Surviving Minnesota!

[Cebarmlds]

Sorry I was trying to get a pic loaded and the computer froze up on me.

No she didn't lick it. We did not see it born. I heard mooing on the monitor so I checked the video feed and saw him there. She had done nothing. We placed the calf in front of her and she sorta licked him but with no real effort. We ended up after about 90 minutes decided to bring it in the house to dry it off completely and warm it. It was shivering pretty bad.

We were able to dry and warm it and we looked to see if it was a boy or girl. We have a boy!! He is adorable!!! We got him to stand in the house so we brought him back out. He was able to get up and down on his own and he tried to suckle her but she wouldn't let him. She kicks at it when he tries. After hours of trying to get him on her we decided to get the powder colostrum from the store.

She pays no attention to him at all. When she was lying down we managed to get him on to nurse some. She does kick still but I think she is too tired to actually get up and move. We have managed to get him to feed this way 3 times.

They have decided to build a stanchion to force her to stand still and we will try to get him to suckle her this way in the normal standing position. We are hoping to get his strength up and her to accept him nursing. They are building it now. We have a heat lamp over him. She literally does nothing with it. He looks like he gave up and is an orphan. He really doesn't try to connect with her any more.

So a roller coaster of emotions. Hooray baby is here safe and sound. But now the battle to keep him has begun.

So happy and sad at the same time, bet it's heartbreaking to see. Good luck, you're in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Rhetts]

Here is the little guy we have been waiting so long for!!

 

[Rhetts]

Yay and boo!!! I am sorry for the trouble. I hope she can come around and be a good mom. Is this the cow that didnt mother her last one? if so she sounds like she will make better steak than a mommy again.

It has to be. We don't know for certain but she gives good reasons to think so today!

 

[Cluckies]

Ohhh, he is adorable! Poor little guy. I wonder if when the other mama calves, would she take him in? like a surogate? if you put him with the other mama now, would she take him and mother him? everything but nurse? or does that never happen?

 

[Coffee 1st]

Once upon a time a little 7 year old had a whole tub of Garter snakes. He caught them all at the baseball park with his friends. One day the little boy found the cutest little Robin and thought " Mr. Robin its your lucky day!! I havea whole tub of snakes who need a brother!" So the little boy ran home with his little Robin and brought him to his new brothers and sisters. The next morning when the little boy went out side to check on his snakes and Robin he noticed Mr. Robin was not in the tub. He looked and looked but couldnt find the Robin. Soon after Mr. Robin disappeared the little boy noticed his biggest snake was looking a little fat in one spot. He soon realized that Mr. Robin had been involved in a homocide!! The poor boy was sad that the snake ate his brother. All the snakes were charged with the death penalty... The end....



Btw that little boy was me... Snakes and little Mr. Robins dont mix...

I also wrote the 26lbs turtle who tried to eat the neighbors Pomeranian. ( long story short, my brother and I were told turtles tasted good and we saw a giant snapper on the road. So we put him in a tub and tipped the tub over. We found him half way under a fence with a tiny Pomeranian barkimg at him.)

The little bunny who got his head ripped of by a putty tat.

And more!!

I dont even know how to comment on this..LOL

 

[Rhetts]

Ohhh, he is adorable! Poor little guy. I wonder if when the other mama calves, would she take him in? like a surogate? if you put him with the other mama now, would she take him and mother him? everything but nurse? or does that never happen?

I think the other Hereford possibly would take him and even nurse him. She let 2 young cows suckle her when we let her out of the barn today. (young I mean 11 months old and and 18 month old) We had to chase them off her. LOL! Based on how the other one bagged out she is about 2 weeks away from calving. We are hoping we can make this one nurse and if not we have supplies for bottling it.

 

[Coffee 1st]

Big news here!! The calf made its entrance into the world around 5 am this morning!! Bad news is Momma does nothing to take care of it. It has been one absolutely long and hard day.

awww great news on baby being here,, not so great that momma isnt helping more..

 

[holm25]

Sorry I was trying to get a pic loaded and the computer froze up on me.  

