Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Smallhold Farming and Rural Living => Livestock and Growing on a larger scale => Topic started by: Spana on February 05, 2011, 15:01

Title: This time yesterday..
Post by: Spana on February 05, 2011, 15:01
... I wanted to pack it all in :( Today it doesn't seem so bad ::)
First calf this year born this morning and its our second white Highland.  His name is Chalky :)  Not quite the best weather to be born in. :unsure:

(http://i51.tinypic.com/2i9h201.jpg)


(http://i56.tinypic.com/v4qqec.jpg)
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Yorkie on February 05, 2011, 15:04
Aww!

At least it wasn't raining!!
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: tosca100 on February 05, 2011, 15:12
Awwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :happy:
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: joyfull on February 05, 2011, 15:16
lovely - I remember your last white calf - sooo pretty  :)
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: arugula on February 05, 2011, 15:17
Makes all the ag. worthwhile. :)
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: John on February 05, 2011, 16:17
Now that does make everything worthwhile :)

They're magnificent animals.
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: mumofstig on February 05, 2011, 16:27
Quote
Not quite the best weather to be born in.


He just wanted to cheer you up  :)
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Thrift on February 05, 2011, 16:32
Wonderful ..... what a joy!  :)
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Spana on February 05, 2011, 16:45
They're magnificent animals.

They are :)
They are good to handle, live outside all year round so no costs for bedding and usually calve easily, and make good milky mothers :happy:

Our South Devons on the other hand are a nightmare.  Stubborn,  difficult to calve, massive,if one knocks against you you know it, the calves are sometimes difficult to get going and are a pain in the bum.  But OH loves them :lol:
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Mother-Hen on February 06, 2011, 10:38
His beautiful. It does make it all worth while. None of ours are due until end of the month then 270 to calve in between then and the end of may - 70 maiden heifers amongst that lot  oh what joy!!
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Spana on February 06, 2011, 11:12
- 70 maiden heifers amongst that lot  oh what joy!!

 :ohmy:OMG, I couldn't cope with that :blush:  You have all my admiration.
We've only got 19 to calve this year , and only 2 Highlands who are first timers and Isla above was one of them :)
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: TeaPots on February 16, 2011, 19:48
I dont envy you the stress, but oh that little baby.....nature certainly has its moments  :tongue2:
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: JaK on February 17, 2011, 09:09
Awww He's beautiful.
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Mother-Hen on February 26, 2011, 06:11
Sorry I have been so busy that I haven't been near a computer for weeks. Just thought I'd let you know our tb test didn't go so well. Had 4 inconclusives, 1 of which was inconclusive at the last test so she automatically becomes a reactor so she has gone and we wait for the results, which will probably be clear they always are. So we are still under restriction and will have to go through the whole thing again in sixty days. Fortunately I am to polite to say what I would like to say about the whole thing but to say I am mortified is an understatement. But hey-ho life goes on and our busy time is coming up with all our girls about to calf we won't have too much time to think about it
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: joyfull on February 26, 2011, 07:03
huge hugs xxx
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: John on February 26, 2011, 09:14
Oh that's terrible news - so sorry to hear it
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: tosca100 on February 26, 2011, 15:03
Really sorry to hear this.
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Thrift on February 27, 2011, 10:26
Infuriating. Just hope you're all clear next time and the calving goes well.
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Spana on February 27, 2011, 12:12
Thats terrible for you.  As you start calving  as well, just to add to the stress.   Its  double the upset when the results come back clear.  You can understand why so many farms are giving up .

Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Thrift on February 27, 2011, 12:35
Thats terrible for you.  As you start calving  as well, just to add to the stress.   Its  double the upset when the results come back clear.  You can understand why so many farms are giving up .



Absolutely Spana. It must be soul destroying.
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Mother-Hen on February 28, 2011, 11:14
Thanks for all your good wishes. At least they're letting us keep the girls that have to be sent off until they calf. First heifer calved last night - nice little heifer calf. Fingers crossed they are all that straight forward
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Gandan57 on March 29, 2011, 22:36
Thanks for all your good wishes. At least they're letting us keep the girls that have to be sent off until they calf. First heifer calved last night - nice little heifer calf. Fingers crossed they are all that straight forward
                                                                                                                               

I`m surprised DEFRA are allowing you to let them calve. On the farm where my son works they tested 500 head last Tuesday and Friday, fourteen reactors, and they`ll be gone early next week.
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Spana on March 30, 2011, 10:58
I think you are allowed to let them calve if the cow is 4 weeks or less from her due date but then everything is on standstill until that animal goes.

We have a suckler herd and have only ever lost one to TB and she was just weeks away from calving so we kept her.  We let the calf suckle for 8 weeks before she went but it was heart braking and we said we would never do it again.  Then you have to start all over again and go through the two clear tests. We kept the calf to 30 months and it went clear every time.
Touch wood she is the only one we have ever lost but the stress of the test make me ill.
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: Mother-Hen on March 30, 2011, 11:32
Our so called reactor calved (heifer calf) and was sent off a couple of days later. There were no lesions and the culture was clear! We no more have TB than England winning the world cup but we will still have to go through two clear tests before we can start movement again. No showing for us again this year.  :(
Title: Re: This time yesterday..
Post by: rubenjohnson on May 07, 2011, 13:19
wait for another day to take chalky to another place, because it is very new born calf.