| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Jan 30 2011 : 3:15:55 PM
I looked on my calendar and I took Mazie to the bull June 14th. So does that mean exactly 9 months later she will have a calf? What should I be looking for? She is huge. But still no udder. This is her 1st calf so maybe it doesn't come til almost time? She has developed long teats but that's all. I will be taking Roxie to the butcher Feb. 21st so she will be out of the way. What should I have on hand? She is a Red Angus cross. 2 1/2 years old. Very healthy. I am getting nervous for her. And me.
I dreamed the other night that my daughter Abby had her whole arm up Mazie's birth canal checking to see if she had a calf in there. That is SO far from what Abby would ever do it was hilarious when I woke up. I asked her what she felt (in the dream) and she said it was soft. So after I woke up I got to thinking about that. If she felt something soft would that have been a rear end and not a head? Then the calf would be breach? Now this was only a crazy dream. It did not really happen. But I just was wondering about the something soft thing. So now I am worried that the calf might be breach and I am going to just freak out with fear.
Anyway, any advice would be greatly appreciated right now. Thanks so much. This is my first time too. So we will be going through this together, if I am there at the time. Which I really hope I am not but that everything goes well.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Mar 14 2011 : 09:11:46 AM
Thanks, ya''. It is fun to have a baby around again. ANd Mazie is such a good mother already. She's so funny to watch. I just went and checked on them. The front left teat was wet so he is nursing that side. I milked her some this morning.
So when can we drink some of the milk? It's still a little reddish in that one quarter. I put some in the fridge to see if there will be any cream at all.
It's going to rain any minute. But not for long. I want to bring Chuck inside.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| Brew Crew |
Posted - Mar 14 2011 : 07:35:27 AM
I just got caught up here, Kris!! SOOO exciting! I'm glad everything went smoothly, and it sounds like Maize is being a good mama and a good milker for you! Yay!
"The ideal equestrian has the courage of a lion, the patience of a saint, and the hands of a woman."
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| KellyWall |
Posted - Mar 14 2011 : 03:55:31 AM
Kris, I am so happy for you ! I am glad everything is going well. Good luck with the castrating! You are the best farmgirl!
Kelly #238
May your bobbin always be full... |
| rksmith |
Posted - Mar 13 2011 : 6:40:23 PM
I'd definitely cut and pull, probably sooner the better. It's still cool enough he shouldn't be bothered too much with flies. Can always check the almanac for the proper time according to the signs for less bleeding and better healing.
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet--Dr. Kioni
http://www.mynsp.com/rksmith
http://madame1313.wordpress.com/ |
| sherrye |
Posted - Mar 13 2011 : 6:27:22 PM
howdy kris, so glad you are having such success with maizie. it is so wonderful when things work out. what a good girl she is and mommy. i did curly when he was 10 days. we have done it right at birth. sometimes with my cows its easier to do it right away. while mom is still calm and i can get in there. i have my vet do it. my curly did not make a sound. he healed fast. we did cut and pull. it sounds awful but it works good. so thats my thought. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Mar 13 2011 : 5:08:21 PM
I was gone all day today. Just got back and had to feed all the critters. I milked Mazie again. I am putting peppermint EO in a bucket of hot water and using a dishtowel to put on her udder. The back left quarter is still a little reddih. I will keep that milked out. And I got about a pint of milk and put it in the freezer. She lefted her leg a few times this morning so I said "No!" real loud and smacked her leg. Had to do that twice. Then I told her what a good girl she is. She really is. I am amazed she is being still for me. That is, til Chuck decides to go run around the hay bale. She takes off right after him. It's so funny. I told her she will have her cowgirl figure back real soon chasing that boy around. He is much better today. Lots of life in him. And his nose is dry. I am glad I went ahead and gave him that shot.
