calving anxiety

[justme]

OK I'm awaiting our first calf of the season....snow storms ect. has made it nerver wracking!!!   First calf heifer bagging up and all...still waiting I find myself out there checking her constantly.  I always get the jitters waiting for the first calf of the season.  She's a first calf Witch Dr. heifer bred to Hard Core.  Got reports that everyone has been having trouble with him this year.  Now my stress level goes up! lol ))  Do any of you get the "jitters" before the first calf??  My husband works off the farm so its me and a 4 year old that calve out the cows....I always take loosing a calf personally when he's not here. Guess I'm hard on myself lol

 

[cowz]

I used to abuse my sons by putting in 30 minute videos and giving them a big chocolate milk.  That gives you enough time to go out and check cows.

Other times if we had to pull a calf, we would shut them in the tack room with a border collie and a tennis ball.  Please do not call social services!!

Don't get too worried, we had 7 hard core calves out of maine heifers so far and only one of them was a problem, and that one was upside down.  Keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[red]

I used to abuse my sons by putting in 30 minute videos and giving them a big chocolate milk.  That gives you enough time to go out and check cows.

Other times if we had to pull a calf, we would shut them in the tack room with a border collie and a tennis ball.  Please do not call social services!!

Don't get too worried, we had 7 hard core calves out of maine heifers so far and only one of them was a problem, and that one was upside down.  Keep us posted on how it goes.

Child Welfare where are you! LOL!
No, I'm a firm believer of better being safe than sorry. My brother -in-laws say that if detirmination & checking will keep a calf alive, then none of ours should ever died. I'm the same way checking for heats. Make umteem trips to the barn.
I also am like you, take everthing personaly.
good luck, hopefully weather gets better.
Red

 

[Joe Boy]

Red all of the trips you make causes you not to have to go to arobics class......ha...

I would bet Mark does not have to go either......

Best wishes for a healthy calf and warmer weather.....  We are not near as cold as you are and I am not enjoying it...19 here with 20 mph wind......

 

[DL]

calf guilt - it is a terrible thing! I take loosing a calf personally too AND I ALWAYS necropsy any calf (actuallly any bovine) that dies and recommend the same to friends/clients/etc.  Calves die for reasons that we have no control over - if we just bury them or dump them in the dead pile we feel bad and we figure we did something wrong.

I am amazed at the number of times calves die from wierd congenital heart diseases, lung abnormalities, or other wierd things (thus removing the onus of guilt from the human)  ;D

justme - good luck with calf number one and all the rest - I am always anxious about the first one too (and the 2nd, and the 3rd etc....) DL

 

[red]

calf guilt - it is a terrible thing! I take loosing a calf personally too AND I ALWAYS necropsy any calf (actuallly any bovine) that dies and recommend the same to friends/clients/etc.  Calves die for reasons that we have no control over - if we just bury them or dump them in the dead pile we feel bad and we figure we did something wrong.

I am amazed at the number of times calves die from wierd congenital heart diseases, lung abnormalities, or other wierd things (thus removing the onus of guilt from the human)  ;D

justme - good luck with calf number one and all the rest - I am always anxious about the first one too (and the 2nd, and the 3rd etc....) DL

DL, I'm going to remember that next time something happens. It might have made me feel better about my little red one, if I knew she wasn't right from the get go. Now, I'll just have to hid the body from Mark.
Red
Thanks for the good lesson!

 

[jason]

Good Luck. 

 

[OH Breeder]

I live an hour and half from our farm. I have to depend on my family to make sure everyone is okay. I call two and three times a day when the due dates rolls around. Then I hound the kids to check nerocticly to make sure we don't have feet, nose etc sticking out. Over the few years managed to have only one or two disasters. Now, I don't waste any time  with heifers or cows for that matter that are overdue. I keep track of my AI dates and have the momma's checked reguarly. My vet must know my number by heart. You are not alone! Whether its number one or number 10, I always worry. I am glad when may rolls around and all are on the ground!

 

[Showcalves]

How twisted are we?  When our boys were little we had a pen in the barn for them stocked with toys to play in while we took care of whatever we needed to.  They saw more calves birthed by the time they were 4 than most people see in their lifetimes.    We do checks every 3 to 4 hours around the clock depending on the weather.  Other people around here look at us like we have 2 heads, but we've only lost one to the cold this year out of the dumbest cow on the planet.  Good luck with the calving.

BSC

 

[red]

You sound like my husband's mom. She used to work ground & would put the kids (7 of them) at the ends of the field & check on them as she came to the ends.
(welcome)
Great to have you on board!
Red

 

[justme]

Thanks everyone!  Beautiful Hardcore Heifer calf born out of a first calf Witch Dr. Heifer this morning!!! WOW this calf was up and moving so fast.  I think it was born mooing!  I'll try to get some pictures soon (cow) (clapping)

 

[red]

Yea!!!
but you lost your bet by 5 hours?

Red (welcome)