No she didn't lick it.  We did not see it born.  I heard mooing on the monitor so I checked the video feed and saw him there.  She had done nothing.  We placed the calf in front of her and she sorta licked him but with no real effort.  We ended up after about 90 minutes decided to bring it in the house to dry it off completely and warm it.  It was shivering pretty bad.  

We were able to dry and warm it and we looked to see if it was a boy or girl.   We have a boy!!  He is adorable!!!  We got him to stand in the house so we brought him back out.  He was able to get up and down on his own and he tried to suckle her but she wouldn't let him.  She kicks at it when he tries.  After hours of trying to get him on her we decided to get the powder colostrum from the store.    

She pays no attention to him at all.  When she was lying down we managed to get him on to nurse some.  She does kick still but I think she is too tired to actually get up and move.  We have managed to get him to feed this way 3 times.  

They have decided to build a stanchion to force her to stand still and we will try to get him to suckle her this way in the normal standing position.  We are hoping to get his strength up and her to accept him nursing.  They are building it now.  We have a heat lamp over him.  She literally does nothing with it.  He looks like he gave up and is an orphan.  He really doesn't try to connect with her any more.  

So a roller coaster of emotions.  Hooray baby is here safe and sound.  But now the battle to keep him has begun.

That stinks. Good luck. R u guys going to keep her after this little fiasco?

 

[KlopKlop]

Jerryse where did the tail on that rooster come from? It appears to be from a hen feathering gene?

Klop, I would never want to know what the bottom line is on my hobby endeavors. You are to be commended for you goal to make it break even. Pigs can be very profitable if managed properly.
In my first professional career I ended up as a tax specialist working for one of the largest CPA firms in the U.S. I got out after 10+ years into a career which was much more enjoyable to me. It is a real pain to do my wife's business reports and taxes.

Holm, my wife hates snakes. My youngest son was a rather adventurous lad and was afraid of nothing not even his mother. When he was about 7 or 8 my wife came home from somewhere and saw this five gallon bucket on the sidewalk with a piece of plywood on top. Curiosity took over and she removed the plywood cover only to find about ten snakes in the bucket. She was not happy!
Later that summer she goes into my sons room and discovers that the empty aquarium has been converted into a home for a pet Garter snake. That caused all kinds of excitement!!

Ralphie, seems like you are right on top of it with those Chanteclers.

I should mention that our egg business was profitable if you depreciate the infrastructure costs from this years startup. We also figure in the fact that we had to buy chicks and bought some pullets which means we fed a majority of our flocks for most of the year with no eggs from them. That said, I look forward to what this year will bring for us with our flock being prime for laying this year plus feed costs about to drop when i start mixing my own feed (getting my corn in february some time when the neighbor starts hauling). We will be able to sell the whole summer at the market which will be a blast.

Like i said, i am not shooting for a profit. If my eggs do well that opens up budget room for me to write off other farm expenses. I am going to expand a bit in the broilers this year but only for my own use plus several friends and families who want to buy in. We decided we dont want to sell on the open market as that seems like too much work for to fine of a profit margin. I will make that effort for my friends but not strangers. The only thing I have considered is to raise a small batch of CX with a target date near thansgiving and then let them get to 10-12 lbs and sell them. The same principle as the broilers will apply to the hogs i am planning for this year. Since I would do 2 and 3 probably wont be any more work I can sell some to friends/family to help offset costs on my own portions.

 

[holm25]

Here is the little guy we have been waiting so long for!!

Oh my gosh!! He is so CUTE!! He doesnt look like a pure hereford? Looks like half Red angus half hereford? Maybe I just cant see all the markings. I dont know if u want him to nurse on the other cow. The calf she has would more than likely be a runt if this calf gets adopted by her. R u going to bottle feed him?? Sounds like its time for momma to go to the sales barn or the dinner table.

I dont even know how to comment on this..LOL

Its OK... I understand it can be hard to think I could have been so dumb at one time. I think seeing Ralphs posts imcreased my knowledge... His know-it-allness is rubbing off on me!!