# Wehner Homestead 2018 Calving: Done



## Wehner Homestead

We have 11 cows due this spring so I thought I’d go ahead and put their pics and info here instead of in our journal. Our cows are all named, most know their names and come when called, and several have been shown. In a way, they are big pets! 


2/9 Maizy* (Jesse James)
2/10 Maddie (Dakota Gold)
2/10 Scarlett (Dakota Gold)
2/10 Dolly (Bearcat) 
3/1 Melody (Otis)
3/5 Bailey (Loaded for Bear)
3/20 Reagan (Otis)
3/21 Maxine (Otis) (w/in 21 days for turnout)
3/28 Moxie* (Otis)
4/1 Abby Jane (Shock n Awe son)
4/8 Sydney (Otis)

Open: 
Georgia
Gatlin*
Elsa
Daisy

Heifers (kept from last year): 
Ember
Josie

*first calf heifers

We use AI to bring in various genetics and traits since we raise show cattle. Jesse James, Dakota Gold, Bearcat, and Loaded for Bear are all bulls that we bought semen from. They can be seen by Googling their name. 

Otis is our purebred Simmental bull. This is his first year of having offspring. Genetically, he should be a calving ease bull so we are excited to see what he can do. (I’ll gather pics of him and make a post.)

We do have four open cows this year. Typically we don’t allow these cows to avoid being culled but three were bred for several months before they slipped their calves. We think it was the heat as others in the area had the same problem. Rebreeding at that point would’ve put them too far off schedule with a nine month gestation so opted to winter them. The fourth had a rough calving her first go-round last year and may be too damaged to breed. We didn’t own her at that time so we are waiting to see if we can settle her when our area isn’t experiencing breeding issues. 

The two heifers we kept last year may get shown if we can get organized enough to get them to a show. Both are broke and DD1 really wants to show them. We will see. I’ll try to post pics of them too.


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## greybeard

I hate mud, especially in gate openings, around water tanks, and feed areas. 
We got some significant rain last night that is sure to make it even messier.

Good luck with the calving.


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## Wehner Homestead

Thanks! The mud definitely makes everything more difficult to navigate. I worry about the cows sliding too!


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## Southern by choice

greybeard said:


> I hate mud, especially in gate openings, around water tanks, and feed areas.
> We got some significant rain last night that is sure to make it even messier.



That is us right now after all that snow. This is the worst I have seen it in years. We already have had some slip (between the snow/ice and mud) and are limping. Not good with heavily pregnant does.


I am going to google those bulls WH. 

I love the look and size of cattle... they really fascinate me. Just to big - I am very intimidated by an animal of that size. They are amazing though!


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## Wehner Homestead

They are pretty, muscular, hairy boys. In some ways they will remind you of a Boer meat goat at a show.


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## Latestarter

Following. Good luck with calving.


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## greybeard

Which Bearcat semen are you using? 
The shorthorn FSF Bearcat?
If so, do you foresee any problems regarding  DS and/or TH?


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## Wehner Homestead

greybeard said:


> Which Bearcat semen are you using?
> The shorthorn FSF Bearcat?
> If so, do you foresee any problems regarding  DS and/or TH?




It is FSF Bearcat. Loaded for Bear is also a TH carrier. 

For those that don’t know what Greybeard and I are talking about, these are genetic defects in Cattle, particularly show cattle genetics that can cause dead or severely deformed calves. Each type of the three (TH, DS, PHA) (abbreviations), is related to particular breeds and a certain type of defect. Both parents must be carriers to get a calf that presents with a defect. Calves from two carrier parents can supposedly be just carriers too. I’ve not gotten into this area in our breeding so I can’t say for sure. 

Cattle can be tested to see if they carry these genes. We only use bulls that are carriers of anything on a “clean” cow. This prevents it from becoming an issue. The only way to be sure would be to use all clean animals but we don’t use a clean-up bull that is a carrier so accidents can’t happen. 

We test and keep records on each animal. Dolly is bred to Bearcat and she’s a purebred Angus cow (hoping for a blue roan calf ) so she should be clean genetically and she tested so. IF the calf is a heifer and IF we keep her, she will be tested to see if she got the gene so sires for her calves can be selected appropriately. 

We’ve used “dirty” bulls in the past (bulls that are carriers for TH and PHA are called “double dirty”.) We’ve been pleased with the offspring and believe that these genetics can be used with careful testing and breeding. 

Bearcat was a bull we’ve used in the past and we kept a heifer from him that is in our show string. We haven’t tested her yet but will. The sire we’ve picked for her first calf this year is clean so we aren’t in a hurry to test her but I’d bet money she’s dirty. 

I’ll include a couple pics of her for fun. Her name is Ember and she’s a spoiled brat! 



 

 

 
This pic was in Nov right after DD2 got out of the hospital to show her since she couldn’t go out to the barn yet. When I get a pic of her when she’s cleaned up, I’ll post it. Her hair makes her look like a fuzzy bear.


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## Southern by choice

That is interesting.

Usually with sheep or goats the male is castrated if it is a carrier or affected. Only "clean" males are used since they cover so many animals. This way they can be bred to any female.
Using a punnett square will give you probability.


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## Wehner Homestead

Some of the breed registries now require males be tested and clean to be registered. Some of these bulls in particular are termed
“club calf bulls” and are typically a 3-way cross and bred specifically to cows to produce hairy chunks of meat for show purposes. 

I’m sure some of this is the result of inbreeding/linebreeding. To a degree, it just requires the breeder to be knowledgeable and test animals appropriately and use this information responsibly.


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## Wehner Homestead

All 4 cows due next week have definitely started udders, swelling is present, and discharge is also increasing. (I’ve been checking ligs on goats, I wonder if it would work on cows...) 

Anyway, I got some pics of two of the cows that are coming due. 

Dolly is our purebred Angus. She’s bred to Bearcat fl for a blue roan) and due 2/10. 



 
Maizy is a first calf heifer. We bred her to Jesse James for calving ease. She’s due 2/9. (Her dam, Maddie, is due 2/10 also but she was laying down so I didn’t get a pic.) 


 
These two cows were enjoying the lean-to that was opened up to them when we had ice earlier this month. (L: Bailey, R: Melody) 


A pic of Moxie. She’s a dark blue roan and a paternal half sister to Maizy with maternal connections. Moxie is bred to our herd bull, Otis, and due 3/28. She’s also a first calf heifer. (I mentioned Ember in a previous post. These two are maternal half sisters.) 


 
Melody is Maizy’s older half maternal sister out of an Angus Bull we used to own that came from the Purdue Test Station with an awesome rate of gain. She’s due 3/1 to our herd bull, Otis. This will be her third calf. She gave us a Bull then a heifer and has had no calving issues thus far. 


 
November pic showing L: Maddie and R: Scarlett. Both are due 2/10 and bred to Dakota Gold. Scarlett belongs to my dad. He keeps her here as an excuse to spend time here. She’s a pet so we don’t mind! Maddie was bought before we were even married and is 11 yrs old. She’s a mountain of sentimental value, produces a thriving calf every year, and a sweetheart to boot! Maddie is the mother of Mollie (culled after a leg injury but the mother of Moxie and Ember), Melody, and Maizy. She is also the herd queen.


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## greybeard

Is that some kind of foxtail those last 2 are standing in?


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## Wehner Homestead

@greybeard to be honest, grasses aren’t my thing. I can recognize clover and alfalfa...I’ll have to ask my husband.


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## Wehner Homestead

@greybeard He said that it is foxtail. I do know that it isn’t as bad when he bush hogs the whole pasture on schedule but that was impossible with the rain and getting hay made this year.


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## Wehner Homestead

I posted a pic of Melody above. DH said she may calve with this first group. We do have an AI breeding date for her but thought our bull got the job done on her next cycle. Only time will tell. If she goes soon, Bearcat is the sire of her calf also. Melody belongs to DD1 and she really wants flashy markings so our goal was painted black and white “chromed up” or blue roan.


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## greybeard

Put just a little LH genetics in the mix.....you'll get all the chrome you desire............of course, ever getting rid of it is another chore altogether.


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## Wehner Homestead

@greybeard We only have one cow that was dehorned now, as all of the others didn’t have them or scurs. We had a calf with horns last year but he was sent to market. I don’t want to start having more horns! Also, LH have a tendency to have a more lean appearance and the show Cattle world likes them blocky. Functional is a must for us though so we lean toward maternal with the ability to calve one of those show stoppers but my herd and freezer don’t rely on that either. I refuse to buy beef at the store so we always feed out one for us and one for my parents.


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## Wehner Homestead

I mentioned earlier that Maddie is a sweetheart. It also shows how big she is. DD1 was 5 when this was taken.


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## greybeard

Wehner Homestead said:


> @greybeard We only have one cow that was dehorned now, as all of the others didn’t have them or scurs. We had a calf with horns last year but he was sent to market. I don’t want to start having more horns! Also, LH have a tendency to have a more lean appearance and the show Cattle world likes them blocky. Functional is a must for us though so we lean toward maternal with the ability to calve one of those show stoppers but my herd and freezer don’t rely on that either. I refuse to buy beef at the store so we always feed out one for us and one for my parents.


Maternal?
That's another word for Longhorn. So is functional. 
A good homozygous polled Angus or Simmy will knock them horns off anyway. Polled is always dominate. 


I'm not much on the 'show world', don't care one hoot about hide color, pedigree, or blockiness.  Breed every year, drop a live calf on their own, take care of it and it better be able to mash the scales down when the auctioneer is done.

but I don't mind when one of mine goes on a halter either.. functional and maternal, but not exactly LH either.


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## greybeard

Certainly not mine of course, but what do you think of this Grand Champion 'showstopper'?


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## Wehner Homestead

I’ll have to stop over at my grandparents and take a pic of my dad’s show stopper from the 70s! Lol I find it very interesting how the trends change. Leggy and leathery and lean to hairy and square and NO leather.


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## greybeard

Wehner Homestead said:


> I’ll have to stop over at my grandparents and take a pic of my dad’s show stopper from the 70s! Lol I find it very interesting how the trends change. Leggy and leathery and lean to hairy and square and NO leather.


You don't have an opinion on the Angus I posted?
I'm curious what you think of him.

 

Your dad's...
Back then, the judges (and the industry as a whole) looked for a true representation of what was desirable in the real cattle world. Conformation, straight lines, muscling, good legs and feet, (for bulls..) ability to travel, scrotal eveness and good circumference etc..the closest to perfect animal as one could envision. 
Half a century later, many of us view what the new show stars have turned in to,  to be an aberration of the real world cattle herd. I went to Houston's big show year before last and was shocked at what I saw with the steers but pleased with the bull and heifer winners..some judges at least don't care one hoot about leather and length of carcass still counts for something

https://emmonsbeefmasters.com/champions/


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## Wehner Homestead

greybeard said:


> You don't have an opinion on the Angus I posted?
> I'm curious what you think of him.
> View attachment 43245
> 
> Your dad's...
> Back then, the judges (and the industry as a whole) looked for a true representation of what was desirable in the real cattle world. Conformation, straight lines, muscling, good legs and feet, (for bulls..) ability to travel, scrotal eveness and good circumference etc..the closest to perfect animal as one could envision.
> Half a century later, many of us view what the new show stars have turned in to,  to be an aberration of the real world cattle herd. I went to Houston's big show year before last and was shocked at what I saw with the steers but pleased with the bull and heifer winners..some judges at least don't care one hoot about leather and length of carcass still counts for something
> 
> https://emmonsbeefmasters.com/champions/


It’s hard to judge based on just a profile shot. You need more angles. I will say that he’s square on his legs and could stand to be a little deeper bodied (as you know, I’m not big on lots of daylight under them.) He appears small for an Angus but it could be that he’s young. He could stand to be a little cleaner fronted and the angle does allow you to see if he’s rough shouldered or not. I’d like to see if he had a square rump, wise top, and how he moves on his feet. 

I’m going to assume that since you posted him, you like him. I think there’s questions to be answered but appears a nice animal.


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## greybeard

Wehner Homestead said:


> It’s hard to judge based on just a profile shot. You need more angles. I will say that he’s square on his legs and could stand to be a little deeper bodied (as you know, I’m not big on lots of daylight under them.) He appears small for an Angus but it could be that he’s young. He could stand to be a little cleaner fronted and the angle does allow you to see if he’s rough shouldered or not. I’d like to see if he had a square rump, wise top, and how he moves on his feet.
> 
> I’m going to assume that since you posted him, you like him. I think there’s questions to be answered but appears a nice animal.


I should have said it was junior show. 
I'm very big on lots of daylight under them. Remember..he's a steer..born a bull and as you are well aware, bulls need to be able to easily mount even the biggest cow. They could have put about a foot of straw down I guess to make him look shorter, but the show he won at was quite prestigious.  Someone liked him well enough to pay $50k for him, which was a record for that show at the time.