SO now the big question. When's the best time to castrate him? As soon as possible? And what's the best way? I prefer the cut and pull but someone will ahev to do that for me. I ain't doin' it. I did band Cowboy and didn't have any problem with him. But I think I'd rather just get it over with and cut. And the flies aren't too bad right now. So any thoughts on this? I am all ears.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| sherrye |
Posted - Mar 13 2011 : 07:58:02 AM
thought i would drop in and see how maizie and chuck are doing? hoping all is well today. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| rksmith |
Posted - Mar 13 2011 : 07:15:59 AM
Congratulations on the safe delivery ;)
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet--Dr. Kioni
http://www.mynsp.com/rksmith
http://madame1313.wordpress.com/ |
| amomfly |
Posted - Mar 13 2011 : 05:53:59 AM
Glad to hear all is going well!
Come visit my blog
http://angieruralliving.blogspot.com/
God Bless
Angie-amomfly
#1038 |
| gypsy goat |
Posted - Mar 13 2011 : 05:49:08 AM
congrats!!! i am so happy everything went well,animals are amazing creatures. enjoy your fresh milk and new baby
farmgirl#1362 whatever you are be a good one-abe lincoln |
| windypines |
Posted - Mar 13 2011 : 04:20:38 AM
Congrats to Maize and to you Kris. sounds like they are both doing well. Good luck with milking.
Michele |
| sherrye |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 6:22:50 PM
hey kris, so glad its going pretty good. i would act quick too if the calf was sniffing. i am so happy that maizie is so calm and lets you milk her. it is way cool. sounds like you have lots of folks to help you figure things out. i just love love milking and baby calves. how are your girls doing. waiting on kids is hard too. ginger looks pregnant to me. i think the buck was feeling frisky that day. well gotta go eat watermelon. yum happy days milking girl sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 3:46:36 PM
I just love calves too. They are popping out all over the place right now around here. I am so glad everyone waited to breed their cows so they'd calve now and not in Dec. and Jan. like they always do.
Well, I had to give the little one a shot of LA2oo just now. I've been noticing a drippy nose all day. And he's been laying alot. I know he was just born, but it was low 30's last night when he was born. So I am worried he might could get pnuemonia. So I went ahead and did it. I do not want to lose him.
Also I have been milking mazie a little here and there throughout the day. Just to see what she'd do. She just stands there and lets me. But a little while ago I noticed the back left quarter had darker milk. The other 3 are fine. SHe's a beef cow so her colostrum is not like pudding like my friend's Jersey's. But it should not be brown. So called the guy up the road who had a dairy. he said sometime first time heifers will have a bad quarter. I can just milk it out several times a day. It might get better and it might not. He was surprised when I said I had been milking her and she stands still. He said she won't have alot of milk the first time anyway. I hope enough for us and Chuck.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| prariehawk |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 3:17:33 PM
Yahoo! Calves are so cute--I wish I lived in the country so I could see the babies.
cindy
"Vast floods can't quench love, no matter what love did/ Rivers can't drown love, no matter where love's hid"--Sinead Connor
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 1:44:35 PM
Her and the calf have been laying up under the shade trees all day. I brought her more water. She ate some hay. But she would turn around and go back to check on Chuck. She's a good mother already. She has not come back over here. I hope she will. This is where her water is. I hate hauling water when it's not frozen out.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| sherrye |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 10:22:55 AM
oh yay kris, had to stop in and see how its going? i am so happy for you. i would watch her and feed her strong molasses water still too. she needs the energy. you are giving apples too what a good grandma you are. AND she lets you milk her already. wow is what i say. i think i would watch her for afterbirth. i bet she ate it. belle did. happy days for you sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 07:55:25 AM
Thanks, y'all. He is nursing like a pro. She stays right there with him. I am hauling her hay and more molasses water. Sge didn't touch the alfalfa so got her some of the regular hay. She's drank 4 gallons of water so far and I have another 2 gallon bucket ready to go out there along with another bucket of water. She's gonna have to come back over here for more though.
I milked all 4 teats and she has some good action going on from all 4. Nice big jets of sweet milk. I did taste some and it's good. She's a proud new momma. She done good.
