there. 140 lb calf, 70 lbs of which I think was head, from a supposed easy calving Red Angus bull. Calf probably should have been a C-section.

And just a couple hours ago, I had 2 cows calving. First one popped her calf out, and the second idiot decided that was _maybe_ her calf and she should go have a couple looks. Not quite as bad a gong show, as the second cow finally realized she wasn't done and laid down to finish the job.

<chuckle> In all my years of pen calving, I can only remember one time that I had a cow take another ones calf. Now two in a 24 hour period. I see I've got another 6 or 8 cows coming in today or tomorrow. Lol, anyone wanna start a pool on how many calf swaps there will be before its all over?

Rod

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I should add that I feel sorrier for my neighbor. He's got quite a few heifers bred to that RA bull.

I told him I was busy for the rest of the spring...

Rod

[rkaiser]

Not trying to tell you what to do here Rod but - Had a cow wanting to mother a calf last year out on the graas in the spring (wink). I tried a couple of times to git her away from the cow who already was happy with her baby. After a couple of tries - I just left her alone and let nature take care of the situation. Came back in an hour or so and everyone had everything sorted out.

As for the red angus bull and the cow with the 140 pound calf - sounds like about four swinging side beeves to me.

[farmers_son]

We have cows try to take another's calf instead of calving their own every year. But I do not recall ever having two do that in one day.

We had one calf that everybody wanted for their own, not just one cow but a half dozen. And the calf was glad to oblige one and all. We finally had to separate the real mother and her calf as it was causing way too much mayhem.

We also have cows that come down to the barn to calve every year. Kind of handy when the weather is real bad but a nuisance other times. We have a lot of cows that we can help right out in the field, especially if they are lying down. I just carry the chains in my pocket when I am checking and deal with the issue right then and there. Have got into problems doing that however if the heifer decides to stop cooperating part way through.

I keep track and for the most part we never see the cows calve and just walk through them every couple of hours to count how many new ones we have. But there is always those times when if it is not one thing it is two. I used a different heifer bull this year and will find out in a few days if I picked the right bull or not.

As long as the weather stay as nice as it was yesterday it is all good.

[Willowcreek]

Rod- One of the reasons I like calving out on the grass- if one trys stealing a calf, momma can take it a mile from that cow and be alone with it...

When I used to lot calve I had problems with the same thing...

You Canucks keep those snowstorms and cold weather up north for a while longer- so far this has been one of the nicest calving weather years we've had for just south of the 49th...

[rkaiser]

Listen you old Tree, don't you try working your way into our hearts with your nicey nice post.

[rkaiser]

And by the way Old boy, what are you talking about GRASS. I sure the hell don't see any out of my window - all I see is white. Are you saying that you American's have some kind of weather advantage over us Canuckleheads?

[mb_rancher]

Randy,


I would say that is an unfair advantage WillowCreek has over us Canadian guys.

[rkaiser]

So Chris - what would you say we do about that. Should we go to our government and wine and cry like Rcalf does or should we use our Canadian weather to our advantge? I think we tell our new retail customers in Billings that our Branded Canadian product is better than Old Willow's USDA stamped product because our cattle eat more to survive our winters and lay down a nice triple A finish; and give em a taste!!!!!!

[mb_rancher]

Randy,

I think the same way as you. Instead of whining about it, lets use it too our advantage. Show them people in Billings that we have a damn good product, taste, color, texture.... etc.