Here's a 'chromed up' steer for you to critique and he too won junior grand champion at a very prestigious event. He isn't all gussied up and show ready but  I like him as well..good legs, plenty of length, great girth and well muscled and tho you can't see the back end in this pic, plenty of rump. Good bottom and top line. I'll expound further on why I like both of them after I see your thoughts on this one.

What's your thoughts on him?


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## Wehner Homestead

So...first off, I like the finish in his brisket. IF he was a steer, that’d be a good sign he’s ready for market. You already know that I’m going to say there’s too much daylight under him. The high flank gives it away even more that he’s not level. He’s swayback unless he’s stretched out too far. It’d have to be a true profile pic to tell for sure. I like his foot size but his front feet turn out so that worries me about structure and passing that on to his progeny. I like his rib shape. Despite not having straight lines, he appears to have enough barrel to him to process feed capably and cut out well.


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## greybeard

He IS a steer...that's not in question. He won the National Western Junior steer blue ribbon 1972. Cattle then, even steers, were judged on their ability to best represent cattle of a specific breed and in the case of grand champion, all cattle breeds. 

I guess it's time to tell 'the rest of the story on these '2' steers.
Maybe you aren't old enough to remember it.
(First--I was mistaken about the price paid for the black steer. It was $14,250)

Here's how screwed up these show circuits were, and probably still are. The black Angus steer won National Western Junior Steer competition hands down in 1972*. Nothing else came close. Wowed every judge and everyone that saw him. Many wish they had his phenotype..as a bull.
His name, was BigMac, entered by a breeder in Iowa, and McDonalds Corporation paid the big money for him right up front and made it known they wouldn't be outbid as that was also the year MacDonalds came out with the BigMac burger. . The Angus Assoc was ecstatic. One of theirs had just won at the biggest show West of Chicago, and done so in unparalleled fashion. 
 "The Angus judge,  picked the animal over 86 other
 entries as the (Angus) division champion. Two
 days later, a second judge chose him over
 Hereford and Shorthorn winners to
 become the Junior Show’s grand
 champion steer, one of the highest
 honors at the Stock Show"

The chromed up steer was named Jeep-- originally from Skylark
 Ranch at Kremmling, Colorado. He won the National Western Junior Steer blue ribbon...............*in 1972. 

Yep both steers won top prize at the same prestigious show the same year.
How?
Jeep, was a Charolais, (totally white) that had been completely (and secretly) dyed with black shoe polish tail switch to nose.
'BigMac went all the way thru the competition as well as the public viewing with no one noticing until minutes after McDonalds bought him. A boy that had helped raise him recognized him while working the pens and went and told his father.."Jeep's up there on the hill and he's black!". Of course, the show's officials were notified and an investigation proceeded.
It eventually all fell apart, with the Angus (and to a lesser degree) the Hereford folks dragging out their crying towels that some upstart Charolais had so easily beaten their breed entries.
http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/the-big-show/denver-steer-show-winner-1972/

Here's a video about it, produced/sponsored by the Angus Association.


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## Wehner Homestead

I heard something about this at one time. I apologize on misreading or overlooking “steer.” For some reason, I thought we were looking at bulls.  Probably trying to do too many things at once...People still dye animals on occasion and there are ongoing jokes about finding the proper red touch up paint for the different shades of red calves. Never a dull moment!


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## greybeard

might interest you to know, since you use Dakota Gold, that the reserve steer that ended up eventually being awarded the prize $ and the junior steer championship (posthumously) was named Old Dakota. An Angus. 
The black hide fever folks threw away their tear soaked towels and again danced.


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## Wehner Homestead

I grew up loving red cows and my elders discouraged me because judges aren’t “color blind.” Two things have changed since then, I like cattle no matter the color and judges are no longer insisting a calf be black to win!


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## Wehner Homestead

Scarlett and Maizy are penned in a paddock off the barn for ease of monitoring. Maizy because she’s a heifer and we always watch them closer. Scarlett because she can be a pain. She usually needs milked because her calves take forever to find her back two quarters. Scarlett hates to be milked and will stop coming with the herd when called. We outsmarted her this year. Someone had to be kept in to be a companion to Maizy anyway. I didn’t go out this morning because it’s in the 20s and with my back injury, I am in horrible pain when I start shivering. My dad came and helped DH sort them out and to be my eyes as DH always wants my opinion too. Dad feels like Scarlett could go any minute and Maizy has a couple days. Only time will tell. 

Maddie and Dolly stayed out with the herd. Both have had more than five calves and are good Mamas. We will watch them closely but there was no reason to put them in a paddock. Both of these girls are showing that they could go at any time. 

I still haven’t gotten a good look at Melody. Darn injury! Dad checked her out for me and said she will probably calve on the date for our bull as I originally predicted.


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## Latestarter

Sorry you're still dealing with back pain. Been there, done that. Once you've injured it the first time, it's so much easier to do so again in the future.


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## Wehner Homestead

Latestarter said:


> Sorry you're still dealing with back pain. Been there, done that. Once you've injured it the first time, it's so much easier to do so again in the future.



Supposedly strained muscles but no tests have been done (not that strain shows up, just other evidence of injuries.) It’s a workplace injury so I have to play by their rules. I really would rather see a chiropractor!!


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## Wehner Homestead

Scarlett and Maizy appear to be able to calve at the drop of a hat. I think Maddie and Dolly are going to push the limits on their due dates.

The ground here is frozen so I walked through them this morning while being careful not to slip. It had to be better on my back than tromping through mid-calf mud.

Melody is concerning me some. I mentioned that she has the potential for more than one due date but she’s not showing signs of imminent delivery like the others. At the same time, I don’t expect her to make it another month before she calves. DH mentioned Sat that she prolapses tissue when laying down but sucks it in when she stands. He sent me pics but I actually saw it today. I’ll attach pics and try to do the “spoiler alert.” Her breathing also concerns me as she sounds like she can’t catch her breath. I called my Papaw but he’s in Florida and we think she’s probably full of twin calves. Just praying everything goes well.



Spoiler: Melody’s Prolapse






 

 





Sorry that the lighting wasn’t the best for the pics. I’m also going to try to attach the sound file of her breathing. No luck!


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## Wehner Homestead

Scarlett had a bull calf this evening. He had the most beautiful red/white markings but he didn’t make it. One of those situations where you don’t know what went wrong and probably never will. Mostly sad for Scarlett because she’s such a good mama and she’s out there mourning. We will also have to milk her or she will end up with a ruined udder. DH and my Dad are going through a bad case of “what-ifs”....


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## Goat Whisperer

So sorry to hear this 
Not a good way to start your calving season 

Could you graft anothe Calf onto her? I don’t know if this is possible for you or not.


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## farmerjan

Find a calf, even if it is a holstein off a dairy ,  to graft on her so that you don't lose the lactation or have to milk her or ruin the udder..  Unless you are wanting to milk her. 
I graft calves on nurse cows all the time.  Preferably get one directly off a dairy, that has had colostrum, but in the event of not being able to do that and the stockyard is the only option,  regardless of what they say, give it at least one bottle of colostrum - replacer- and yes it isn't cheap, and then a couple of hours later, give it at least 1 bottle of milk from your cow to get the milk processing through it's system.  Or get her in a chute and put the calf on her. Cattle work by smell, and they will smell the calf's butt and if the manure doesn't smell right will be less likely to want to take it.  Of course there are those that will take any calf.  
Also, take and skin out the dead calf like a tube, and slide it right over the new calf so that it smells like "her calf".  I can talk you through it if you have never done it.  Once the calf gets on the teat and gets a good meal, separate them and then put them back together 12 hours later.  Often by then the cow will welcome the relief of the udder pressure, and they can be left together.  If she is not trying to butt it across the barn or into a wall,  she will tolerate it and in a day or two will decide it is hers.  The cow will lick the calf and often you will find the "skin" in a little pile on the ground.  If not, just slide it back off after 2-3 days.  
Calves die and sometimes there is nothing you can do, or should have done differently.  It's part of having "livestock" ;  you are going to have "deadstock" also.


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## greybeard




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## Latestarter

Sorry you lost the bull calf. Hope you can do as Jan suggested...


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## Wehner Homestead

I’ve put out feelers for a calf with no luck yet...I’m afraid Melody is going to have twins and I wish I could put one on Scarlett!!! I don’t want to keep the dead calf around too long either...


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## Hens and Roos

sorry to hear


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## Wehner Homestead

I did get some pics this morning...

This pic shows Scarlett’s crazy huge udder! Poor girl! It takes several people to milk her so we will commence on her at 5. (I’m probably stuck watching instead of helping due to my back.) Maizy is laying to the side. **No bale ring on that bale on purpose. DH wanted a place for calves to lay if they didn’t stay in the barn. 



 
Two expectant mamas. Maddie-L, Dolly-R


 
I finally got an okay pic of Otis, our purebred Simmental herdbull. He’s not very photogenic. He typically reminds me of Eeyore because if his eye markings and because he’s not aggressive. This pic doesn’t do him justice...


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## greybeard

Pretty big bull, assuming that's a 4x5 or 5x6 bale of hay. Long, tall and thick. 

Why does it take several ppl to milk Scarlett?
Put her in the chute and start milking.


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## Wehner Homestead

greybeard said:


> Pretty big bull, assuming that's a 4x5 or 5x6 bale of hay. Long, tall and thick.
> 
> Why does it take several ppl to milk Scarlett?
> Put her in the chute and start milking.



She doesn’t like being milked so she has to be “carried” in the chute. She also has to have a flank strap. She has never warmed up to it like most dairy cows.


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## greybeard

But, I assume she readily allows her newborn calves to 'take to the teat' without any problems?


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## Wehner Homestead

She will let the calves nurse without any issue. She’s the picture of a perfect mother cow: protective, awesome milk producer, cleans them up fast...


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## Wehner Homestead

Maizy delivered a BULL calf with help this morning. He tried to come out with his head between his hooves and his elbows under him. Calves are meant to “dive” with their legs straight out even more than goats due to their size. Distocia causes extensive problems in Cattle and is even more difficult to manage than in goats. 

Fortunately, Maizy is tame! DH was able to attach chains above the dewclaws on both feet and pulled with all his weight (approx 220#) with each contraction. DH’s Dad was on the way to help but DH didn’t want to wait since he didn’t know how long he’d be and the calf was moving it’s tongue so definitely still alive. 

I typically help him pull but since I have this darn back injury, I tried to be good. (I really needed my hands tied behind my back as I kept trying to figure out how to help!) It’s a good thing I was out there though as I pulled everything off his face and cleaned out his mouth as DH pulled him the rest of the way out. 

I started drying him immediately after checking gender! DH got his chains off and then moved him in front of Maizy so she could help clean him. DH guesses him to weigh about 50-60# based on throwing sacks of feed. She never flinched about us being in their space at all. (Most cows require being haltered and tied or put in the chute but if they go down in the chute, you can have BIG problems!) 

Maizy is an awesome first time Mama! She cleaned him while I continued to dry him with towels. We don’t normally help past clearing face but with the freezing temps, we don’t want to take a chance with frostbite or pneumonia. We also got iodine on his navel. 

He has now nursed! DH hooked up a heat lamp outside the pen that shines right where he has a clean, dry bed of straw. He and Maizy are penned in our barn aisle until further notice. (We like to monitor closely for first-timers to insure nursing, milk production, mothering, and attachment plus we don’t want him to get hurt on the ice we have here now so we will have wait until he is more sure-footed.) 

Maizy is half DH’s and half DS’ due to her being tame and DS insisting she’s his! Lol Needless to say, DS was thrilled about having a boy and has been jumping up and down on my furniture celebrating since we told him. DH also snuck DS out (DD2 can’t go out in cold and doesn’t handle being left out well.) DS got to see and pet his new calf. I think it’s safe to say that DS is on cloud 9! (We are just thankful that the delivery turned out fine considering the potential for disaster!) 

Now for pics! (See, I’m not even going to make you ask for them! Lol) I’m sure I’ll get more as the day goes on too. DH left for work at about 11:30 and will just work a half day. 


 

 

 

 
I wasn’t out there for the nursing so no pics. Sorry. Maybe later.


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## Southern by choice




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## BoboFarm




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## greybeard

Wehner Homestead said:


> both feet and pulled with all his weight (approx 220#) with each contraction. DH’s Dad was on the way to help but DH didn’t want to wait since he didn’t know how long he’d be and the calf was moving it’s tongue so definitely still alive.
> 
> I typically help him pull but since I have this darn back injury, I tried to be good. (I really needed my hands tied behind my back as I kept trying to figure out how to help!) It’s a good thing I was out there though as I pulled everything off his face and cleaned out his mouth as DH pulled him the rest of the way out.



Heifers are just lazy IMO and sometimes it's a good thing. Ya'll done good getting the elbows straightened out out and hooves out forward.
If nose is showing, 1st thing I do is clear nose & mouth and do the straw tickle to encourage a snort. Then I attach the chains, the loop above the fetlock and half hitch betwixt hoof and dewclaw..with the chain on top, not under the leg. Some do it with the chain under the leg but I learned over the top and have had good luck that way.
If I have to reposition anything or go in for any reason, it's lube city and I mean as much  as I can slather in and on in a short amount of time no matter how slick and slippery momma is.

