Surviving Minnesota!

[Cebarmlds]

Nope, guess I will have to read that.

Way to many pages.. for now.

 

[duluthralphie]

Way to many pages.. for now.

I would think twice before reading them all,,,,,

I would say the first page or two would suffice...

Reading all those pages would be a waste of precious hours of your life.


I thought when I started it, it was a 3 page thread at most. It is still going 80 pages later... Some people just have too much spare time.

 

[holm25]

Lol ralph that doesnt hurt my feelings. I am the same way about charolais. They are evil cows... Every Charolais here has chased me. I cant tell u how many times I have had to swack on the nose with a stick or frozen cow pie. They like me now but my siblimgs get chased when I'm not with them in the pasture. But they get scared of them and the cows can tell that. If u want standard cows I would go with angus or herefords. The herefords will always have a special spot in my heart. They were my Great Grandpas favorite and he bred registered Herefords for along time. He had some of the most beautiful cows...

 

[Rhetts]

So the update for this morning is this:

Calf was let out and he nursed. She was still kicking some but he just shook it off and kept going for it. The BIL did not milk her. They plan to let the calf out to nurse throughout the day and supervise how they interact. They are hoping that the more the calf nurses she might settle in and let him without kicking. Hoping that with a few days of this we can let them together completely round the clock.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

We're all doing this with you Rhetts!


Sounds like a solid plan, Conditioning her with some grain-cow treats or what not while he nurses may not hurt...but I'm guessing there are those sorts of ideas in action already.

 

[duluthralphie]

Are they in a small pen together?

Does it have a place for the calf to escape?

I would keep them together, force her to get use to the calf, and when her udder gets sore enough the only relief she will get will be from the calf. A beef cow that does not take her calf is a PITA. Good luck on her!~

 

[Cluckies]

Quote: My mom's euphemism was mousy squeak, we still use it... I'm guessing mousy squeak egg is a little long.

Sorry to be MIA for updates on cows. Wednesdays and Thursday mornings are my busiest days of the week.

I do have some good news. The stanchion was built and they milked her and have been giving baby the colostrum. (yes I said we are milking a Hereford LOL) Last night before milking they let the calf out of his little stall and he went right to her teats. He kept going and going at her. She did try to kick at him some, not in a mean way but just a hey get away from that way. She sat down and he was loving all over her. It was the most precious thing I have seen. I teared up. If you have seen Dumbo the cartoon, picture the part with mom when she is in jail holding the calf with "baby mine" playing. Yeah, a tear jerker!! She was licking and smelling him and lightly bumping him with her head. He was adorable. It was great.

Anyway, the BIL made her get back up and kept making her allow the calf at her teats. There is one teat she does not like touched and she reacts every time with a good kick. But over all it went well. He drank one teat dry!!! So we finished milking her out. That teat she doesn't like touched gave 2 quarts!!

So plan is today to let him out with her again and hopefully they can have a good stint of time together. Our goal is to get her to take him 100%. We are trying our best and hopefully we can persevere!!



I am working on catching up on my reading on here. Just wanted to jump in and update folks. I plan to try and get some pictures soon.

We're all doing this with you Rhetts!


Sounds like a solid plan, Conditioning her with some grain-cow treats or what not while he nurses may not hurt...but I'm guessing there are those sorts of ideas in action already.

 

[duluthralphie]

Rhett Have you tried grilling burger in front of her and telling her where bad cow mommies go?




The smartest thing I did last year was putting that hi-tensile Kelvar cable on the 4 wheeler! It took me all of three minutes to fix it! When I had the steel cable it was a 3-4 hour job to fix the cable. I have been plowing snow most the day. I really enjoy plowing snow on the 4 wheeler! DO NOT TELL JUDY THIS! She needs to think it is a miserable terrible job that I would do anything to get out of. I came in because Pearl is whining about cold paws. I am headed back out and see if I can find more snow to move.

 

[Rhetts]

Thanks everyone!!!



Well, we have been keeping the calf separated from her in its own pen but it is in the same area and she can be right next to the calf just not crushing it. They take the calf out to nurse and she does a mediocre job of tending him. What you said about the relief she would get from him nursing is our goal today. We did not milk her out so the only relief will be the calf. She is still kicking at him when he gets under her but he keeps trying. He is a good, sweet boy. Love watching him kick up his heels as he bounces around the pen!! I can only imagine how well he will grow once (if) she lets him nurse at will.

 

[holm25]

Is the calf going to be grown out?? Or r u guys going to sell it?