# Calving season started today, pics



## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Calving started today with a bang, first a nice looking healthy dark red bull. Then 2 hours later one cow that wasn't even in my wife's radar wanted into the birthing area so she knew something was going on. She had a heifer calf that might weigh 20 lbs. It's so small my wife had to go Family Dollar and get a baby bottle to try and get some milk into it. We did manage to get a few ounces of colostrum out of the other mama cow but her calf had nearly drained her, the little one's mama doesn't even have any milk yet. We got some milk out of the Holstein and did manage to get 3-4 oz. total into it so far. The little girl is weak, very weak. If she makes it through the night it'll be a miracle.










"Lil One"


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## JayTN (Jul 12, 2015)

Calving is my favorite time of year. Love seeing new calves running and playing. Good luck on the little one.


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## JMT (Aug 10, 2013)

Grateful11 said:


> Calving started today with a bang, first a nice looking healthy dark red bull. Then 2 hours later one cow that wasn't even in my wife's radar wanted into the birthing area so she knew something was going on. She had a heifer calf that might weigh 20 lbs. It's so small my wife had to go Family Dollar and get a baby bottle to try and get some milk into it. We did manage to get a few ounces of colostrum out of the other mama cow but her calf had nearly drained her, the little one's mama doesn't even have any milk yet. We got some milk out of the Holstein and did manage to get 3-4 oz. total into it so far. The little girl is weak, very weak. If she makes it through the night it'll be a miracle.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Been busy planting new alfalfa and finishing hay. Called mom to see if she could come rake some. She said okay, but do you want the good news or bad news? Turns out the bad was the good. We have 27 calves to tag. Guess that is what I get when I am to busy to tag calves for a week.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

The bigger calf looks really nice. Love it when the breeding produces as planned.

I hope the little one makes it. Some times momma cow and calf are not on the same page when the time comes. I know she will be given the best care to make it.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Little Calf got worse during the night. We got up at 5am and my wife said just stay here and let me go see if it's still alive and it was. So we tried to get a little more milk into it but it was pretty much hopeless. I had to be in Charlotte this morning so they took her to our Vet and one of the large animal Vets put it to sleep. He said it looked like the calf was blind, he said they were doing the right thing. The mama cow had a problem with a hoof about a month ago and the Doc had mixed up about 3 shots for her and she got the last one about 3 weeks ago. We're thinking that may have had something to do with her going into labor early but who knows it's just a part farming, sometimes things just aren't meant to be.


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

Sometimes things aren't meant to be but that sure doesn't make it easier for anyone who really cares for their animals. At least you know you went above and beyond to do everything you could. And hopefully that will get the first and only calving issue out of the way and smooth sailing from here on!


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## Thorim (Jan 19, 2015)

Never easy losing a calf for any reason but sadly its a part of life


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Another nice healthy looking heifer calf was born Sunday.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

I think my wife said there's 13 on the ground now, here's part of them. There's a couple due at anytime.


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## Growing pains (Nov 7, 2015)

Nice looking herd of calves


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Here's about half the little ones that have been born so far this season, about 17 more to go.


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

Do you AI or bull breed?


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

bluefarmer said:


> Do you AI or bull breed?


All bull breed. Wife raised the bull from a calf born here on the farm. She sold his Mother and I think his half sister, she didn't want any inbreeding going on. He calves easy and is very gentle, just don't mess with him if someone is in heat. He stays with the herd.

This is him in the video, never would have thought he would have turned out this nice. In the video she took him away from his woman of the day, he had already got her. Usually he's a, "wham bam thank you mam", kinda bull and leaves them alone but every now and then he seems to wear out his welcome with certain ones.:


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

We've some dandy little ai bulls born in September - October I Would have to look but I think it is 5 Bulls out of 8 Calves. Overall this fall, commercial cows and all, It was like 85% bull Calves!


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Well calving season officially ended yesterday with this little girl. 33 or 34 healthy calves, lost 1.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

I got a pinz bull last year. He's made some interesting looking calves.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

The Pinzgauer cattle certainly are distinct.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

Do the pinzgauer sell good in you neck of the woods.
They don't do good at all hear and neither do the belted cattle.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Swv.farmer said:


> Do the pinzgauer sell good in you neck of the woods.
> They don't do good at all hear and neither do the belted cattle.


Good question. I always wondered what area they were best marketed.

I know Brahman influence does not do well in the north. Belts and pinz do not do well here.

No matter what part of Ag a person is in, the climate and weather makes a lot of the decisions.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

Hear black baldys are top then black and then red.and yellow and white are on the bottom of the price list.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

We do all direct sales, so no sales barn issues around here. Most of my brood cows have some pinz in them. They are popular in Maine and catching on around here. Really large framed cows and tall calves. A couple the largest steers I've sold have been pinz and a friend of mine swears it was the best meat he's bought from me.

Belted cattle are also very popular in the area. My brother has them, his FIL has a large herd. Again we do cows differently then you guys breeding commercial cows for auction sales. Customers like to see interesting cows and want to know why we have certain odd breeds. The Pinz look distinctive and coming from Austria are adapted well for life in the hills and our winters.