I built a long thin double sided box, like a long thin suitcase that the top opens all the way back.
In it, in compartments is a complete calf puller broken down into it's parts, the chains, chain handles, lube, gloves, iodine, disenfectant, and clean shop towels. And, a headband led light so I don't have to mess with trying to hold a flashlight. also in the box is...OB wire and handles. Never needed it (ob wire)  for calving work but it's there.

I might put a cow in a headcatch but not in a closed sided chute especially if the chute sides are vee shaped. Saw another rancher run a heavy bred into a vee alley and she went down. Alley was all welded pipe and every time momma exhaled she slipped a little farther down in the vee and by the time they got the cutting toprch over there, her ribs were so compressed she couldn't inhale and died right there. (performed a csection but calf didn't make it either. My pen is all Prefiert chain together panels and I can take a section out in less than a minute but I still don't run heavies thru the 27" wide alleys unless I just have to for some reason.

Prefer to pull one in open ground, with a post or tree nearby to snub momma off with enough slack so she can lay down if she wants to, and all mine have if they have trouble. Mine are all used to me driving thru the herd in my truck or on a tractor, so I can usually drive right up to one and tie her off to my bumper if there isn't a tree or stout  post nearby. I don't want one to jump up and take off in the middle of things. I had that happen several years ago on a Beefmaster heifer that was 2 hrs into calving with not much progress. Normal presentation with legs and nose out when I first saw her. By the time I got momma roped, I ended up pulling a dead calf when momma's moving off at a trot allowed the calf to regress back inside the vulva and it suffocated.

I prefer them to lay down right at the start but have had to lay one down. Not bad if you are just using a chain and handles but Things can get dicey if you're using a calf jack on a standing cow and she suddenly decides to lay down with you back on the business end of the jack. Easy to get hurt.

Good looking calf.


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## Wehner Homestead

We keep everything clean and at the ready. We can’t keep iodine and lube outside since it freezes here but we have a shelf in the closet for “animal necessities” that don’t lend well to frost. We do have a calf puller and I know what you mean about danger on the business end. I think we do chains on the top too. Papaw taught us as long as we were above the dewclaws, it was okay to get to work. Only his tongue was out so we didn’t stress about clearing his mouth until I could see his nose and I pushed the gunk back as DH pulled him out. 

As far as a chute, we prefer one of the poles in the barn but have used a tree and the bumper of the truck. Our chute has a head catch and homemade welded steel tube sides. It’s actually too wide as 600# feeders can turn around in it. It was installed when we bought the place. I wish we could squeeze the whole side over (wider at the front and narrower at the back) but DH hasn’t had a chance to configure a modification since the back is hinged. We have a swing gate to crowd them in. 

We had our fair share of Calving issues for years. DH had a 4-H heifer that was petite as a grown cow. She knew how to grow em big and had three 120# bulls that I recall. The last of those was out of a Calving ease bull. The first died and took four grown men to pull, the second had nerve damage and could bend his knee (he had head swelling, required physical therapy twice a day for ten days until he got up with frequent position changes but always on his sternum, was bottle fed his dam’s milk, she stood and let DH milk her, vet broke her pelvis getting him out, sent to butcher at 650# so he didn’t have to deal with rough ground in winter), the last one was just DH and I. We knew it was bad considering the history. We tried with everything we had but ended up having to use the tractor. The calf died overnight and we shipped her that fall. Too emotional and she LOVED being a Mama. Her first calf was maybe 40# heifer, then the first huge bull and she adopted a heifer that her mother got stuck by lightning and killed a couple days later, three calves before we had trouble again but stopped with that sire because we were getting horns, next two were back to back huge. It was horrible and she wasn’t the same mobility-wise after the last one. We had her first daughter still but she was even more petite and we sold our Angus bull. Didn’t want to take chances so cut our losses and moved on. 

I just checked on the little bull and got another pic. He’s doing well! (DH moved the light...not sure if I like it or not yet.)


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## Latestarter

Grats! Glad you got him out and both all sorted out. Thanks for the pics!


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## greybeard

Not many cattle people on BYH any more. Do you mind if I and others post some pics in your thread? Some will be calves, some of my working pen.


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## greybeard

Latestarter said:


> Grats! Glad you got him out and both all sorted out. Thanks for the pics!


Get out of that hot tub and get you a fence up and you can come down here after July and take your  pick between a bull or heifer calf and you too can have some of this fun as a Texas cowman.......it'll cost you a #1 Whataburger.


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## Mike CHS

I'm guessing there is a lot of us non-cattle people on here that frequent the cattle threads but I rarely post anything in them since they aren't in my knowledge base.  I have gotten some ideas on how to do a few things though since they translated to my operation.


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## Latestarter

Thanks @greybeard I responded to your message you sent me but got no reply. I'll take you up on the offer but would feel better paying you for the pleasure... perhaps a bit more than a Whataburger, but will buy that for you as well.


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## Wehner Homestead

greybeard said:


> Not many cattle people on BYH any more. Do you mind if I and others post some pics in your thread? Some will be calves, some of my working pen.



Post away!! You could also create a thread and tag me and I’ll take pics and contribute as possible. 

Cattle just aren’t as popular. I think the size of the animal and the space required are big deterrents. 

We loose money but try to get as many calves as possible to our county fair. We sell them at or just over market even though we’ve had some worth several grand. Trying to get youth involved in ag. We will have four calves there this year in July. Two of them are being boarded here right now.


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## greybeard

Wehner Homestead said:


> Cattle just aren’t as popular. I think the size of the animal and the space required are big deterrents


That is part of it for sure, since I've seen a couple of goat & sheep people say so, but the cattle section used to be pretty busy several years ago--some left, some were older and I suppose some may have went to the big ranch in the sky. I have seen quite a few of them on other boards that are cattle specific. Gone on to greener and bigger pastures as it were.


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## Latestarter

It's not just size of the animal or space required, though that's a part for sure. For me it's start up costs. I'm on a fixed income with no raise coming for at least another 2 years. I can buy a day old dairy calf (Jersey) from a local dairy, having been provided mother's colostrum, for a reasonable price (I think I recall it was about $80?) but the milk cost to raise it to weaning is high (Min $2.50/day/gal. $6/gal if I use whole/raw milk from the dairy). If they carry it till weaning @ 3 months, the cost would be over $300 (~$350 if I recollect). There's no real market to sell the animal once full grown, so it would pretty much be for my own use for meat. I could buy young meat steers (black angus) in the 5-600 pound range and raise to slaughter weight for sale but from my understanding, they're running over a grand plus each. Quality costs...

If I went to an auction to purchase, I'd have no idea if I was getting a good deal or good stock as I have no experience. So I could well be buying someone else's crap/culls as easily as buying someone's overstocked good animals. When just starting out, it's a lot less risk to spend a couple hundred dollars for several animals (to learn on) than spending several grand on a few animals. I suppose the "proper" (best?) way would be to buy a bred back cow with calf and then wean the calf a couple of months before the cow was due. No idea what the cost there would be. If I could afford to buy 2 like that, in a years time I'd have a herd of 6 (Barring the loss of a calf at birthing, or the cow, or both). I understand it's best to leave growing meat calves on mom for 6 months plus.

I just feel so lacking in knowledge and feel real trepidation about jumping in this deep end for fear of not being able to swim.


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## Wehner Homestead

@Latestarter I grew up with cattle so it just comes more naturally for me. I agree that start-up can be rough. We’ve made our way from five to the 17 we have now over 8 years.


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## Wehner Homestead

We’ve got another calf on the ground!! Maddie had a gorgeous heifer calf right before DH got home from work. She was up and nursing within the hour. Maddie was a champ like usual. We can’t tell the true color of the heifer yet. Maybe later tonight she will be dry enough to tell what shade of brown she is. 

She did have the calf outside, but DH carried her to the barn so we could make sure she didn’t have to fight the mud for her first night. The heat lamp has already been removed, it was more of an initial precaution. 



 


 

Maizy’s bull calf is doing well and was turned out in a paddock with his mama and Scarlett today. I got a neat pic of him this morning with the sunrise.


 
This was tonight when we were settling the new heifer.


 

Quick update on Scarlett (aka Dolly Parton lol) : Dad and DH treated her with dri-cow tubes tonight to end her lactation. This will be much less stressful on her and all of us. 

Dolly is still hanging in there. Her due date is Saturday so we will see if she sticks it out for that long or not...keeping a close eye on her.


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## Mike CHS

Congratulations!!


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## greybeard

Latestarter said:


> It's not just size of the animal or space required, though that's a part for sure. For me it's start up costs. I'm on a fixed income with no raise coming for at least another 2 years. I can buy a day old dairy calf (Jersey) from a local dairy, having been provided mother's colostrum, for a reasonable price (I think I recall it was about $80?) but the milk cost to raise it to weaning is high (Min $2.50/day/gal. $6/gal if I use whole/raw milk from the dairy). If they carry it till weaning @ 3 months, the cost would be over $300 (~$350 if I recollect). There's no real market to sell the animal once full grown, so it would pretty much be for my own use for meat. I could buy young meat steers (black angus) in the 5-600 pound range and raise to slaughter weight for sale but from my understanding, they're running over a grand plus each. Quality costs...
> 
> If I went to an auction to purchase, I'd have no idea if I was getting a good deal or good stock as I have no experience. So I could well be buying someone else's crap/culls as easily as buying someone's overstocked good animals. When just starting out, it's a lot less risk to spend a couple hundred dollars for several animals (to learn on) than spending several grand on a few animals. I suppose the "proper" (best?) way would be to buy a bred back cow with calf and then wean the calf a couple of months before the cow was due. No idea what the cost there would be. If I could afford to buy 2 like that, in a years time I'd have a herd of 6 (Barring the loss of a calf at birthing, or the cow, or both). I understand it's best to leave growing meat calves on mom for 6 months plus.
> 
> I just feel so lacking in knowledge and feel real trepidation about jumping in this deep end for fear of not being able to swim.


I wean by weight more than by age but 6 months is the limit for me.
A bred cow with a calf at it's side is a 3in1. A good deal if you know what the cow was bred to and it isn't an older broke mouth cow (worn down teeth) AND, if you are successful weaning the existing calf well before the new calf drops, but 3in1s aren't cheap. You can pick up short bred cows for about $1.30/lb right now at sale barn here, so yes, it isn't inexpensive to start out. (some will go higher...some lower..if you look at a market report, they are giving you the average of the type and weight groups)
The other part is, it's something got to want, to love being involved with. They take care of their selves for the most part, feeding pellets or cubes only needed as a supplement in winter and enough to keep them coming to you instead of you having to go gathering them up the hard way. Lots better and easier to lead them than to drive them..on you and them.
If you have a spare day, go sit in at a sale and watch..and listen.


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## CntryBoy777

Congrats WH!!....
I've always had a weakness for calves, but never enough to have some....over the years I have seen many and they just have such innocense, but it sure doesn't last very long before they are a handful to deal with........if I was younger or in better health I might consider it, but as it stands it is more than I could keep up with, especially starting up and the body keeps deteriorating, so I just have to enjoy other's calves....


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## RoahT

Aww, so cute!!! Makes me look forward to our calving season even more! Congratulations!


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## OneFineAcre

Nice cows.


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## farmerjan

Latestarter said:


> It's not just size of the animal or space required, though that's a part for sure. For me it's start up costs. I'm on a fixed income with no raise coming for at least another 2 years. I can buy a day old dairy calf (Jersey) from a local dairy, having been provided mother's colostrum, for a reasonable price (I think I recall it was about $80?) but the milk cost to raise it to weaning is high (Min $2.50/day/gal. $6/gal if I use whole/raw milk from the dairy). If they carry it till weaning @ 3 months, the cost would be over $300 (~$350 if I recollect). There's no real market to sell the animal once full grown, so it would pretty much be for my own use for meat. I could buy young meat steers (black angus) in the 5-600 pound range and raise to slaughter weight for sale but from my understanding, they're running over a grand plus each. Quality costs...
> 
> If I went to an auction to purchase, I'd have no idea if I was getting a good deal or good stock as I have no experience. So I could well be buying someone else's crap/culls as easily as buying someone's overstocked good animals. When just starting out, it's a lot less risk to spend a couple hundred dollars for several animals (to learn on) than spending several grand on a few animals. I suppose the "proper" (best?) way would be to buy a bred back cow with calf and then wean the calf a couple of months before the cow was due. No idea what the cost there would be. If I could afford to buy 2 like that, in a years time I'd have a herd of 6 (Barring the loss of a calf at birthing, or the cow, or both). I understand it's best to leave growing meat calves on mom for 6 months plus.
> 
> I just feel so lacking in knowledge and feel real trepidation about jumping in this deep end for fear of not being able to swim.



