Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[SageHill]

WOW -- GF didn't last long on that calf. it gets back to you sooner than later. You have every reason to be beyond mad. Hang in there, know ya' will.

 

[Ridgetop]

I mean, who would have thought that all this would all have to happen all at the same time...

Murphy's Law!

On top of that DS just called... wanted to know what time I was leaving to go to work... I said about noon or so.... he said, DAM...... GF called him, the calf won't eat, can he or I tube it???? WTF.... I told him ABSOLUTELY NOT... NO..... the calf is way too little, the tube feeder is too big for her throat, she is the size of a 30 lb lamb..... it will tear her up inside... "she" is all upset, she can't raise a bottle calf, they all die...BLAH BLAH BLAH... I told him to get it, take it to snyder's with the other ones. and I will deal with it after I get home from work.... to not try to feed it and let it get a little hungry... let the milk in it's stomach just digest and maybe pass through... hell, don't even know if it has had a bowel movement... any manure??? Pee ??? I am beyond P.O.ed....

At least you got it back before she could screw it up too much. Maybe just a tummy upset and you can give some probiotic paste. With the other calves around it wanting the bottle, it might perk up and drink.

"she" is all upset, she can't raise a bottle calf, they all die...BLAH BLAH BLAH...

If she hasn't had any luck with bottle calves and they have a died under her care - WTH did she take it in the first place! How stupid! Hopefully she didn;t screw it up.

 

[SageHill]

If she hasn't had any luck with bottle calves and they have a died under her care - WTH did she take it in the first place!

That one's easy - because she want it and @farmerjan makes it look easy.

 

[Ridgetop]

As @Baymule likes to say "You can't cure stupid!"

 

[Mini Horses]

She whined "it's Sooo cute --i want it" Then DS said ok (testicles over rule brains) and there it is!
Mom knows best but, not her calf.

Trust me, it would BE MY CALF if I had to revive it!! Teach them both.

 

[Ridgetop]

That is what I think! Enough with "nice mom" business, time to get strict and use tough love on foolish DS.

 

[Baymule]

As @Baymule likes to say "You can't cure stupid!"

Naw, Baymule sez You can’t FIX stupid.

I done cure things, I fix ‘em!

Example: I’m fixin’ to go to town.

 

[farmerjan]

Home from work... day went fine except I didn't get as much done as I wanted as usual...

DS brought calf to barn, left it in crate with door open... Calf was out of crate, laying near feed bunk... I took 3 full bottles and a 3/4 bottle with me... and the little one got 1/2 bottle... She wasn't super enthusiastic but was okay... and did try to butt me once after I stopped her at 1/2 bottle... fed the other 3 and gave the big holstein the extra 1/4 bottle... been trying to give him 1 1/4 to 1/1/2 bottle a feeding... he is doing better too, more enthusiasm... You know how the real big lambs seem a little slow at first? See that often in the real big calves...lazy like, slow to get started..... he is getting more enthusiastic now... still plays with the nipple some... the one twin just stands there and drinks although sometimes I have to fiddle with him to get the nipple in his mouth... but the other one spits it out, rolls it around.... sucks then stops... and then wants to butt when he is finally done....... It was almost dark by the time I got home and got the bottles made and got up there so did not see any manure or anything.... I will check her out better in the morning... I moved her over to the section where the hay is kept... cleaner .....and if the sun is out it comes in the end door... She is so little I didn't want the big calf butting her around until I get a chance to check her over real good... If all looks okay, I may let her in with them for the company... but she can see them and reach through the cow panel and gate that keeps the calves out of the hay section... so there is contact... since she ate with no big problem, I will refrain from any electrolytes as long as she doesn't scour, but will probably go with some probiotic paste to help with digestion and appetite stimulation... don't want her to dehydrate, but don't want to overdo the liquid either...
I think she just wasn't hungry this morning... and sometimes you just have to "not feed them" so they can get their stomachs back "in order"... as long as she isn't scouring, I am going to let her dictate how much she wants... Blessing in disguise... she got brought back before she could get sick or scoury or down....

Wish I had a nurse cow so she could get a little bit, frequently, but we'll see how things go for the next couple days... less is more as long as she doesn't have any other problems... but I do need to see some manure and see her pee so I know there aren't any other problems, internally....

Tired and going to get a shower and go to bed...

There was a 5 second sprinkle at the farm as we were getting done milking... not even enough to settle the dust... might be a few more passing this evening... NO wind right now... wish the pile was getting burned.. but more chances of showers so might just get to it this week.... this heat is spawning some of those pop-up type storms....

She whined "it's Sooo cute --i want it" Then DS said ok (testicles over rule brains) and there it is!
Mom knows best but, not her calf.

Trust me, it would BE MY CALF if I had to revive it!! Teach them both.

Yeah, no joke....

Samples in the house to pack in the morning...

 

[Ridgetop]

So glad the calf wasn't in bad shape. As long as she doesn't ask DS for it back now that Jan has "cured" it . . . . Remember what they used to teach the kids in school in the war against drugs? "Just Say NO!"

 

[farmerjan]

Noontime Tuesday. Been up and fed bottles and stuck around for awhile, but never saw the calf pee or do manure... but it acted okay. Still not as active as I would like... I fed it just about 1/2 bottle and the rest went to the big calf after he drank his own bottle. I put the little one out into pen with the 3 other bottle calves.. it seemed to want to stick close to one of the twins. I did get the big calf and one twin to follow me out into the lot in the sunshine... the little one and the other twin stood in the open "doorway" that is probably 6 ft across.. not really a door but just a big opening in the wall. It did butt the bottle a couple times so that is a plus... I hope the interaction with the other calves will help to give it some incentive...
No, it will not be going back. If DS decides that she should have it back, he and I will have a drag out fight... he told me back awhile ago when he had all the problems, and I told him what I thought and he said that he did not want me to make him make a choice... this is the the line for me... and I think I might just pay him for it, and raise it as mine and then there is no question...but I want to get it to where I think it will make it too.... you all know these little ones have some precarious starts...

Nice night... 55... mostly sun today, although it is hazy out there. Forecast is still calling for possible pop up storms this afternoon and evening. Has that look to it out there...Mid 70's out there now. Comfortable.

Ate a sandwich, got to get samples packed and go outside and do something...