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Nice calf, love the markings. :love

Here in Alberta there's an expected big April snow-storm coming in the next couple days, expected 6 to 10" of snow in some areas... and there's producers out there with already calved out cows, or are just starting to calve too... Talked to a farmer already today who's got a few inches of snow...

The brockle-faced heifer--that's what cattle with that kind of face is called (with that "ring" around from the ears to the chin) ;) --is most definitely a Hereford-Angus cross. She's similar to the cow in my avatar. :) I've never seen that kind of face when an Angus is crossed with Simmental...

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.

She'll certainly try to test the fence again, there's no doubt about that. But since it's reinforced better she may not try to get out again. But there's something about fence crawlers that I understand your worry on; sometimes the repeat offenders are the ones that are going to try again...

Hi @Tootles, the other sources that are telling you to keep them away from hay or grains are totally wrong, because they don't acknowledge the fact that the rumen of a calf reaches full maturity at around 3 months. The fact is, the rumen begins developing and growing just days after birth, and...

Give 'em time. Plus they're Angus so you gotta give them a little extra time versus some other breeds. ;) And don't be hard on yourself! You sound like you're doing things right. They're more than likely still getting accustomed to things, they've only been around for a month, and still learning...

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

@Rammy How long have you had these girls?

You're lucky one, you had a larger pasture they could get out into and no further, and two, you got grass!! Here where I live there's still plenty of snow on the ground. Glad things panned out much better than you probably expected! :)

I have the same sentiments on Angus cattle. They're dumb nutters who tend to get more panicky and high-headed then some of the other breeds I've worked with, though I've also dealt with some Simmentals and Charolais (one of my least-favorite breed too as far as temperament is concerned) that get...

@Wehner Homestead and @farmerjan are absolutely right, this won't last forever, particularly if you don't let it. She's just having trouble trusting you because she now associates you with pain and bad things. You need to gain her trust back and re-establish yourself as a bringer of good things...

@WyndSyrin Have you tried doing a body condition score on them? The winter coat can hide a lot of things if you tried to determine their condition visually. This link is really helpful: http://www.beefresearch.ca/research/body-condition-scoring.cfm It sounds like the corn silage is going to be...

As greybeard said, it depends on the moisture. Silage that gets at least 70% moisture has potential for listeriosis-causing bacteria that can affect your herd. Also, the higher the moisture the silage is, the more your cows will need to eat. I'm not sure how big your cows are, but let's say for...

I'm really late to this conversation, apologies, but no you're definitely not over-reacting. It's really important to have animals bigger than you being able to respect you and your space, and if they're not, then it's time to do something about it. You've been given some good advice here, but...

@haviris Have you consulted with a veterinarian about this calf yet? That may be another step to take if you're not seeing much improvement.

Does he act hungry? Is there possibly some underlying condition where it's painful for him to want to latch on? Tubing should only be a last resort if absolutely nothing is working and if he's truly getting dehydrated. And at that age, he is going to be a little bit of a fighter. Another Q: Do...

Sounds like the calf is depressed because he has no buddy to bond and play with. I wonder if you even try something like putting a pair (one who's producing a lot of milk and can take on another calf) in with him or something like that to get him the opportunity to try to bond with them. The cow...

Hey elevan, The last two links don't work. Just letting you know. :) -Karin

1. This all takes time. You're strange to them, but give them a few weeks and regular interaction with them, and they'll warm up to you. 2. Salt/mineral important. Loose is certainly considerably better, but even in loose form you can't control intake rates because of the hierarchial/herd...