Joe,  A bag of good milk replacer is $75.00.  That will take a jersey bull calf to weaning at 6-8 weeks.  Even if you put $100. into milk replacer to get him to 8-10 weeks.  Then some calf starter grain and some of the same hay you are feeding the goats.  $200 to $250 to 12-16 weeks.  Jersey bull calves don't eat as much as a holstein.  Often times you can buy a weaned jersey bull calf or a steer, for $.75 lb at a sale/stockyard.  So a 400 lb well started weaned calf will cost  $300;  at about 6 months. The 3 month calf he is talking about will weigh in the 200-300 lb range max. That's definitely less than what the guy at the dairy quoted.

BUT why not feed it the milk from the goats when they come fresh?   I know lots of people that feed goats milk to a calf.  Then you have a lot less $$$ in them and you won't have too much surplus milk to try to figure out what to do with.  And honestly, raising 2 is better than a single.  They like company of their own kind.

You do need to spend some time at the stockyard - sale barn and just sit and watch.  Also, if you do, you may see one go through that has had pinkeye, might be blind in one eye or something.  They will go alot cheaper and are perfect for you to raise for beef. We raise and kill for beef and for sales of halves etc., any and all that are blind in one eye or odd colored ones.  They will be discounted heavily at the yard and for pete's sake, if they can see to get around a lot to eat, they will grow.  Hell, we raised 2 that were born with next to no sight  and once they learned the lot, they did fine and were very good beef.  Even after we took the cow away and weaned them.  Kept them together for company and killed them when they weighed in the 800 lb live weight range.
@greybeard is right, spend some time at the sale barn and get a feel for things.  Worst time to buy is early spring when everyone is looking for stuff to turn out.  Wait until it gets a bit hotter, your grass will grow and be waiting, the prices will drop off once the majority have filled their spring orders.


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## Wehner Homestead

***Disclaimer: No pics to this update...too muddy for me to enter the pastures and too wet for the calves to look decent from a distance. I will try to get some soon though. 

Maizy’s bull has been caught nursing Scarlett! With Maizy being a heifer, this is a blessing to take some of the stress off her. It also complicated things as he may be getting a bit too much milk so he was treated for scours as a precaution. His navel was also enlarged from previous checks so he was given an antibiotic for that. (Iodine was applied shortly after birth.) 

Maddie’s heifer is still awaiting a name...she is doing well out in the main pasture. Maddie has kept her at the bale nearest the barn, which is typical for her.

Dolly was due yesterday and still hasn’t evicted her offspring. Anytime now! We are checking her around the clock. Hoping for neat colors but more focused on a healthy calf and safe delivery for both!


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## Wehner Homestead

I got y’all some pics this morning! These were outside so much better than the barn pics. Dolly still hasn’t released her hostage...

Maddie and her heifer.


 
Maizy and her bull calf, Scarlett (second Mom) to right.


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## Wehner Homestead

Maddie’s heifer has a name!! It’s only taken numerous discussions. Not 100% that she will be retained depending on other heifers born but she is on the contender list. Anyway, her name is........................








INDY!!!! 

We used to stick with “M” names but DH and our families struggle to keep them straight so we thought we’d change it up. (Maddie’s female offspring have been Mollie, Melody, Maizy, Miah, and now Indy. Mollie has had Moxie and Ember.) See how they get confused...it didn’t help that Maddie and Mollie looked like twins!

Anyway, with her name announcement, I have to post another pic!  Just this morning... Miss Indy


 


Side note: Dolly still hasn’t calved!


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## Wehner Homestead

0930: Dolly is up on the hill, is some trees, away from the others! Starting every one hr checks!


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## Mike CHS

Congratulations on what looks like some healthy critters.


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## Hens and Roos




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## Wehner Homestead

I’m thinking it’s “cow code.” I just walked out there and she’s letting another cow lay up there too and no definitive sign of imminent delivery other than an udder and swelling. Her udder typically gets bigger and the calf hasn’t moved up yet. She’s grazing...she could progress in seconds or go a couple more days...
Dolly


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## BoboFarm




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## CntryBoy777

Ya just have things happening all around ya there....at least with your back problems ya are there to tend to and keep an eye on things.....


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## Wehner Homestead

While checking on Dolly (I forgot to mention that she had twin bull calves a couple years ago) I got some snapshots of some of our other cows that I hadn’t introduced yet. 

First off, Georgia. She came from a close family friend and is distantly related to Scarlett. She’s also a SimmSolution. Georgia slipped her calf after three months of being bred. She’s a great mom so we let her stick around and didn’t try to get her covered so she didn’t end up on the wrong timing. We’ve retained two of her daughters, Sydney and Gatlin.
Georgia


 
Sydney (she was born during a polar freeze and despite our efforts, got frostbite to her tail and ears) She belongs to DD2 and is a sweetheart. This will be her second calf. 


 
Gatlin was also bred and slipped her calf about 3 months later. (She and her mother were on separate farms and slipped their calves about a month apart. Due to her size, we opted to let her grow a year and breed again.) 


 

Bailey is due 3/5 and had also had twin bull calves in the past. She’s the one that her mother was struck by lightning and killed. Her surrogate was our beloved Abigail. Bailey is tame enough to sniff our hands but don’t go in the pasture for a month after she calves!!  


 

Elsa is a half sister to Gatlin, as they have the same sire. Elsa is the calf of my first anniversary gift, Chesney. Unfortunately, we had to cull Chesney after she foundered during a lapse of judgement by my Papaw when he fed 5 cows that were summering at his house, five truck bed loads of corn stalks from sweet corn! Anyway, DH’s niece showed Elsa and won the crossbred heifer division and showmanship with her. Elsa had a bull calf last year that will be at the fair this year. She was our third cow to slip a calf at 3 months. She was on the same farm as Gatlin. 


 

Due to my back injury and so many time constraints, the show heifers have been turned out with the cows. We can always bring them back in later but it makes their care less stressful for now. 
Front: Josie, Back: Ember (introduced prev) Josie is the descendant of one of my dad’s heifers, Jolie, that I showed back in the day. My dad gifted me a heifer, Jovie, from her and she was a big pet. Unfortunately she stepped on a roofing nail and it was stuck in a rear foot between the actual hoof and the dewclaws. (Our farm had a lot of scrap that we’ve been cleaning up for years, along with what the prior owner had cleaned up. Somewhere along the line the HUGE nail was missed or was washed onto our property by the creek.) Either way, we doctored her for that whole winter and she had her calf. It wasn’t what we wanted so we didn’t retain her but Jovie seemed to be doing well all summer so we bred her again. Winter was too hard on her and we think she had arthritis so she was culled and Josie retained. 


 

The last introduction for today is Daisy. This was our leap of faith purchase and we are just praying that she isn’t too damaged to breed again. Daisy has “clubby” breeding and had her first calf on another farm. The previous owners used the neighbor’s bull that hadn’t produced any calves that had trouble arriving. Daisy ended up having a huge bull calf cut out of her. We’ve worked with her and she now trusts us. Unfortunately, she’s been with two different bulls and didn’t seem to “stick.” We will give her a trial run this spring but may have to cut our losses. Her fuzzy, huge ears are adorable!


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## greybeard

Wehner Homestead said:


> Daisy ended up having a huge bull calf cut out of her.



Saw this posted on a cattle board today.
215 lb calf delivered of course by Cesarean.
http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=114054


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## frustratedearthmother

Holy COW! (Maybe shoulda said "POOR COW")   That's a huge calf!


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## Wehner Homestead

greybeard said:


> Saw this posted on a cattle board today.
> 215 lb calf delivered of course by Cesarean.
> http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=114054



I saw that too! I can’t even imagine!!! I wanna know what they were feeding her!!!


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## farmerjan

Do you vaccinate for Lepto?  It seems that you had way too many abortions and even on different farms, lepto would be my guess.  It is way too prevalent  here and we would be seeing many more slipped calves if we didin't vaccinate.  Had 4 slipped pregnacies out of 82 a couple of years ago and that was 4 too many.  
Most dairies in this area vaccinate every 6 months for it.    Since it is carried by dogs, foxes, coyotes etc., and can be found in the water,  it is a no brainer for us.  We do it at preg check with a killed virus.


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## Wehner Homestead

farmerjan said:


> Do you vaccinate for Lepto?  It seems that you had way too many abortions and even on different farms, lepto would be my guess.  It is way too prevalent  here and we would be seeing many more slipped calves if we didin't vaccinate.  Had 4 slipped pregnacies out of 82 a couple of years ago and that was 4 too many.
> Most dairies in this area vaccinate every 6 months for it.    Since it is carried by dogs, foxes, coyotes etc., and can be found in the water,  it is a no brainer for us.  We do it at preg check with a killed virus.



We vaccinate for it every spring when the calves get their blackleg shot and banding as appropriate and everyone gets flytags and wormer. I’ll talk to our vet about vaccinating twice a year though. It seemed like numerous people we knew throughout the area had issues with cows “sticking” and slipping calves. 

We do have a resident fox now...Queenie isn’t in that pasture at night. 

You’ve got my wheels turning now. Thanks for the input! 

Side note: Daisy will be an attempted AI to a Calving ease bull this spring that is clean. If she doesn’t take that round, we will put her with our bull for two cycles. We have been tracking her natural heats. 

Synchronization methods have been used in the past but I’ve found greater success with natural heats whenever possible.


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## greybeard

Latestarter said:


> If I went to an auction to purchase, I'd have no idea if I was getting a good deal or good stock as I have no experience. So I could well be buying someone else's crap/culls as easily as buying someone's overstocked good animals. When just starting out, it's a lot less risk to spend a couple hundred dollars for several animals (to learn on) than spending several grand on a few animals. I suppose the "proper" (best?) way would be to buy a bred back cow with calf and then wean the calf a couple of months before the cow was due. No idea what the cost there would be. If I could afford to buy 2 like that, in a years time I'd have a herd of 6 (Barring the loss of a calf at birthing, or the cow, or both). I understand it's best to leave growing meat calves on mom for 6 months plus.
> 
> I just feel so lacking in knowledge and feel real trepidation about jumping in this deep end for fear of not being able to swim.



From another board, the average prices of different females at a San Saba replacement auction. Prices are what the cattle were sold for (on average)..as you can see, the tigerstripes were, as always in high demand. They aren't for the timid tho, and I wouldn't recommend them for anyone just starting out:

Bill & Sandi Edwards, 6 black F-1 pair, 2025.00
Bill & Sandi Edwards, 6 black F-1 heifers LB, 2000.00
Glen Morgan, 5 tigerstripe pair, 2200.00
Glen Morgan, 10 tigerstripe heifers LB, 2225.00
Glen Morgan, 4 black F-1 pair, 2025.00
Glen Morgan, 5 black F-1 heifers LB, 2025.00
Double L&S Livestock, 31 angus cows LB, 1625.00
Del Roy & Walt Reichenau, 50 brangus heifers LB, 1525.00
Broesche Cattle Co, 81 brangus heifers LB, 1775.00
Broesche Cattle Co, 9 black wf heifers LB, 1500.00
Daniel & David Norris, 5 brangus heifers LB, 1700.00
Bill Austin, 5 registered brangus heifers LB, 2100.00
Bill Austin, 2 registered brangus heifers LB, 1800.00
Nolan Ryan, 24 red beefmaster heifers LB, 2025.00
Nolan Ryan, 5 red beefmaster heifers LB, 1900.00
Bill Craig, 14 brangus heifers LB, 1575.00
Bill Craig, 48 black wf heifers LB, 1425.00
Arfsten Farms, 45 black mf heifers open, 1125.00
Arfsten Farms, 20 red angus heifers open, 1300.00
Arfsten Farms, 5 red angus heifers open, 1425.00
Double A Ranch, 8 brangus heifers open, 1250.00
Double A Ranch, 47 brangus heifers open, 1075.00
Double A Ranch, 5 black mf heifers open, 1350.00
Double A Ranch, 30 black mf heifers open, 1175.00
Double A Ranch, 18 black mf heifers open, 1100.00
Royce Lubke, 5 red angus pair, 1925.00
Jerry Barkley, 5 brahman heifers open, 2200.00
Craig Hill, 9 angus + pair, 2025.00
R&S Livestock, 4 angus pair, 1725.00
R&S Livestock, 31 angus cows LB, 1525.00
Mustang Creek Ranch, 4 angus pair, 1825.00
KD Livestock, 12 angus cows LB, 1575.00KD Livestock, 17 angus cows LB, 1500.00
Rocksprings Ranch, 4 red & rwf cows LB, 1600.00
Rocksprings Ranch, 16 angus cows LB, 1575.00
Rocksprings Ranch, 5 black mf cows LB, 1575.00
Diamond Cattle, 51 angus cows LB, 1625.00
Diamond Cattle, 50 angus cows LB, 1700.00
Diamond Cattle, 47 angus cows LB, 1575.00
Diamond Cattle, 37 angus cows LB, 1500.00
Diamond Cattle, 10 brangus cows LB, 1500.00
Diamond Cattle, 54 angus heifers open, 1100.00
Diamond Cattle, 102 angus heifers open, 1040.00
Diamond Cattle, 40 angus heifers open, 1075.00
Moursund Limited, 20 angus heifers LB, 1375.00
Ross Short, 10 sim/maine/ang x heifers LB, 1500.00
Ross Short, 20 sim/maine/ang x heifers LB, 1450.00
Jacob Folz, 2 brangus cows LB, 1600.00
Jacob Folz, 2 tigerstripe heifers open, 1300.00
Randy Baker, 14 black wf heifers open, 1100.00
Seven Bar Ranch, 20 tigerstripe heifers open, 1185.00
Seven Bar Ranch, 14 tigerstripe heifers open, 1175.00
Rocker B Ranch, 18 angus pair, 1800.00
Rocker B Ranch, 11 black wf pair, 1850.00
Rocker B Ranch, 8 brangus pair, 1775.00
Rocker B Ranch, 10 red pair, 1625.00
Rocker B Ranch, 25 crossbred pair, 1500.00
Rocker B Ranch, 12 brangus heifers LB, 1525.00
Weber Farms, 2 black F-1 heifers LB, 2000.00
Weber Farms, 3 tigerstripe heifers LB, 2350.00
Hansen Land & Cattle, 20 brangus cows LB, 1450.00
Tom Felton, 23 brangus cows LB, 1375.00
Trent Blanchard, 3 black pair, 1500.00
Joe Riley, 8 brangus heifers open, 1100.00
White Ranches, 58 angus heifers open, 940.00
Jackson Branch Cattle Co, 3 angus pair 3in1, 1725.00
Jackson Branch Cattle Co, 3 angus pair 3in1, 1925.00
Bob Wilkinson, 9 angus + pair, 1725.00
Phillip Taylor, 5 black wf pair, 1575.00
Phillip Taylor, 4 angus pair, 1600.00
Caleb Humphries, 5 angus pair 3in1, 1550.00
Caleb Humphries, 9 angus cows LB, 1325.00
Brian Barns, 12 angus heifers LB, 1300.00
Robert Knauf, 9 angus pair, 1500.00
Robert Knauf, 4 chocolate F-1 heifers LB, 1600.00
Robert Knauf, 1 brahman heifer LB, 1300.00
Robert Knauf, 2 brahman heifer LB, 1925.00
Sellers' Children Trust, 13 black & black mf pair, 1525.00
Sellers' Children Trust, 23 black mf heifers, 1350.00
Sellers' Children Trust, 11 black heifers LB, 1350.00

