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Barnyard Buddies:  And It's Here!!!  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 30 2011 : 3:15:55 PM
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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. |
Edited by - kristin sherrill on Mar 12 2011 04:57:48 AM |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4483 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4483 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2011 : 3:58:11 PM
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Gestation table says she should be due March 23. My heifer is due April 5. She has a little bag there already. Depending on how much beef she has in her, she might not make a bag too much ahead of time. Seeing how she is a heifer, I would really make an effort to be there, when she calves. It is much better to lose some sleep, and have a live calf, then finding a dead calf and even a cow. She may have a harder time getting that calf out, and need a pull. You pull down towards the hocks. You can also give her warm water after she calves. I have only had one breach here. Back feet were out, so I checked and found the tail and rear end, so I really helped pull fast. Calf was fine. Before you pull ever, make sure you have 2 feet and a nose coming. Sometimes that head can get be back, or one leg be back, and you have to get that straightened around before the calf can come. It is a job, to push back,and try to get that head or leg turned,while the cow is pushing, but it can be done.
Make sure you have some soft rope, to be used if you have to pull. Loop it around the leg. And some warm soapy water to wash with before checking the cow. Nothing to be scared of, stay calm.
That is my short version of calving 101! :) Ha Good luck. I have seen alot of births, and mostly just helped pull. Mazie will do just fine!
Michele |
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Daizy
True Blue Farmgirl
992 Posts
Daizy
Talladega
Alabama
USA
992 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2011 : 4:41:12 PM
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Hay Ya'll We, as humans, tend to want to help way to soon....let mother nature take her course. A first time heifer can take many hours to have that first baby...stay calm and don't help til you have too. Was her bull/hubby the same size as Mazie? That makes a difference...a much larger bull may give a much larger calf....just wait it out.. They have been having babies for eons with out our help. I have only had to pull calves a few times here and we have a herd of 90-100 mommas....been doing it all my life and I'm old.(52) You want to watch for "springing" thats when her HOOHOO gets swollen and engourged then you will be really close to time. Milk sometimes doesn't drop into her bag until after she gives birth. Deep breaths are important (for you) You'll do fine. Love and Prayers, Daizy
P.S. Let Mazie clean the calf up and eat the afterbirth, its important to build her mothering instincts. She will chew/cut the cord too. Best of luck!! Its so exciting and, if your like me, take a box of kleenx...its such a JOY.
PHR Farmgirl #1093
A good day is when you find ALL your ear tags! I wonder how my cows would like my Farmgirl apron?? |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2011 : 7:13:42 PM
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het there girls, what great acvice from pros. i always learn here. so kris i have a disk of pics of the whole birthing of sophia blue belle isabelles calf. it shows perfect position and birthing. i will get a copy to you. it is so exciting. its going to go great. is your soil selenium deficient? we have to give calves bo-se shots as soon as they hit the ground here in the mountains.it has selenium and vit. e in it. helps calf get going. i always have warm molasses water for mom. i also rub calf if it safe so she gets my smell along with moms for bonding. it will depend on maizie. we use high carb sugar diet for our jerseys after birthing. you are safer with a beef cow. but they still need quick energy. i am so happy for you. sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2011 : 07:21:07 AM
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Thank you all for the great advice. I am planning on being with her for this. I have always been around for goat births but a calf never. I have seen calf births but this will be my first one. The bull was a bit bigger than Mazie. I didn't realize he was til I got a little closer to him once. And yes, we are selinium deficient here. And mangnesium also. I had a bull calf get sick and dies because of that about 4 years ago. So I give them loose minerals that are high in selinium and magnesium. And I will give her molasses water too. I know that helps.
Daisy, we are the same age. I will be watching for these signs also. I just can't believe it's finally almost time already.
Michele, I will get a rope to have handy. Thanks for that suggestion. I also know a few cattle men that live nearby that I could call and have them know she is almost ready. And hopefully, if anything happens and I need help, they will be available to come help.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Daizy
True Blue Farmgirl
992 Posts
Daizy
Talladega
Alabama
USA
992 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2011 : 11:40:28 AM
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Hay Ya'll Wow, aren't we YOUNG??? Another bit of advise ... a rope is helpful but if the calf is not progressing out then you will probably need a come-along and use it slowly. Be sure the calving chains are not around the hooves but up on the ankles...best of luck Call the area farmers that have been in cattle for awhile...call them now and talk to them so you can choose the one to call during an emergency, early prep work. I will e-mail you my vets number if you want it. He travels Ga. mostly...and he is good eye-candy too.
