Wild Gene Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 We are not giant cattle ranchers, we only keep a few mother cows around to eat the hay that is not the better quality stuff, and to keep the pastures down, maybe 55 or so mother cows. Well, I gotta tell ya, so far, about half way through calving, we have had 5 sets of twins! Now, this may sound like a good deal, but they are a pain in the rear for the most part. The cows often have trouble producing enough milk for two calves. It is really tough on the old girls. We do not breed for this, it is just happening this year for some reason. Thus far, the first set had one of the calves die in birth, but the second cow had two live calves and she was one that could never produce enough milk for both babies, so we took one baby away from her and had to bottle feed it for a week until we had another cow loose a calf (it must have gotten trampled by the cows, really sad) so we "grafted" that twin onto the cow that had lost her calf. About four days ago, we had another set of twins, then the next day another set of twins. We got both of those sets and their mothers in the pens by the house, so we can watch them and feed the cows extra hay. Well today I get up and check and in the night we had a single, then about an hour or two after I checked another single, and at about the same time, another cow had a set of twins! We got that set in the pens this afternoon, so right now we have three sets of twins in our front pens. I don't think we have ever had three sets of twins in the pens at one time. What is really funny is that my niece had twins last week! You can't forget that besides the birthing, there are the normal cow problems too. Besides feeding, watering and fixing fence, we are their Dr. too. I also had to get a cow in that had a 3" rubber sprinkler pipe gasket stuck on one of her toes! It was black, like her hooves, so we were not able to notice it before she had time for it to make her quite lame, and start to cause a sore on her foot that we had to clean and dress with wound balm. This cow thing is wearing me out this year. I am really getting tired. Not enough sleep, too much to do, no time to shoot. Hey, have a great day! WG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentlemanJim Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Did you know cows like to eat USPSA targets Set up to shoot, and some cow comes by and eats the targets right off the sticks They can be a royal pain at times And NO fence can stop a determined bull Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm iprod Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 But a 240gr Solid will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Rader Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Did you put your niece in the pens too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFlowers Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Did 1 Bull cover them all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steel1212 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Yeah that was what I was thinking, did you use a different bull, or 2, this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s_gorilla45 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 That is strange! I grew up on a farm and ranch and our record was 4 sets of twins in one year and we ran between 90 and 110 cows. There always seemed to be a cow that had lost a calf to graft to so they never went hungry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Gene Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 We always use one bull per 25-30 cows. We had two bulls with those cows, and they are both long gone, you probably even enjoyed one of them in your "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun". We had the same two year before and had a few sets of twins. We also have one calving ease bull for the heifers, but he survived the cut this year (actually, he is a wierd one, exceptional growth with calving ease) he will go out with the cows this year, along with another bull we just bought at the Kessler Angus Sale this year. All our bulls have been registered black angus for the last several years, money very well spent. It is certainly a strange year. WG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDM Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Just don't keep the heifers! They'll never pay for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Gene Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Just don't keep the heifers! They'll never pay for themselves. We have never bought replacement heifers that we have felt were as good or better than what we can raise ourselves, if that's what you mean. If you mean the freemartin's, yep, we will sell those first, but we will probably keep the bull calf sets in case we have any more calving problems, and as long as the cows don't fall off too bad. Oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDM Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Yep, I was talking about the freemartins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Gene Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Yep, I was talking about the freemartins. Bottle calves were $385 at the sale!. Holy smokes cattle prices are up. Butcher bulls were over a buck. My sister called and needed a calf, they were happy to get the freemartin for $200 (couldn't charge anyone any more than that for a calf). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I have never heard the term "freemartin" before, One of ours had a set of twins, one male one female. The cow just left the female behind and took the male calf. I was lucky to see it and picked it up and bottle fed it for a while until I got the cow and other calf up and put here back on the cow. She took it. I had heard old tales that if a heifer and bull calf are born twins the heifer will be sterile. I kept the heifer calf for three years until I finally saw the light. She never raised a calf. And just saw in the store steaks were almost $10.00 a pound. Someone is making money, and I can assure you it ain't the ranchers. Later rdd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got Juice? Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 7 sets of twins... 22 heifer calves, and 19 bulls. only 270 more ..... please no more twins, please no more tubing, please no more bolus, and for the love of mike, no more straps, D-rings and chains. I think I broke a few blood vessels last week from using them! And some sleep would be nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got Juice? Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 And just saw in the store steaks were almost $10.00 a pound. Someone is making money, and I can assure you it ain't the ranchers. Later rdd Ain't that the damn truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDM Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I have never heard the term "freemartin" before, One of ours had a set of twins, one male one female. The cow just left the female behind and took the male calf. I was lucky to see it and picked it up and bottle fed it for a while until I got the cow and other calf up and put here back on the cow. She took it. I had heard old tales that if a heifer and bull calf are born twins the heifer will be sterile. I kept the heifer calf for three years until I finally saw the light. She never raised a calf. And just saw in the store steaks were almost $10.00 a pound. Someone is making money, and I can assure you it ain't the ranchers. Later rdd If I remember right, and I'd need to look it up as it's been a while since I studied such things, there is a release by the male embryo/fetus of a hormone that renders the female sterile. I just don't remember when this happens or what the substance is. I'm sure it's out there on the innerweb somewhere though. It's amazing how you don't retain things if you don't use the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Gene Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 7 sets of twins... 