They'll have another on Feb 24. There won't be any lowlines or clubbies there. 
http://www.jordancattle.com/Sale-Subpages/02-24-18/02-24-18.html


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## Latestarter

wow... I do NOT have the pocketbook to play in that event...  I see only one single from the past sale and that was $1300.00. There were several sales in the $1100.00 range, but were multiples and would have required 4-5 grand to start. Looks like the "average" investment was in the 20 grand range with some substantially higher. I need a lottery win for sure. Thanks for sharing the info and link.


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## greybeard

A well put together, well advertised sale, with a full house of bidders and another 800 on-line bidders so the prices were naturally good. 
You won't see many bargains in this type of sale..the house won't accept any lower quality genetics because they want/need to attract the bigger breeders. 
In late 2011-thru mid 2012, the prices (and # of bidders) would have been much much lower even for replacement animals of this quality. 
Lots of 2 and 3 way crosses as well as the F1 full blood breeds represented there. LBs brought the most, consistently. I am kinda surprised at the $2200 price the open Brahma heifers brought tho. Must have been some really fancy girls. 

I've seen recently, the price of herd sires and replacement females begin to converge some.


----------



## Wehner Homestead

Dolly birthed a large bull calf without difficulty this morning. He’s a dark blue roan! No pics yet as he was observed in the dark this morning and I couldn’t tromp out in the pasture after work.  If it helps, it bothers me too. I’m sure DH will make it a priority to get one after work tomorrow. I’ll share as soon as we get one. 

Next round is first part of March with Melody due 3/1 and Bailey due 3/5.


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## Latestarter

Wasn't a blue roan exactly what you really wanted? CONGRATS! Gotta love it when a dream comes to reality! Not sure if you wanted it to be a bull, though that does give you future blue roan breeding potential...


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## Wehner Homestead

He will be made a steer this spring. People like them with some type of “flash” nowadays and blue roan qualifies. We are thrilled with his color and his conformation. He’s a thick one with lots of bone.


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## greybeard

no flash here. Sunshine brought some of these out of the woods today.
(some of the char/sims LS didn't get to see Monday)
Joe, the little beaver dam is a little farther down to the right of this picture. You and I drove right by here.


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## Latestarter

Glad you got some sun today... none here... just mist, fog, drizzle... more blah.


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## Wehner Homestead

DH got a pic of Dolly’s bull calf last night. It isn’t a great pic as she won’t let him close but it also gives you an idea of how much mud we have with 3-5 more inches of rain coming over the next day or two! 

Hard to see but he has a white tip on his tail and a white belly. He will have roaning show up more as he ages on his tail, belly, and brisket for sure.


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## mysunwolf

Cute calf, and good to see we're not the only ones with terrible mud.


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## greybeard

It doesn't help that cattle are creatures of habit and will opt to walk in the same paths over and over, even if they're plodding along in deep mud they have created, when there's solid ground just a few yards away. Sometimes I think they are just flat out lazy.
Next to fences and thru gateways are the worst.


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## Wehner Homestead

I went out and got some pics today. They aren’t the best because I can’t go muddin’. It will give you a better idea of what they look like (and how much mud we have!) 

Maizy (and Scarlett’s ) bull is still in a barn paddock with his two mothers. I love how fuzzy he is! 



 

 

 
Milk Bar!!!  Dolly and her bull calf-L, Maddie and Indy-R (the little bull has a milk mustache)



Another pic of Dolly’s bull: 


 

I haven’t introduced our blue roan heifer, Moxie. She’s due to have her first calf this spring out of our bull, Otis. Moxie’s granddam is Maddie.


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## farmerjan

I feel for you with the mud.  My calf pen is like that and all I keep doing is putting more shavings in the barn so they have a drier place to lay down.  But when I bring in the 4 nurse cows, and they HAVE to pee and poop, it just makes it messier again.  Like, girls how about you go outside and do that....... 

Since the calves are getting bigger and eating more hay and grain, the cows only get about 5 hours in with "their calves" as opposed to the 8 or so that they were getting when it was so cold.  I can't turn the calves out with the cows, as the calves will steal off the first calf heifers and their 3 month old calves out in the field. Calves on nurse cows are very oportunistic;  any teat is fair game....  It's a pain right now.  And I have one cow that has her 2nd batch of calves on her so if they were to be out loose, the older calves would get all the milk.  Right now, I let the 2 littler ones in and then let the older ones on her to "clean her up"  when they have had a good deal of milk.  Wasn't planning on this, but lost one of my nurse cows and her 3 little calves  went over on this cow before I let her bigger calves in on her so I decided that it was better than trying to put those 3 on bottles.  Unfortunately I lost one, but the other 2 are doing good on their 2nd mother.  The bigger ones are pushing 300 lbs so they can afford to share, and eat more grain and hay.


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## Wehner Homestead

I got another pic of Miss Indy today. She’s got quite an impressive top on her for her age. We may retain her but it depends on what else we get. 


 

The two bull calves are doing good. No more concerns with Maizy’s and his umbilicus. Just waiting (and watching ) patiently for Melody because we don’t think she will make it to 3/1.


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## farmerjan

Miss Indy is a nice looking calf at this young age.


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## Wehner Homestead

farmerjan said:


> Miss Indy is a nice looking calf at this young age.



Thanks! We will really have a hard time not keeping her. This line is so docile and they are great mothers with longevity. Her dam is 12 years old and has never missed a year. She sticks every AI on the first time too!


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## farmerjan

If this line has so much going for it why would you not keep her?  Docility, fertility, longevity.....??


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## greybeard

farmerjan said:


> If this line has so much going for it why would you not keep her?  Docility, fertility, longevity.....??


Good genotypes to look for Jan.
But, they are in the business of selling calves so it might be a good one to sell.
OTOH, Tho I personally very much like the color, it might not be a varied enough phenotype to retain for breed stock in a sector that (as WH put it) "likes a little flash" (chrome).


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## farmerjan

Yeah, I guess that selling show/club type calves do better with a little flash.  I am all for practicality.  But, we are trying to get to where I can make my "living" off the cattle once I retire, added to SS.  Although, it's pretty tough to do.  I still think that we can make enough to pay a little extra towards my retirement.  The cattle are paying the mtg. on the 75 acres we bought. Not making a living, but .... the cattle do have to pay their way.  Maybe the sales of "showy" cattle for the kids etc to show is more profitable.  We never got into the show cattle.


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## greybeard

I think WH should take a walk on the wild side so the speak..like the ones below I stopped and took a pic of on the way into town this morning..these photos don't do these girls justice, but there's loads of chrome and flash. And what a mishmash, but all good doers with little input.
LH, Watusi, brafords,  tigers and a couple of straight Brahma to boot and he's using a big ol polled Santa Gertrudis bull on all of them. Calf makers and momma makers. 



 



 

Of course, a feisty old gentleman like myself  might be in for all he could handle walking out in there amongst 'em...those tigerstripes and brindles aren't for the meek.


I'd love to have a pasture full of the brindles tho.


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## Wehner Homestead

@greybeard You make me smile! 

@farmerjan Ember is worth 4K and she’s standing in my pasture not getting shown because I’ve hurt my back and we are behind on so many projects. Indy has the potential to be better than Ember. Only time will tell. (If I was betting though, I’d put my money on her staying. )

**I will add that we have price ranges and show people what is in their price range. We have nice calves that sell for market price with good temperaments (not broke to lead/tie) that will win their class but won’t win a show. We charge another fee for breaking, etc.


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## Wehner Homestead

Scarlett, Maizy, and Maizy’s bull calf have joined the herd. It was cause for everyone but the two expecting very soon to kick up their heels and run around. The moms with babies were chasing their offspring like it was some drastic race. Very entertaining for the kids. 

Melody and Bailey are both developing decent udders thus far and have started swelling. Melody’s prolapse isn’t worse. We talked to the vet and were told as long as it doesn’t get worse and she doesn’t prolapse her uterus, we are good. (That’s what I thought but it’s nice to hear too.) They are due 3/1 and 3/5 but we don’t expect either of them to go to their due date....


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## Latestarter




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## Wehner Homestead

Latestarter said:


>



At least we are in the safe zone if they go now!


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## greybeard

Wehner Homestead said:


> Melody and Bailey are both developing decent udders thus far and have started swelling. Melody’s prolapse isn’t worse. We talked to the vet and were told as long as it doesn’t get worse and she doesn’t prolapse her uterus, we are good. (That’s what I thought but it’s nice to hear too.) .


No worries. Just keep about 40lbs of sugar handy.........or................


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## Wehner Homestead

Udders are developing on Melody and Bailey as the waddle around through the slop. The babies have started really kicking up their heels despite the mud. Just praying no one gets injured in the mess!

I got just a few pics from outside the fence that are worth sharing. DH was putting out hay.

First two are the lovely Miss Indy:


 


Then the boys. L: Maizy’s, R: Dolly’s



We have yet to get a very good pic of Dolly’s. She won’t let us close and I can’t tromp through the mud to get the angle. Maybe I’ll take my good camera out and try. All the pics thus far are from my phone.

Oh and we are seeing signs of bodies prepping for labor on Reagan and the very beginning for Moxie!! It’s going to get exciting!


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## Wehner Homestead

Melody is due tomorrow. Bailey is due Monday. Both could go any time. Udders are present and swelling has occurred. They are holding their tails out a little and having lots of discharge. Just waiting...


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## Wehner Homestead

Bailey calved!! She had a black/white (minimal white) bull calf! He was dry and had been up and nurses when I got home for work! 


 
That puts us at 3 bulls and 1 heifer calf. The count should be changing before midnight as Melody is off to herself and discharging like crazy. We are checking her every hour!


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## Hens and Roos

Congrats!


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## Wehner Homestead

Hens and Roos said:


> Congrats!



Thanks! I just wish we didn’t have so much mud. It makes it harder for them to get steady on their feet and I worry about them getting tromped.


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## Hens and Roos

we have mud but nothing like your pictures show.


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## greybeard

Wehner Homestead said:


> Thanks! I just wish we didn’t have so much mud. It makes it harder for them to get steady on their feet and I worry about them getting tromped.


How much acreage do you have total--is it all in mud?


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## Wehner Homestead

greybeard said:


> How much acreage do you have total--is it all in mud?



We have 42 Acres. There are 14 cows and 2 heifers on 12 Acres for the winter. We don’t have any gates for them to go through regularly. They have two areas where we feed hay that are spaced out. We’ve put out bales without rings to create waste so that the calves and cows have somewhere that isn’t mud to lay. There is a hillside and “back” area but they avoid it when it’s cold and windy. The back area is an exposed slope that they graze. The hillside has ravines and and some trees. We occasionally have one hide up there to calve. Melody actually did last night!!