So how do I know that she has passed the afterbirth? I didn't see her eat it and it's not anywhere out there. SO I am assuming she ate it. But I will keep an eye on her. She has a little blood still but nothing hanging. And she pooped nice solid really green poop just now too. And she's eating and drinking.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| JenStewart |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 07:33:08 AM
Yeah!!!!!! So nice that everything went perfect!!!! |
| sherrye |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 06:31:32 AM
yipee yipee i am so happy for you right now. happy dance. she will have more milk come in when colostrum is gone. i am so relieved as i am sure you are she is doing good. shes a cow now. glad it all went well. happy days for you sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| Karrieann |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 05:32:48 AM
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!
Karrieann ~ Farmgirl Sister #766 (29 Sept 2009)
My Blog: ...following my heart, dreams and Jesus ...http://karrieann-followingmyheartandjesus.blogspot.com/
My Etsy ...Yesterday's Scraps, Tomorrow's Treasures ...http://www.etsy.com/shop/2TomorrowsTreasures
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| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 05:04:40 AM
Mazie the Big Red Heifer is now Mazie the Big Red Cow! And she did exactly how we had talked about too. What a girl! I had told her she needs to have that calf during the early morning hours, clean it up and get it to nurse and be all pretty when I get up and look out the window. And by golly if she didn't do just that! And it's a bull calf too! Just like I wanted. All handsome and all black. I sprayed his cord and hoofs with iodine spray, that's all I could find at the feed store, thank you meth head idiots. Anyway, he is kust fine and I don't know if I will get any of Mazie's milk because he's done sucked her dry already. He's also trying to run and kick up his heals already. So stinkin' cute. I gave her a bucket of molasses water and a flake of alfalfa hay. She's too busy taking care of Chuck she hasn't drank or ate. I did bring her 2 nice red juicy aplles and she of course scarfed them down. I will give her more later. What a cowgirl she is!
And what a glorious morning to be born too. It is all blue sky and sunshine with a nice gentle breeze blowing. Just perfect. So I am a happy farmgirl right now. And very relieved.
Happy days here at Outback Farm!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| RedHoopWoman |
Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 10:11:28 AM
Hi Kris,
I don't have much experience with dairy cows but I grew up ranching and still do day work,I think what you're describing are double teats and I imagine they are there because beef cattle aren't routinely culled or purposely bred to avoid such traits while dairy cows are very selectively bred to eliminate those traits.
It's the same with boer goats that are raised for meat,there's alot of them will have double or otherwise defective teats because of lack of culling for such traits.
As far as milking her,I have a severely double teated Nigerian goat doe that was a rescue,I wasn't sure how she would milk out but she ended up milking like a dream and is easier and faster to milk than my other one who has really nice udder and teats,I don't know if you can really tell until you go to milk her so I would sure give it a shot and see how she does.
I don't plan on rebreeding this one particular doe but for the short term I'm going to milk her for all she's got!
Well,hope this helps,keep us posted!
"Today's Mighty Oak is just Yesterday's Nut" |
| sherrye |
Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 05:53:42 AM
hi kris, sometimes they are goofy and have extra teats. my betty the goat has extra too. they usually do not fill with milk. if they are not right on the other teats you will be able too i think. its a guess with out seeing her bag it is sounding really imminent now. this is very exciting. i am gone this am and then running in to check and see how she is doing. keep us posted. my girls do a lot of licking their sides when contractions started coming. happy birthing kris sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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| amomfly |
Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 05:47:27 AM
I can't wait to hear what Maize has!
Come visit my blog
http://angieruralliving.blogspot.com/
God Bless
Angie-amomfly
#1038 |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 05:43:00 AM
No baby this morning. I am glad. It should start warming up now. Last night was cold and had some snow flurries going on out there.
I was looking at her back end again this morning. And there is some more goo. But I had never noticed her udder from that angle. I thought she had 6 teats. I had to get another look form another angle. She has all 4 teats but at the back end there is a big warty looking thing and a partial other teat. So are beef cattle like that or is she defective? Roxie, who was half jersey and half Angus, had extra teats. But they looked different. Mazie's are really long big teats and these extra appendiges look different. I guess that's just a beef cow look. Any thoughts on this? Will I be able to milk her?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