22 heifer calves, and 19 bulls. only 270 more ..... please no more twins, please no more tubing, please no more bolus, and for the love of mike, no more straps, D-rings and chains. I think I broke a few blood vessels last week from using them! And some sleep would be nice .Holy Cripes! I imagine you are pretty much ready to puke! 300 head, 10% of the way into it, and SEVEN SETS OF TWINS! You need to take two weeks off, then quit! Well, when we are over the hump, I can bring my puller and the straps up and help. WG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got Juice? Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 7 sets of twins... 22 heifer calves, and 19 bulls. only 270 more ..... please no more twins, please no more tubing, please no more bolus, and for the love of mike, no more straps, D-rings and chains. I think I broke a few blood vessels last week from using them! And some sleep would be nice .Holy Cripes! I imagine you are pretty much ready to puke! 300 head, 10% of the way into it, and SEVEN SETS OF TWINS! You need to take two weeks off, then quit! Well, when we are over the hump, I can bring my puller and the straps up and help. WG The Good: All but one set of twins made it. We lost a single as it was born into an ice puddle, so we had to douse urine, and do a squeeze feed for the colostrum etc The Bad: I have to excuse my internet behaviour as of late. My comments are getting slightly 'waspish' as of late from sleep deprivation The Ugly: I have a 7am to 6PM ''real job'' Which isn't too bad IF I wasn't calving, so I am on call for the next few weeks. Good news is most of the heifer's have accepted all their babies. Which in itself is nothing short of a miracle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Gene Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) 7 sets of twins... 22 heifer calves, and 19 bulls. only 270 more ..... please no more twins, please no more tubing, please no more bolus, and for the love of mike, no more straps, D-rings and chains. I think I broke a few blood vessels last week from using them! And some sleep would be nice .Holy Cripes! I imagine you are pretty much ready to puke! 300 head, 10% of the way into it, and SEVEN SETS OF TWINS! You need to take two weeks off, then quit! Well, when we are over the hump, I can bring my puller and the straps up and help. WG The Good: All but one set of twins made it. We lost a single as it was born into an ice puddle, so we had to douse urine, and do a squeeze feed for the colostrum etc The Bad: I have to excuse my internet behaviour as of late. My comments are getting slightly 'waspish' as of late from sleep deprivation The Ugly: I have a 7am to 6PM ''real job'' Which isn't too bad IF I wasn't calving, so I am on call for the next few weeks. Good news is most of the heifer's have accepted all their babies. Which in itself is nothing short of a miracle. I understand the sleep thing. I am that way from now till we get the last cutting of hay up. Worst thing I ever did was buy my own bale stacker, as it put the kabosch on the afternoon naps. Pretty soon it will be rake in the morning and or bale some, swath or stack durring the day, and bale most of the night. (You can't forget irrigate and the cow stuff in between.) Five or so fields, on a 28-30 day rotation, 4 or so cuttings per field, I get worn out just thinking about it. I hope to get a cabin built this year on the mountain pasture, then I can go "check cows". Best thing about it up there is that there is no cell phone service! Good luck calving, we have sure had our share of nightmare seasons, hope yours isn't. One year we had to pull almost every calf, one year my dad decided we needed to calve 100 first calf heifers, no corrals nothing, it was aweful. Take care, and no need to apologize. I spent over 10 years working a day job and farming full time too, I understand. Right out of college to now, if I had a "real job" I could retire have retired by now, but it looks like I'll just keel over out in a field some day. WG Edited March 10, 2011 by Wild Gene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carharttfarmer Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 from the dairy farmer point of view quit yer btchn dealing with calves is one thing try training 20-30 first calf hiefers (in the last 2 weeks) to go in the barn with out a fight and then not to kick the crap out of ya once there in there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got Juice? Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 from the dairy farmer point of view quit yer btchn dealing with calves is one thing try training 20-30 first calf hiefers (in the last 2 weeks) to go in the barn with out a fight and then not to kick the crap out of ya once there in there I can beat that. 52 Holsteins and 19 Jerseys. 3 times a day. And this was on my Uncle's farm who was... well one of those 'minimalist' people. Gas lights, coal stove, and no power at the house until 1982! No pneumatic milkers, it was all done by hand! And the big news was after year #2 we got a General Motors/Frigidare cream separator.... that operated by crank! Never Ever shake hands with an old school dairy farmer. A handshake that could squeeze blood from a stone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Gene Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 from the dairy farmer point of view quit yer btchn dealing with calves is one thing try training 20-30 first calf hiefers (in the last 2 weeks) to go in the barn with out a fight and then not to kick the crap out of ya once there in there Ha, you want to be married to something, there ya go.... Never Ever shake hands with an old school dairy farmer. A handshake that could squeeze blood from a stone! Yep, learned that the hard way, at WSU, figured out that a good swift kick to the sack was about the only way to get them to release their grip. WG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDM Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 You guys got any pictures of how you do things out there? I bet you've got some pretty places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Gene Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 You guys got any pictures of how you do things out there? I bet you've got some pretty places. Pictures are always fun. I was thinking the same thing about the BC outfit (Got Juice's). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got Juice? Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 You guys got any pictures of how you do things out there? I bet you've got some pretty places. Pictures are always fun. I was thinking the same thing about the BC outfit (Got Juice's). I'll try to get some up here. I am behind in taking pics, but I will make a serious effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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