The girls are just having and keeping their calves in the muddy areas. 

The bull and a cow are in a 12 acre pasture but it’s pretty exposed without much for a windbreak or shelter right now. We also mow it for hay for part of the year so we hate to let them out there for that reason too. 

There is a 12 acre hay field that doesn’t have a perimeter fence. We have two 1 acre paddocks and one 0.5 acre paddock behind the barn that are fenced. The balance is hard and driveway. I’d have laid things out a bit differently!


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## Wehner Homestead

Melody delivered her bull calf 13 mins before midnight last night. He’s doing great and the first calf out of our bull. We are at 1 heifer and five bulls now! 

Melody and her bull calf! 



 

 

Miss Indy and Maddie just because! 


 

Dolly’s bull. You can see some of the roaning on his tail.


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## Latestarter

Are you happy about most being bull calves?


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## farmerjan

We would give our eyeteeth to have 5 to 1,  bulls to heifers.  Have had over 75% heifers for the last 3 years, both spring and fall calving groups and from a total of 7 different bulls.  Since we are commercial, bulls to become steers are preferable most of the time.  I think we are starting out with about  50/50 but only have about 12 on the ground.  

The mud firmed up a bit, we had about .2 inch rain yesterday then it got windy and we have had trees down; the neighbors barn tin roof is half off, there have been scattered power outages, with continued wind until tomorrow noon, then strong "breezes".  Gusts actually hit right at 60 mph.  But it is supposed to be A LOT WORSE in the east and northeast... flooding with alot of rain, trains and flights cancelled.
We are also supposed to drop temps again, down in the 20's for the next week or so at night.  I was afraid of this.  Only blessing is I could get to the barn today , so picked up some feed and can get to the barn to put in the can.  Will haul another 10-12 5 gal buckets of the pellets from the bulk feed bin too while I am going so as to make the trip worth it.  Sun for the next 3 whole days...YAY....


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## greybeard

Wehner Homestead said:


> We have 42 Acres. There are 14 cows and 2 heifers on 12 Acres for the winter. We don’t have any gates for them to go through regularly.


Less than 1/2 acre/adult animal.that would explain a lot of the mud.

Yep, unless one is herd building and wanted a closed herd, bulls are preferable to heifers. 
Some years I get more heifers, some years more bulls but average 50/50.


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## Wehner Homestead

We didn’t have a preference this year. We have one breeding that we really want a heifer out of and that’s Abby Jane. She hasn’t calved yet. 

Show cattle are a little different from commercial in that there’s a great market for heifers too. There are the breeding classes and the market classes so most fit in somewhere. 

We’ve put heifers in the freezer before though and they cook up just as nicely as the steers we feed. 

@greybeard its actually just under an acre each. (14 cows to 12 Acres. We just turned the two heifers out in the last week or so.) Our numbers will be dropping some as we have at least two cull cows to send this fall after their calves are weaned, with two to three more on the line for various reasons. We had kept several to see what our Angus bull was doing (as a clean up and heifer bull) and we are now going in the Simmental direction with AI and herd bull. Trying to specialize a little but slowly.


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## Wehner Homestead

Some more updated pics...I took some and my dad took some and sent to me. 

Melody’s bull calf standing. He has a little bit of white on his belly. He moves nicely and has a thick top. His rear isn’t quite thick enough, being a quarter Angus is probably to blame for that. (Mel’s rear isn’t the best either.) DD1 has named him Beast (from Beauty and the Beast.) We don’t typically name calves that will be steers but the kids insist! 


 
Bailey’s bull. He looks a little rough because he started scouring. We treated him this afternoon and will continue close monitoring. He still looks really good though. His top and foot size is impressive. He’s a little leathery though. DS has named him Reggie as he’s into basketball players currently. 


 
Maizy and Scarlett are still successfully co-mothering Maizy’s bull. He’s growing really well! He also moves like a cat! DS has named this one Jordan after Michael Jordan. Lol. Pic courtesy of Dad. 


 
A pic Dad grabbed of Indy. We love our girl! (Maizy is to her left and has been scratching. DH ordered pour-on to treat her.) 


 
I’ll try to get another of Dolly’s bull soon. The kids haven’t named him yet...

Reagan is due next on 3/20. She’s started a small udder with noticeable rear swelling. It’s a waiting game until then!


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## Devonviolet

Your black bull calf reminds me of a couple years ago.  A local dairy farmer runs his heifers on the 160 acres across from us. There is a 3/4 mile gravel road, that T's at our driveway.  His feeding area is about half way down that road.  We take that road to go to church.

One Sunday morning, as I drove down the road, I thought I saw a black trash bag, in the road, about 1/4 mild down.  As I got closer, I realized it was a black newborn bull calf laying in the middle of the road.    So, I stopped the truck, in the middle of the road and went and picked the little guy and carried him to the pasture gate, that was right there, and put him inside.

I looked for Mom and she was about 40 feet away, watching us very closely!  I called the dairy farmer and told him we found the calf. He texted me later that Mom and calf were at the dairy barn, warm and safe.


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## Wehner Homestead

Devonviolet said:


> Your black bull calf reminds me of a couple years ago.  A local dairy farmer runs his heifers on the 160 acres across from us. There is a 3\4 mile road, that T's at our driveway.  His feeding area I'd about half way down that road.  We take that road to go to church.
> 
> One Sunday morning, as I drove down the road, I thought I saw a black trash bag, in the road, about 1/4 mild down.  As I got closer, I realized it was a black newborn bull calf laying in the middle of the road.    So, I stopped the truck, in the middle of the road and went and picked the little guy and carried him to the pasture gate, that was right there, and put him inside.
> 
> I looked for Mom and she was about 40 feet away, watching us very closely!  I called the dairy farmer and told him we found the calf. He texted me later that Mom and calf were at the dairy barn, warm and safe.



Wow! We’ve had a few slip under the high tensile fence so we monitor them closely. They lay down next to it to nap and aren’t real coordinated for a few days and end up on the wrong side just trying to get up. That’s great that you were able to save him though!


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## Latestarter

OK... been meaning to talk to you about that DV... If that happens again this year, you just never mind and give me a call! I have these 2 big pastures that need some low cost cattle to eat them down. I'll come by and rescue any of them road calves...


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## greybeard

There's some Emu running loose in the forest by Shaw Road Joe....they could be your second big chance..


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## Latestarter

No thanks... no interest in emus at all.


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## greybeard

Latestarter said:


> No thanks... no interest in emus at all.


Well, just get you a trailer and a couple hundred lbs of cubes and go get you a whole herd.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-feral-bulls-20180302-story.html


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## Latestarter

Even THAT takes money... Instead of the govt trying to handle it, they ought to hire a few ranchers to go in there and round em all up and they get to keep what they catch.


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## Wehner Homestead

I got some new pics to share over the weekend! Signs of the next and last group of the year are present. Less than a week and new arrivals should start being available for photo ops! 

The first two are a month younger than the last two. 
Melody’s Bull (first calf out of our bull, Otis) 



 
Bailey’s bull


 
Older two:
Maizy (and Scarlett’s) bull.


 
Dolly’s bull! I FINALLY got a good pic of this boy!


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## Latestarter

Those look to me like some stocky little calves. Course I have no experience...


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## Wehner Homestead

Latestarter said:


> Those look to me like some stocky little calves. Course I have no experience...



They should look stocky, even to an untrained eye.  What the pics don’t show is that they are all sound! Gotta be able to move on those feet and legs!


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## Devonviolet

You've got some nice looking bull calves there!  Are they going to stay that way, or will you turn them into steer???


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## Wehner Homestead

Devonviolet said:


> You've got some nice looking bull calves there!  Are they going to stay that way, or will you turn them into steer???



They’ll all be steers! The last three will be show calves for sure. The first will depend on how he grows...


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## greybeard

Wehner Homestead said:


> Gotta be able to move on those feet and legs!


How far and how much energy expended?
Do you intentionally breed for the short legs, short body length, and what's up with those short stubby tails?


----------



## Wehner Homestead

Abby Jane appears to have been bred 3 weeks (one cycle) prior to when we last saw her cycle. That would’ve made her due Sunday. She had major changes from afternoon to midnight and is off to herself today with her tail out. Abby is obviously uncomfortable!  for a heifer! (This is he only breeding that we have a gender preference on!) 

@greybeard I’ve got a headache that’s trying to turn into a migraine so I’m struggling to tell if you are serious or sarcastic...as in the calves are just different from what you have or you are teasing that they are just calves...


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## Wehner Homestead

HE’s here! With the help of some chains, Abby Jane delivered a bull calf. She should be having her second calf this year but wasn’t given ample enough time to be exposed the year she should’ve had her first breeding due to being shown. This put her at a higher risk of complications so when she wasn’t obviously progressing, we intervened to make sure we had a positive outcome as we could tell the calf was definitely alive. He tried to come with his head between his feet too. That was quickly remedied though to get him in a dive. DH couldn’t even get in up to his wrist so I took a quick feel and both feed and a nose were right there (FIL says feet were out prior to bringing in barn.) I worked the chains up his legs and he came out fairly easy with two grown men on the chains when Abby Jane laid down. I keep going to check on him since he hasn’t gotten up yet. They both seemed pretty stunned. I had to make her get up as she was losing as lot of blood and just laying on her side. DH was working the calf and took several attempts to get him breathing regularly. DH had to go back to work but will be off soon. If the calf isn’t up yet, we will milk her and either give him a bottle or tube him. She was iffy on cleaning him so they’ll stay in the barn for now to make sure they bond. Whew! That got eventful fast! They’ll both get an antibiotic shot tonight. Abby Jane because I didn’t wear gloves and calf because fluid was the likely culprit for the initial breathing issue. 

For those that noticed, this was the only breeding that we were hoping for a heifer to keep. Got a bull instead. We will see how he turns out but he will have show potential. Just thankful for being able to get him out safely and that Abby should be fine. 

Still damp pics. (Abby Jane looks tiny in this pic. I promise she’s actually quite large.)


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## Mike CHS

Abby Jane is a pretty lady


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## Hens and Roos

Congrats and glad it went smoothly for all!


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## RoahT

Aww, even when calves are wet and unsteady they are so cute!! Congrats!


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## Latestarter

Glad you were there to help things along. Sorry it wasn't the heifer you were hoping for. Also sorry to hear you're fighting another headache.


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## greybeard

> How far and how much energy expended?





Wehner Homestead said:


> @greybeard I’ve got a headache that’s trying to turn into a migraine so I’m struggling to tell if you are serious or sarcastic...as in the calves are just different from what you have or you are teasing that they are just calves...



Your stated goal is steers for club/show calves. It's not like they're going to be chasing 20-30 cows their whole life around 100 or so acres or spending 10+ years walking to find finding good grass and then back to water.
Steers have a pretty easy life..show steers even easier.  
They ain't gotta move far...just to a feed pan, water trough, a cool room in summer maybe, grooming/wash & shampoo stand, a few times in front of the judges and not long after, to the kill line.

What was the birth weight of the newest calf?


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## luvmypets

Love all the calves, especially indy. What is the chance your one heifer has all the color


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## Wehner Homestead

Abby Jane’s bull calf is getting a bit of a slow start with a weak suck so after a failed bottle attempt, he got tubed to make sure he got colostrum. He’s much more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed now!





I took the above pic on DH’s phone so when I sent it to myself, I also found this pic of Otis, our bull, from the fall.




In between all of the chaos, I also got a few pics of some of the other calves.

Our lovely Indy. (@luvmypets we expected a very black with some white here and there year. We knew Indy would be some shade of tan or tan/white. The calf that died was red/white as we knew he would be also. The four left to calve should all have black with some white on their calves.)






Bailey’s bull calf didn’t even get up.



Maizy (and Scarlett’s) bull calf.



Melody and her bull calf.



Dolly’s bull. I couldn’t get my phone to get a very good pic down the grade that doesn’t make him look a little goofy.


----------



## greybeard

WH, I've been looking a few days for a picture I remember seeing from a few years ago. Finally found it today. Discussion was about Shorthorns, chromy hide colors and club/show calves. Someone posted a pic of a big long SH bull. 
The comment it drew from a very experienced and successful Oklahoma cattleman cracked me up.
Thought you'd get a kick out of it. (Hope the pic shows up) 





The comment?
_"Forget everything else. That multi-colored nut sack is the bomb!_"


----------



## Wehner Homestead

greybeard said:


> WH, I've been looking a few days for a picture I remember seeing from a few years ago. Finally found it today. Discussion was about Shorthorns, chromy hide colors and club/show calves. Someone posted a pic of a big long SH bull.
> The comment it drew from a very experienced and successful Oklahoma cattleman cracked me up.
> Thought you'd get a kick out of it. (Hope the pic shows up)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The comment?
> _"Forget everything else. That multi-colored nut sack is the bomb!_"


----------



## Wehner Homestead




----------



## Wehner Homestead

Good news! Abby Jane’s little man is nursing!!! DH spent some quality time with them and finally got him latched. I love that he cares enough to make sure they get it figured out when I can’t. (My wrist on my dominant hand is bothering me from getting the chains on him. I think adrenaline was rushing and I didn’t feel the strain and ignored that I’m still getting my strength back. ) We are keeping the pair in for at least another day or two to make sure he has the hang of it. 



