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Post by tcranch on Feb 18, 2020 14:24:01 GMT -6
Calving technically wasn't supposed to start until March 7th but kicked off today with a preemie that wasn't due until the 14th. Little too cold so took her to the workshop to warm up by the fireplace. Has a good sucking reflex so didn't tube and she took about a pint of colostrum replacer, gave her Nursemate ASAP and a First Defense bolus. Brought mama down to the barn and will keep them there until I'm comfortable letting them join the herd but definitely not before the next front coming in. She can stand and that's half the battle so cautiously optimistic she'll be able to nurse, will have to monitor. Lucky for me, mama is one of my easiest & best cows. And so it begins . . . .
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Post by 76bar on Feb 18, 2020 15:59:21 GMT -6
Good luck with the lil stinker. Gotta love those girls who comprehend.
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Post by tcranch on Feb 18, 2020 18:15:11 GMT -6
Mama moved her from the hay igloo I made inside the barn outside to soak up the sunshine so clearly she's getting around, plus she was in a different spot every time I checked. Mama looks nursed, calf looks full, tongue nice and warm and still has a good sucking reflex. All good! Will go down later to make sure she's back inside for the night but Daisy is such a good mama it's really for my own peace of mind.
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Post by tcranch on Feb 18, 2020 18:22:18 GMT -6
Good luck with the lil stinker. Gotta love those girls who comprehend.Couple years ago I had a calf on the verge of dying with raging scours. His mama stood & watched me rope, bring him down, tube, boluses, you name it. Day 2 he was so weak I didn't even have to straddle him to tube electrolytes 4 times a day and mama just watched. At the end of day 3, with encouragement from his awesome mama, he finally got up - and nursed. By weaning, he was still one of the biggest calves.
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Post by angusrancher on Feb 18, 2020 18:24:44 GMT -6
Hopefully the lungs are developed enough and no problems develop.
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Post by tcranch on Feb 19, 2020 6:55:35 GMT -6
Hopefully the lungs are developed enough and no problems develop. Fingers crossed! I have 2 cows that were preemies, subsequent orphans, and currently due with their 8th & 5th calves. Both were 40 lbs and little Tator Tot couldn't even walk. Spent hours with her on physical therapy but she had the fighting will not just to live but thrive.
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Post by tcranch on Feb 20, 2020 17:45:47 GMT -6
Nope, mama is not nursed. Or at least not without my help. Poor baby just can't get the hang of it so I'm working with her/them and supplementing with a bottle. But mama is a trooper! Stands patiently (no chute) while I get her calf latched on & support her, long enough for her to at least get about pint or my back gives out, whichever comes first. I then switch to the bottle and mama does her thing, stimulating her baby's behind to encourage the sucking. There is no "I" in team! Could have done without the calf peeing all down my support leg but my dog was all over it. Other than being a slow learner (she'll figure it out), she's bunky and looks/acts good.
On the plus side, if I had to have drama at least it's before any of the others started calving and all hell breaks loose.
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Post by 76bar on Feb 20, 2020 19:12:15 GMT -6
Rooting for all concerned! Looking on the bright side, pee is better than the other option which puts Gorilla Glue to shame.
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Post by tcranch on Feb 21, 2020 7:08:15 GMT -6
Rooting for all concerned! Looking on the bright side, pee is better than the other option which puts Gorilla Glue to shame. Lord have mercy, it was hanging down & had stretched to a foot long. Evidently mama said "I'm out!" so I pulled it off. Completely gross and yet fascinating - eweee!
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Post by highgrit on Feb 21, 2020 7:31:57 GMT -6
I have a really nice pair heading to sale barn next week. The cow just refused to let the calf nurse, and would knock the calf down when the calf would try. Brought them both back to the pens and put the cow in the head gate and the calf latched right on. We did that twice and now the cow is acting like a great mother. The cow did this same thing as a first calf heifer 6 years ago, which isn't a big deal when you have them in a heifer pen and checking for calving problems.
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Post by tcranch on Feb 21, 2020 9:10:47 GMT -6
Woohoo! She was nursing when I went down this morning. Gave the milk replacer to the barn cats. Grit, I've only had 1 that refused to let her calf nurse and it was a first calf heifer. Gave her a 2nd chance & she's an awesome mama. But I agree, I'd have zero tolerance if a mature cow pulled a stunt like that.
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Post by highgrit on Feb 21, 2020 12:20:06 GMT -6
Looks like you turned the corner she'll make you proud in a few years. How long before you turn them back out with the herd?
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Post by tcranch on Feb 21, 2020 14:17:01 GMT -6
Looks like you turned the corner she'll make you proud in a few years. How long before you turn them back out with the herd? That, I don't know. She's still so tiny and we're supposed to get a lot of rain this weekend followed by a winter mix next week. Plus, none of the others have started calving yet and I'd just as soon wait until they hook up with another pair. Moving the bred heifers over next week and they generally have the run of the barn/barnyard but I can keep them in the large section. Definitely don't want to comingle them with Daisy & Dixie - the last thing I need is a hormonal heifer trying to gank another cows calf! So guess I'll just play it by ear and have a Plan A, B, C & D.
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Post by tcranch on Feb 22, 2020 9:34:58 GMT -6
This calf seriously has me on an emotional roller coaster! Went down around 2:30 yesterday afternoon and she was nursing like a champ with her tail all curled, cute but weird. Back down around 4:00 to move a feed bunk to the other side of the barnyard (for the bred heifers) and she was on the ground, kicking at her belly, then would get up & walk like she was drunk and subsequently throw herself back on the ground. She didn't really look bloated and I did see a pretty significant pile of deep yellow (almost orange) poo but it could be a number of things, some of which are fatal and immediately called my vet. He suspected most likely just a belly ache from a change in diet, over eating (clostricium type C?) and needing to poo a little more. Went back down, armed with .5cc Banamine and 2cc Baytril. Huge improvement only 2 hours later! While I was watching her I noticed the hay was moving, felt something on my boot, looked down & saw a butt ugly white face with gnarly teeth. Dang opossum! Who knew this middle aged white woman could jump so high, so far, so fast? And evidently that kicked things into high gear because mama & calf followed suit.
Thought about going back down in the middle of the night but decided to let nature take its course; not sure what else I could do if she took a turn for the worse. And so, so relieved when she got up this morning, stretched and followed me out of the barn, looking like a perfectly healthy but tiny calf. Time will tell but back to cautiously optimistic.
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Post by highgrit on Feb 22, 2020 10:09:32 GMT -6
I feel some cows have very rich milk and will make a calf sluggish because it's more than they can handle at one time. If you supplement the cow that goes straight to a nursing calf also, this is just a guess on my part. Possums are one of the ugliest creatures known to man kind.
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