And I don't know anyone messing with Brama blood around here, probably back to the winter situation.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

Just wanted to show off why I like the Pinz crosses. This guy was born probably around 4 or 5 this morning. Took this pic about noon. First calf heifer at 23 months.


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## Waterway64 (Dec 2, 2011)

I have only seen a half dozen pinzgaur cattle but all were high quality.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

13 calves so far, so the season is off to a good start. Wife says it looks like no more for a couple weeks. One of the registered bred Herefords she bought had girl so she's a keeper.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Dill

When you sell calves with white stripes on back/tail-head do you get docked on price per #? One gets docked down here in TX because buyers think calves have some Longhorn or Corriente blood in them if the calves have much white on them.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

No, we sell direct freezer beef. There are a couple guys around here selling longhorn crosses that push the lean traits of longhorn.

Like I said before totally different way of selling.


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## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

Ours hit the ground a month back. Just hope their worth something come March.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

had my first set of twin bulls born this morning any suggestions? They have both been up but I'm not 100% sure both have nursed. Hard to tell when they are both black with white tails. She had abandoned the larger of the 2 most of the day. Got 1/2 a bottle of colostrum replacer I had on hand into him and carried him over to mom. So then she took off with the larger calf. Repeated with the other half a bottle. Seems like both are tagging right along with her now. She's got an udder like a Holstein. Interesting way to finish calving season. Next year I'll be split 50/50 fall/spring. Hoping to get more a steady supply of steers this way.







and this is her 5th calving.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

On twins: You will read a lot of different opinions.

Some say the mother takes care of one during the day and the other at night. Supposed to have been a study about that.

Another school of thought is to pull one calf and raise it on the bottle.

I have only had two sets of twins. I put them in a pen with the momma cow until I was sure she accepted them both. Mine were out of good milkers as well and both momma's raised her pair. Where I began to see a difference was when they were about 3 months old. Two calves will pull a momma down.

If she is raising them both try to keep an eye out that one calf is not getting the lions share of the milk. Usually they will both nurse first thing in the morning. One may begin to get more during the day and leave little for the other.

Good luck. The calves look nice.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

I remember we had three sets of twins one year and only had 12 cows . Cows just took care of them it was not a big problem guess we just got lucky .


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## Waterway64 (Dec 2, 2011)

I average 5-6 sets of twins a year out of 90 cows. If there is a calving problem, a stillborn, or a abandoned calf it is nearly always involving twins.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

Just had to stick the twins and mom in the barn after chasing one of them 3 times today. She's good about keeping an eye on one but not both. Not sure if I should just cut my losses now and sell one as a bottle calf or not. Probably could get 400 for him.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Wow. Thats a good price compared to sale barn reports here. 300# may get $400 (here, now).


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

deadmoose said:


> Wow. Thats a good price compared to sale barn reports here. 300# may get $400 (here, now).


I agree. If I could sell one and make a quick buck then I would have to seriously consider it.

Our calf prices are not so good here.


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## MtnHerd (Jul 6, 2011)

Grateful11 said:


> Well calving season officially ended yesterday with this little girl. 33 or 34 healthy calves, lost 1.


I love the looks of those calves. I was close to buying several Hereford heifers this spring to add to my mostly angus herd, but ended up missing out due to too many things going on at the time. I have been thinking for a while of getting some to breed with our angus bulls. Introduced some Simmental blood several years ago and it has worked great for creating nice black baldies. Now starting to get more angus blood and looking to change up again, especially since prices are low. Congratulations on a nice calf crop!


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

csdeyton said:


> I love the looks of those calves. I was close to buying several Hereford heifers this spring to add to my mostly angus herd, but ended up missing out due to too many things going on at the time. I have been thinking for a while of getting some to breed with our angus bulls. Introduced some Simmental blood several years ago and it has worked great for creating nice black baldies. Now starting to get more angus blood and looking to change up again, especially since prices are low. Congratulations on a nice calf crop!


They have people on the waiting list for next year already. They're selling most everyone of them direct from the farm now. If you change your mind let us know. Our son is a member of the NC Hereford Assoc. now.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Here's most of the newest calves in what my wife calls her Creep Feeder, only the small calves can get in there. The one with the mottled face is out of an all brown cow.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

Dill said:


> Just had to stick the twins and mom in the barn after chasing one of them 3 times today. She's good about keeping an eye on one but not both. Not sure if I should just cut my losses now and sell one as a bottle calf or not. Probably could get 400 for him.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

Is it just me or is people at the sale barn crazy black bottle calf today 385.00
Feeders come through 1.17 for 500 pound steer.
Am I missing somthing I should know


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

I don't get it either. Put him up on a couple internet sale places locally and got a ton of calls. Mostly from people who had no clue what was required to raise a bottle calf. So I traded him to a buddy who I buy my spring piglets from. Works out for both of us.

Dairy bull prices are in the tank hard again. Neighbor shipped 2 holsteins got 25 bucks after trucking. Another owed 10 bucks on 2 jersey calves.

With milk prices real bad and the drought we had this year, auction prices are real low. Another friend is selling hereford cow/heifer calves for 1100 a pair and has been trying to sell them since Sept.


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