Back to watching the other four to go.  Reagan is due 3/20. Moxie is due 3/28 but being a heifer could go up to a week early. Maxine was bred within 21 days of 3/21 but she looks like she is within 2-3 days of Reagan. Last is Sydney and she’s down for 4/8. Between the last four cows and three does, the next few weeks have the potential to be a bit busy!


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## Wehner Homestead

Abby Jane’s little man continues to improve. He’s bouncing around and we’ve caught him nursing. Plan is to turn him out Sat morning so he has a better chance of adjusting to the hot wire and will be more sure-footed. 

The last four girls are all showing signs. This is my guess for the order of arrival and gender: Reagan (bull), Moxie (heifer), Sydney (bull), Maxine (bull). We shall see how correct I am soon. Anyone else want to guess?


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## Latestarter

I'm a terrible guesser but I'll say an even split M/F... 2 bulls and 2 heifers. You've been having altogether too much luck with bulls up to this point.


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## Wehner Homestead




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## Wehner Homestead

I got y’all some more calf pics tonight as we wandered through them as a family. The kids love talking about which cows and calves are theirs (they each got one for their second bday) and checking out the creek. Oscar followed us out and one of the calves tried to play with him so they enjoyed that! 

We also turned out Abby Jane and her calf since he was trying to kick up his heels in the barn and ran out of space. He really gave Abby Jane a fright running around the pasture, though the kids loved watching him! 

I only got pics of DS’ two calves (somehow he claimed a second cow lol.) He’s named them but they’ll both be steers and sold so I’m not too worried about that. DD1 named hers too. DH and I didn’t name our bull calves. 
Maizy’s bull-L, Bailey’s bull-R



Maizy’s bull wasn’t standing the best on those rocks with the older two kids jumping around to my right and DH to my left trying to get his attention. Lol


 
Bailey’s bull was trying to play with Oscar. He typically has a better stance but I wanted to show you his “I tip-toed through white paint” look.


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## RoahT

Those little faces though!!


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## Wehner Homestead

Still waiting on the last four. Maxine and Moxie could go any time. Reagan is getting closer but I’m wondering if she’s not 3 weeks off. She’s always been horrible to get bred. (My brother owns her and makes the decisions.) Sydney looks like she probably has another two weeks.

We’ve been taking a daily walk through the calves. They are precious and warming up to us! Abby Jane and her bull calf have adjusted well to being out with the herd.


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## Wehner Homestead

Moxie and Maxine are being checked around the clock. Moxie’s udder isn’t full but for a heifer, that doesn’t mean anything. She’s definitely got enough udder development to go any time. Maxine is doing a cow waddle. She kicks her back feet out and to the side with each step as the pelvis is loose and ready and she has pressure from the calf. I don’t expect her to make it through the night.


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## Wehner Homestead

Moxie and Maxine still haven’t calved! 
With the freeze over the weekend with ice and the mud that’s sure to come from 4 days of rain, they are in pens in the barn (like foaling stalls for horses.) Maxine’s udder looks like it could bust and she’s holding her tail out so I don’t see how she could last much longer. Moxie’s udder isn’t full but she’s a heifer so it may not fill all the way. She’s also stringing discharge. 

Maxine’s exact due date isn’t known because she was on the cull list for being skittish last year and cooperated at the last second so was given a reprieve to stay. She was with the bull and could be due any time after 3/21 on, but cows usually cycle every 21 days or 3 weeks so she is definitely due within that timeframe...Moxie’s due date is 3/28 but she’s a heifer so she could go up to a week before so any time on her too!


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## Latestarter

Hope no pulling required and no issues.


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## Wehner Homestead

Moxie’s udder has filled up completely over the course of the day. She’s also stringing discharge. I’m truly thinking tonight is the night.


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## Wehner Homestead

4 am: out to check on a goat that’s talking. It wasn’t the one that I’m worried about. Checked on Moxie and Maxine while I was out there. 

Moxie is stringing discharge and standing. Obviously restless.

Maxine appears to be contracting irregularly. 

Rain has started falling.


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## Latestarter

Hope no complications! the rain will be here by later this morning. Now it's time for me to go to bed.


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## Wehner Homestead

It’s 9am. Still nothing. Both are stringing discharge. I put down more fresh straw for them this morning.


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## WildRoseBeef

Oi, it's just like waiting for a pot of water to boil LOL...


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## Latestarter

OK, so when do you know/decide/determine that she's been in actual labor, has stalled or gotten stuck, and start considering the chains and pulling?


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## WildRoseBeef

If the water bag starts showing and is hanging out the vulva, that means that labour is imminent. That's the biggest sign right there, and the time to really watch her. I think I've heard vets say that usually if nothing progresses after an hour or two, time to dig out the chains or get the vet out.


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## Wehner Homestead

WE HAVE A CALF!!! 

Moxie delivered a heifer on her own! We expected black and white but not quite this flashy. I think DD1 will claim her when she sees her!  She hasn’t nursed successfully yet but she’s trying. 




 


 



Maxine is stringing discharge and appears to be contracting more regularly...


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## RoahT

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!  She's adorable!!


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## promiseacres

cute!


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## Wehner Homestead

DH got this pic of Moxie’s girl when he got home. We’ve named her Mallory. As she’s dried, we can tell she has patches of black and roan.


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## greybeard

Any live calf is a good calf.


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## Wehner Homestead

greybeard said:


> Any live calf is a good calf.



I agree! This calf also proves that Otis is heifer safe. Wonderful all the way around! We are also excited to have a heifer that we want to keep to be a pal for Indy.


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## farmerjan

Agree with GB.  The last few years we have been running nearly 75% heifer calves.  When my son would report that so and so had a calf, and "of course it is another heifer"  I would just say well, "a live heifer is better than a dead bull" ..... We were beginning to think all we were going to get was heifers when we want a greater percentage of bulls since steers are worth more at sale time.  This year we are running closer to 50/50 so far, but  unfortunately  have had a few dead ones.  Shipped one cow 2 weeks ago that wouldn't take a graft calf.  Shipped 2 today that had dead calves and the one we would have tried to put a calf on, was totally nuts in the chute and we couldn't even get ahold of her teats to check for milk so I said GONE.....She seriously tried to kill him with kicking out.  Not worth getting hurt, and I would not subject a calf to that kind of attitude. The other raised a mediocre calf last year and wasn't the best milker so no point in trying to put a calf on her.  

Bought 5 bred cows tonight and one cow/calf pair for under $800 ea., about  $4800 total. Cattle are running cheaper in general.  Some brought $13-$1500 per pair, but it will take 5 years to make a profit off them with what current prices have been the past 2 years.  I cannot justify that.  The ones we got were not fancy, and if they only raise their calf this year and we sell both we ought to come out even or a little ahead.  It is the feeding all year that takes the profit way down.  So we will run them through the chute, check teeth/mouths for approx age, and go from there.  They are all vet confirmed preg today before the sale. Getting $500 for a cull cow avg, makes these pretty cheap if they all calve and raise just one calf to sell.  They are a little thin, so will benefit from unlimited hay for a month then out on grass.  If they do good and are not too old, they will go with the bulls and get bred back. After the second calf they will be profitable if there are no death losses.


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## farmerjan

Wehner Homestead said:


> DH got this pic of Moxie’s girl when he got home. We’ve named her Mallory. As she’s dried, we can tell she has patches of black and roan.
> View attachment 45853



Looks like a holstein with a little blue roan in it for the color.  Naturally the build is a little different.  Had a cow on a dairy that had several blue roan patches.  Probably had some shorthorn in the background.


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## greybeard

farmerjan said:


> Agree with GB.  The last few years we have been running nearly 75% heifer calves.  When my son would report that so and so had a calf, and "of course it is another heifer"  I would just say well, "a live heifer is better than a dead bull" ..... We were beginning to think all we were going to get was heifers when we want a greater percentage of bulls since steers are worth more at sale time.  This year we are running closer to 50/50 so far, but  unfortunately  have had a few dead ones.  Shipped one cow 2 weeks ago that wouldn't take a graft calf.  Shipped 2 today that had dead calves and the one we would have tried to put a calf on, was totally nuts in the chute and we couldn't even get ahold of her teats to check for milk so I said GONE.....She seriously tried to kill him with kicking out.  Not worth getting hurt, and I would not subject a calf to that kind of attitude. The other raised a mediocre calf last year and wasn't the best milker so no point in trying to put a calf on her.
> 
> Bought 5 bred cows tonight and one cow/calf pair for under $800 ea., about  $4800 total. Cattle are running cheaper in general.  Some brought $13-$1500 per pair, but it will take 5 years to make a profit off them with what current prices have been the past 2 years.  I cannot justify that.  The ones we got were not fancy, and if they only raise their calf this year and we sell both we ought to come out even or a little ahead.  It is the feeding all year that takes the profit way down.  So we will run them through the chute, check teeth/mouths for approx age, and go from there.  They are all vet confirmed preg today before the sale. Getting $500 for a cull cow avg, makes these pretty cheap if they all calve and raise just one calf to sell.  They are a little thin, so will benefit from unlimited hay for a month then out on grass.  If they do good and are not too old, they will go with the bulls and get bred back. After the second calf they will be profitable if there are no death losses.


So many unknowns in a cow/calf business, but you and I wouldn't have it any other way, tho I admit, I have often considered selling off and just backgrounding 20-30 steers for a few months. 
How many months can you run yours on straight grass Jan?


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## farmerjan

Oh, GB as you well know it really depends on rain/moisture at the right times to keep the grass growing.  That said, we shoot for 6-8 months.  They will be out on pasture no later than May 1st usually.  Then by sometime in Nov. they are coming off.  It also depends on where they are and if we have cross fences where we can rotational graze. 
We have 2 places that we move everything out of by July 1st and then nothing goes back until after hunting season so we have 5+ months of growth.  We put fall calving cow/calf pairs on one with the bull.  The bad thing there is no way to rotate them except to close off the 2 hay fields.  So they get the hay fields after about 1-2 months on the pasture fields.  We put the round bales made there along the edges of the fields where there are alot of rock and they can graze it and self feed for about 1-2 months.  This winter they ate like crazy due to the awful frigid temps in Dec-Jan.
  There are about 40 c/c pairs, and about 40 acres of pasture with a fair amount in woods, and about 10 acres total in the 2 hay fields.  They have gone through about 50 rolls of hay total.  If not for the grazing they would have gone through at least 5 x that.  Figure 2 rolls per day for 40 head,  minimum of 4 months is 240 rolls.  
So if these just bought cows graze for 6 months, raise a saleable calf, we have alot less in them for just pasture & mineral costs than if we had to winter them to get a saleable calf.  It costs about $10-$15 a month for a pair on pasture, depending on the rents.  We figure $450 per year to keep a cow;  to produce a calf and wean it off, breed back etc.  About $1.25 per day minimum over the total year.   So she needs to have a calf that will bring $550 or more at sale time without alot of extra inputs into the calf.
  Summer costs will be about $100 per pair m/l. These bought cows will cost about $150 or a bit more because they are thin and will get some hay and grain for the next month to get some weight on them so they can calve and come into milk decently and have good condition to go to pasture.


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## greybeard

farmerjan said:


> There are about 40 c/c pairs, and about 40 acres of pasture with a fair amount in woods, and about 10 acres total in the 2 hay fields.


If like here, the woods does offer some wind protection as well as some grasses that are protected from the early frosts.

$1.25/day is not a bad cost at all. Mine is normally a little higher because I don't make my own hay, but this far south, I don't usually have to feed hay as long as you do. Of course 2017 was a loss in every sense of the word, as I had to buy hay twice, lost 4 tons of feed and lost some cows in the same flood that ruined my hay & feed, and the ground stayed soggy so long I couldn't get winter forage in the ground.


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## Wehner Homestead

Miss Mallory is nursing and starting to jump around. The kids are cracking us up. They are convinced that she’s a dairy calf and keep talking about the dairy calf in the barn. DS even said that she’d grow up to be a dairy cow!


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## RoahT

I love her coloring, she is so beautiful and cute!!


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## Wehner Homestead

Thank you!! We are really excited about her!


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## Wehner Homestead

Maxine still hasn’t calved. Her due date could be anywhere between 3/21 and 4/11 so we wait. She seems fairly content in the barn and may actually be taming some. 

Moxie’s heifer, Mallory, is growing well. DS refers to her as “the heifer that looks like a dairy cow!” 

I’ll try to get some updated pics soon.


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## Wehner Homestead

Maxine is still holding her calf hostage. I did some close studying today and decided that her calf hasn’t moved up yet and her udder could fill out more. Now she can up and surprise me and evict this next addition. 

Moxie’s lil miss Mallory is just too precious!