Love and Prayers,
Daizy
PHR Farmgirl #1093
A good day is when you find ALL your ear tags! I wonder how my cows would like my Farmgirl apron?? |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2011 : 11:53:07 AM
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A come-along? I know I'll have to call someone to help if it gets to having to use a come-along. I ain't all that handy with one of those things. Except to put up fences. then hubby is usually the one to operate it. I have some good vets here that make house calls but they are expensive. So lets just hope and pray for an easy birth.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Daizy
True Blue Farmgirl
992 Posts
Daizy
Talladega
Alabama
USA
992 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2011 : 12:20:54 PM
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LOL (falling out of my chair) It only sounds terrible....its all slippery in there anyway and I have found that those pelvis bones sometimes just don't expand enough. So to upset you. Daizy (Still laughing)
PHR Farmgirl #1093
A good day is when you find ALL your ear tags! I wonder how my cows would like my Farmgirl apron?? |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4483 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4483 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2011 : 05:04:10 AM
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He he he, I am a year younger then you girls. :)
A come along is a last resort, for us anyways. We never had the luxary of having calving chains! Should treat myself some day. Daizy is sure right, everything is slicker then snot.
Calving ease is an important number to pay attention too. We have had great luck, the last few years, with the beef bulls we have gotten. (knock on wood)
Michele
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2011 : 2:42:42 PM
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I am just hoping and praying things go well for Mazie. I tend to panic a little when a goat has a hard time. I could go balistic if Mazie does.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Tall Holly
True Blue Farmgirl
2305 Posts
Holly
Worcester
Vermont
USA
2305 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2011 : 4:08:57 PM
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Our holstein/jersey cross had her first calf last year with no help at all. Sometimes the cows will wait until everyone is gone. It was very cold last year and the afterbirth took a looonnnngggg time to come out .like days. The vet said to let it hang so she would not get an infection. It was so gross but eventually did fall out.
Let the mother be unless she seems to be very tired and not able to get up.
Holly
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2011 : 4:24:42 PM
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this is so great. so many cow farmgirls now. i am betting since she has been with yu all this time she will want you there. i know you love her and she foe sure knows it. its gonna go great. with all these smart gals here to support you and maizie it will be wonderful. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2011 : 7:22:00 PM
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I went out earlier this afternoon to check on Mazie yet again and saw some clear goo at her back end! I have been checking her quite often the past week and this is the first time seeing goo. And she is very floppy in the vulva area too. Plus her tail is very high. I have her being due on the 14th so not too bad. I hope she waits til the 14th now. Maybe it will be dry by then. And warmer. The temp has dropped all day today. And it's been raining off and on. It's a mess out there.
So any day now. I sure wish I could post pictures. I need to get some batteries first.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2011 : 7:32:34 PM
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oh goodness kris this is so exciting. yipee for you. waiting is so hard. clear goo is a good sign. watch those teats for sure. please keep us posted happy birthing sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2011 : 7:42:46 PM
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Sherrye, her teats are long and big. Udder is filling up too. But those teats! They look like they will be easy to milk being that big. I sure hope so. I am anxious to try anyway. I am used to goat teats. Nothing like a cow's.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 05:43:00 AM
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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. |
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amomfly
True Blue Farmgirl
658 Posts
Angie
LaGrange
IN
USA
658 Posts |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 05:53:42 AM
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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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RedHoopWoman
True Blue Farmgirl
513 Posts
Kathryn
Yoder
Colorado
USA
513 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 10:11:28 AM
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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" |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 05:04:40 AM
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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. |
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Karrieann
True Blue Farmgirl
1900 Posts
Karrieann
Northeast
Georgia
USA
1900 Posts |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 06:31:32 AM
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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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JenStewart
Farmgirl in Training
23 Posts
Jenny
Armada
Michigan
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 07:33:08 AM
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| Yeah!!!!!! So nice that everything went perfect!!!! |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 07:55:25 AM
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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. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 10:22:55 AM
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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
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 1:44:35 PM
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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. |
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Barnyard Buddies: And It's Here!!! |
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And It's Here!!!
