The Castle Rock MARE-TERNITY WARD
Message Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: Chanda on March 24, 2018, 08:26:23 PM
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Just a couple pictures as the others didn't turn out so well. But, we have started calving, have about 6-8 calves so far plus a set of twins last night (we don't try to leave twins on the cow, too hard to keep track of them when moving pastures and sorting), so I have a bottle calf at least for a few days.
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Thank you for my annual calf pictures. I so love them and miss having them! So many decades ago, but I can still smell their breath and feel myself snuggling in that neck fur!!
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Started my morning with a fresh, muddy, col calf in the bath tub. Calf warmer had a calf too. Gotta make two bottles this morning; one twin and the hot box calf.
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Very cute !! How many are you expecting this year Chanda ?
What is a calf warmer ? 😊
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Very cute !! How many are you expecting this year Chanda ?
What is a calf warmer ? 😊
Lots of calves coming.
A calf warmer is an enclosed box with a warm air blower to dry and warm chilled calves, it's a life saver; and, beats putting them in the bathtub.
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Ok, calves are just so stinking cute, I can't hardly stand it!!
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Sounds like a life saver :)
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Sounds like a life saver :)
Definitely, and it beats the bathtub, especially since I don't have to clean the calf warmer, Shayne does. ;) ;D
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hahaha :) Sounds more than fair to me !!
Do the calves just go in to it until they are dry ? or until they reach a certain body temp? ( sorry for all the ?? )
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hahaha :) Sounds more than fair to me !!
Do the calves just go in to it until they are dry ? or until they reach a certain body temp? ( sorry for all the ?? )
Til they are dry and not shivering. And, if that takes awhile, they get a bottle of commercial colostrum supplement (if they won't suck, Shayne tubes them - tube down the throat into the stomach, so it goes direct).
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Sounds like the perfect "hairdryer" for the minis after a bath :)
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Sounds like the perfect "hairdryer" for the minis after a bath :)
Except the minis wouldn't fit in our homemade calf warmer, but the might in a commercial calf warmer.
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up to 4 bottle calves now, two little ones and two normal size ones. [One twin, one cow had no milk, one down cow and one lame, skinny cow we didn't think was pregnant (and she can barely take care of herself, let alone a calf).] so, I'm going to be very busy for awhile. They are in two locations; first two (the little two) are at the calving barn, the second two are sharing shelter with Che`, Baybe and Tilly (they have their own stall in a corner). A little more work in some regards with them separated, but easier at bottle time, since I only have two hands, I can only feed two calves at a time.
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Oh my. Such a busy time is calving season. I remember, and I don't envy you in all this extra work. Praying for strength for you!!
;pray ;pray
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Oh my. Such a busy time is calving season. I remember, and I don't envy you in all this extra work. Praying for strength for you!!
;pray ;pray
I don't mind. Don't hope for a loss, but would be so much easier if I cow was available to take care of a couple of them.
The calf from the down cow is a little bit of a dummy, and might have an upper respiratory something or other, he's raspy. I'll have Shayne check in the morning, and give him a shot (I don't do shots, if at all possible).
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Hope the little one is ok.
having no cow knowledge ( at all) do you have older ones that can play nanny to orphan calves ?
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Hope the little one is ok.
having no cow knowledge ( at all) do you have older ones that can play nanny to orphan calves ?
We don't, it's just easier if you are bottle feeding to keep them separate. A pair is easier than a single, as they have each other to play with, so don't look to you as a playmate. And, we don't keep any bottle fed calves as replacements, since they don't mature quite as nice as cow raised calves.
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Makes sense :)
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Makes sense :)
Glad it made sense.
About to head out to feed the bottle hoard.
Had to separate the last two, one wouldn't stop nursing on the other's umbilical stump, once they are dried up will probably be able to put them back together. Calves always seem to look for something to suck, ears seem to be a prime choice. The little calf in the other pair sucks on the bigger one's shoulder.
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Shayne is gone today, so I'm on calf watch. It's chilly today, so check every couple hours. Brought two new ones in before I even got to have lunch. One walked in with a little encouragement, the other went on the calf sled. I have 2-3 slots left in the barn, so hopefully Shayne is home before the barn fills up.
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Your barn is filling quickly !! So do they come in with their mums or are these all orphan calves ?
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Your barn is filling quickly !! So do they come in with their mums or are these all orphan calves ?
Nope all three are with their mom (there was another after lunch), the fewer orphans the better; it's just so cold, it helps them dry off and warm up if they spend a couple hours in the barn.
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Meet my neighbor :)
She comes up to the fence most nights to say hello. I have been watching to see if she has calved as most of her pasture mates have already done so.
Must be putting some final touches on :)
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Hello, pretty girl! You know, now you have to get us pictures of the special little one she's putting those finishing touches on!!!