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## Wehner Homestead

Maxine hasn’t eaten all day and has been more edgy. She is so swollen that DH claims her calf is going to walk out! Since I take daily pics of the Does, I thought I’d try some of Maxine. These are from last night. (Sorry. Black is hard to photograph.) 






Moxie also has mastitis in one quarter. I think we caught it quickly and the cause seems to be that Mallory just couldn’t keep up with her milk production yet. I took a pic last night that I’ll post. The quarter was much softer and more pink than red tonight. We have milked her out in that quarter for four nights now (using a head chute, hip strap, and feed to distract), given intramammary meds for three nights, and penicillin for two nights. Due to Moxie being a first calf heifer and wanting to verify that the treatment was thorough, she will get the intramammary meds for 8 days and the Penicillin for 4 days. (It’s her back right.)


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## Wehner Homestead

I also got some calf pics today. 

Maizy (and Scarlett’s) bull calf (DOB 2/7)


 
Maddie’s heifer, Indy (DOB 2/8)





 
Dolly’s bull (DOB 2/14)


 
Bailey’s bull (DOB 3/1)


 
Melody’s bull (DOB 3/1)


 
Abby Jane’s bull (DOB 3/13) 


 
Moxie’s heifer, Mallory (DOB 3/27)


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## Wehner Homestead

Made some changes two nights ago. Abby Jane’s bull doesn’t seem to be getting quite enough to eat. He’s her first calf so we put her in the barn to supplement her with feed. (The plan is to turn Abby Jane and Moxie out in a barn paddock with their calves when Moxie is done with her mastitis treatment. Moxie has finished her penicillin injections and I saw Mallory nurse that quarter this morning so that’s a huge leap in the right direction!) 

Maxine has calved before without issue so DH turned her out to calve in the pasture since the weather was better. I walked out this morning to find a heifer calf that was cleaned off, dry, had nursed, and the afterbirth had been delivered!  This little heifer will be a keeper whether it’s here or to one of our 4-H kiddos. She has a white tip on her tail, white belly, and a small white spot on her right flank!


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## Wehner Homestead

@animalmom here’s your “cowette” pics for this year! Lol


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## Wehner Homestead

The kids have named Maxine’s heifer, Emma. We have someone in mind to buy her but if that doesn’t work out, we will keep her. 

Two more cows to go before Calving is done for the year. Sydney was due yesterday (4/8) and Reagan is due tomorrow (4/10.) Sydney looks like she’s going to go over while Reagan looks like she could go any time. This will be Sydney’s second calf and Reagan’s eighth(?) and they are bred to Otis so issues aren’t expected. 

Got just a few pics of some of the calves yesterday...

Abby Jane’s milk production has us very disappointed. We’ve pulled her to a barn paddock to grain her daily to help support the calf. 


He’s a month older than Moxie’s heifer, Mallory, but doesn’t look it at all! Pic to show you. 



We’ve kept Moxie and Mallory in the barn paddock with Abby Jane and her bull calf for company and so we can monitor Moxie’s udder. She’s finished her mastitis treatment and Mallory has kept that quarter nursed but we don’t want to take any chances either. Miss Mallory...


The next two pics are of Bailey’s bull calf. He’s looking pretty good!


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## animalmom

Nice looking babies.  Thanks for posting.  Little furry chubby cheeks... just want to pinch them... probably not a good idea, eh.


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## Wehner Homestead

@animalmom some of our cows would let you, some not so much! Once the calves are two days old, they are hard to catch! Lol


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## greybeard

Deer have nothing on a calf's fleet footedness.
I loaded and sent a 6 mo old heifer yesterday to go to a local 4H'r to raise. They said they had a pen ready to keep her in a few days...sure hope they do, but she was on feed good so hopefully it will come to the feed bucket for them too. 
That family is new to calves..just goats and chickens till now. 
Sure hope I don't get a phone  call saying she escaped..


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## Latestarter

Baby goats get around pretty fast as well. The adults can't catch them. I don't even try.


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## Wehner Homestead

Haven’t updated this thread lately. Been consumed with the goat kids. Still waiting on Sydney and Reagan to release their hostages. Way past their due dates so another calculated 21 days is 4/28 and 5/1. We left the bull long enough for that so we shall see what happens.


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## Latestarter

no issues and healthy calves!


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## Wehner Homestead

A few pics from 4/17. 

Maxine and Emma


 
Emma again. There’s only one person I’ll consider selling her to. I’d really like to keep her to replace Abby Jane...


 
Mallory (Queenie in the background, not sure who is on front right now but I think it’s Melody’s bull calf) 



Maizy’s bull calf


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## Latestarter

Looks like the pasture is starting to green up a bit for you. I'm sure you're happy for that. Too much mud this year.


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## Wehner Homestead

Completely agree! I wish we’d have fenced them out of some of it to let it grow better. They have eaten it down as far as possible while we are having to mow the grass on the outside. 

When I mow, I blow the cuttings into the pasture for the cows to be able to eat on if they choose too!


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## Wehner Homestead

DH made rounds in the pasture tonight at dusk. I hadn’t spotted Sydney today but saw several groups of black cows laying around when I’d look and knew he’d check her tonight. I also saw her three days ago and didn’t think she was due until 4/28. Anyway, DD2 now has a bull calf. (He will be easy to “spot” @Latestarter lol) 



 

DH was headed to check on Reagan as we’ve noted her udder filling more. Hoping to be done Calving soon.


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## Mike CHS

That's a chunky thing.


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## Latestarter

That's just one more really nice looking bull calf, and yes, that white forehead "spot" does help immensely!   Congrats! So just the one more you're waiting on, right?


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## Wehner Homestead

Thanks! Just waiting on Reagan. Hostage was still contained as of checks this morning.


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## Wehner Homestead

Thursday daylight pics of Sydney’s bull calf out of Otis. I took them on DH’s phone and finally got him to send them to me. 

We are impressed with the size of his bone. It’ll be fun to see if we can get him to muscle up and see what he looks like. This will probably be a freezer camp calf since he was born so much later than the others but someone has to keep meat on the table.


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## RollingAcres

This calf is cute!
If he's a freezer camp calf, are you still going to name him?


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## Wehner Homestead

DH and I never named any of the boys. The kids name EVERYTHING! Not always a good thing. 

I can’t recall if I mentioned all of the names so here goes: 

Maddie has heifer: Indy
Maizy has bull: Jordan
Dolly has bull: Rockstar
Bailey has bull: Reggie
Abby Jane has bull: Popper
Melody has bull: Beast
Moxie has heifer: Mallory
Maxine has heifer: Emma
Sydney has bull: Alex

The kids named the bull calves without input from adults! Lol Heifer names have to be approved by both parents. DD1 named Mallory but we both approved and she picked Emily but we substituted Emma and she relented.


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## RollingAcres

When we first got our heifers we were "warned" not to name them if they will be going to freezer camp later. But our plans changed so 3 or 4 months after we got them we decided to name them.
Just curious, any of the names belong to kids' friends? My son named all our chicks his friends' names.


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## Wehner Homestead

That’s funny about the chicks! 

Most animals around here get names from movies. Jordan and Reggie are from a Space Jam and we can only assume Rockstar is because I don’t know where else they would’ve gotten it. Beast is from Beauty and the Beast. Popper is from Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Alex is from Madagascar.


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## RollingAcres

Wehner Homestead said:


> That’s funny about the chicks!
> 
> Most animals around here get names from movies. Jordan and Reggie are from a Space Jam and we can only assume Rockstar is because I don’t know where else they would’ve gotten it. Beast is from Beauty and the Beast. Popper is from Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Alex is from Madagascar.


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## Wehner Homestead

Took some pics of Reagan and her currently contained hostage. Negotiations for release are rocky as she seems quite unstable (in her ability to breed with any regularity! )




 
I give up on guessing. It’ll arrive when it arrives.


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## Wehner Homestead

Reagan’s calf is still a hostage. We noted that her udder changed over night (yesterday) and still no calf. She’s one that doesn’t really show all the signs, she just does some random prepping and then drops it. Who knows. I won’t miss this yearly guessing game that lasts months. 

This pic was taken two nights ago. 


 

Calves are sleeping in the creep feeder most nights now. We’ve seen 7 of the 9 calves go in and eat. The other two are still young enough that we aren’t surprised that they aren’t going in yet. We are having to replace the feed every evening and they eat about 2 flakes of hay too.


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## Mike CHS

They can be a pain in planning but your stock looks really good.


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## Wehner Homestead

Mike CHS said:


> They can be a pain in planning but your stock looks really good.



Thanks! We try really hard to maintain them well. We are often told our animals are fat because so many around us don’t do anything extra. I’m struggling with getting used to owning dairy goats...lol

She’s not typical as far as breeding. Our others breed in a three month stretch or get a year off/sent to market. Her issues have been tolerated for sentimental reasons and based on ownership.


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## Wehner Homestead

Reagan still hasn’t calved in case anyone was wondering. Her udder continues to grow and she’s swelling in her rear. So ready to be done with her craziness!


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## Wehner Homestead

Reagan calved while DH was mowing hay this afternoon! Our 2018 calving season is finally done. She welcomed a mostly black bull calf. We will give them several weeks to get situated then sell them as a cow/calf pair. 

DH sprayed them because the flies were flocking to them. He also took care of spraying the navel with iodine while he was invading their space.


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## Mike CHS

Flies are terrible here also.


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## Wehner Homestead

@Mike CHS I have fly strips hanging in my house! With dogs and kids going in and out, they’ve basically invaded. Grr!! The kitten box is covered with a towel and the kids know to leave them covered or the bugs will kill them. Gets them to leave them alone and I don’t want to deal with insects in their box. The kittens in the barn dumped some water while I worked over the weekend and it soaked some food they dumped. It didn’t get cleaned up and it had larvae in it!!  Love Summer other than the bugs!!!


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## Wehner Homestead

I have some updated pics of the calves. They aren’t standing the best in some but it’ll give you an idea of how they are growing. (It’s hard to get them to cooperate when you have three kids and three dogs with you too!) 

1) L: Abby Jane’s bull calf (Popper) R: Sydney’s bull calf (Alex) (Popper is 6 weeks older! Shows that his mama doesn’t make much milk and why she’s on the cull list!) Moxie is in the background. This is her first year calving so she’s getting fed to supplement. 



 
2) Moxie’s heifer calf (Mallory) 


 
3) Reagan’s bull calf 


 
4) Maizy (and Scarlett’s) bull calf (Jordan) 


 
5) Melody’s bull calf (Beast) 


 
6) Bailey’s bull calf (Reggie) 


 
7) Maddie’s heifer calf (Indy) 



8) Dolly’s bull calf (Rockstar) 


 
9) Maxine’s heifer calf (Emma)


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## promiseacres

Great looking calves!


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## Wehner Homestead

A few more pics...

1) Dolly’s bull calf (Rockstar) 



2) Rockstar from another angle


 
3) L: Bailey’s bull calf (Reggie) and R: Reagan’s bull calf 


4) In the hay feeder this morning. He’s out already. I wish I’d been able to get a pic when his head was up and looking at me!


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## RollingAcres

Love those calves!


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## Wehner Homestead

Weaned the last group of calves on Sunday. Now just breaking them to tie, lead, wash, and blow. Also, looking forward to calving in the spring.


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## Wehner Homestead

Reggie left with his 4-Her on Friday evening. 

We’ve been working with Jordan and Mickey (Rockstar.) Jordan is still for sale. Mickey should be leaving any time. 

Heifers are being worked too. They are all doing well but Indy. Her attitude may be a one way ticket to the sale barn. 

Indy is the only one standing. The other girls are much more relaxed. 


 




Another 4-Her also has this dude hanging out at our house. I castrated and vaccinated him last Sunday. They aren’t in a hurry to move him so I guess he’s staying for now. Lol


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## Southern by choice

LOL at Indy!    Yeah that looks like tude all the way!

If only they stayed that size.


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## Latestarter

I thought (way back a ways) that Indy was one you were really thrilled with/wanted to keep?  I guess no one really needs a "hyper" or non-relaxing cow though...


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## Wehner Homestead

@Latestarter the plan was to keep Indy from the get-go. We handle ours a lot and she isn’t settling down. She gets a bit longer to get with the program but won’t take a chance since the kids spend so much time in close proximity to the cattle.

She can be borderline aggressive and can be sneaky about her attempts to kick, jump/lunge toward the person leading her, has stepped on my foot, snorts when given her feed ration, refuses to drink when on lead, jumps around in general, fights her tie, etc. 

The heifer we are breaking for a 4-Her hadn’t hardly seen people and has gotten the same treatment since they are together. She’s the dark blue roan and she’s really close to being a puppy dog. Indy is just high strung and we have to decide if she will chill or be a danger.


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## Mike CHS

Wehner Homestead said:


> Weaned the last group of calves on Sunday. Now just breaking them to tie, lead, wash, and blow. Also, looking forward to calving in the spring.



I may be asking for some pointers on how you do all of that.


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## Wehner Homestead

Mike CHS said:


> I may be asking for some pointers on how you do all of that.



I’m more than happy to be a resource!!!


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