The Castle Rock MARE-TERNITY WARD

Message Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: Chanda on March 27, 2022, 07:53:10 PM

Title: Calving 2022...
Post by: Chanda on March 27, 2022, 07:53:10 PM
We have our first four calves on the ground.   Two are bull calves, not sure what the other two are.
We officially start April 1, but there are always a few that come early.
Sorry, Diane, no pics, yet; but will try to get a couple soon.   
Weather is nice, so it's pretty easy for the calves.
Title: Re: Calving 2022...
Post by: dcwolcott on March 28, 2022, 09:58:41 AM
Yeah !!!!  Just love those calves!
Title: Re: Calving 2022...
Post by: Chanda on March 29, 2022, 05:07:42 PM
I have two bottle bums for a bit.
One is a twin, we don't leave them both on the cow, it just works best for our situation to pull one.   The other was standing out with the cows at calf check, no mom in sight, and no one claiming it, so bottle calf it is.
Title: Re: Calving 2022...
Post by: dcwolcott on March 30, 2022, 12:13:50 PM
Lots of work for you, but good for them all. 
Title: Re: Calving 2022...
Post by: Chanda on April 08, 2022, 11:19:11 PM
Ok, we're up to 5 bottle bums now. Flush of twins or something this year.  And, there is one set of heifers that have been left with the cow, she's taking good care of them, so going to try to leave them with her.
I"ll try to get pics, but right now they are in the barn, so too dark for pictures.
Title: Re: Calving 2022...
Post by: dcwolcott on April 09, 2022, 10:19:15 AM
WOW !!  We had a momma who produced twins every year, and she was a great momma and took care of both of them every year.  No bottle feeding required!  LOL

We had good luck making the mommas take the twins.  If she liked one and didn't like the other, we brought her in the barn and took away the twin she liked and gave her the twin she didn't like until she fed it and cared for it, then we reintroduced the one she liked, and usually had success getting mommas to take both babies.

I don't want to be you with all that bottle feeding.  Don't know how you do it !!  Keep up your strength!!
Title: Re: Calving 2022...
Post by: Chanda on April 09, 2022, 11:15:42 AM
with our pasture set-up, one calf per cow usually works best.  It's been years since I've needed to bottle feed more than one calf for more than a few days.