We got 2 new calves this morning

[Bruce from Can.]

Rusty6 had a cow have a calf yesterday outside at 20 below Zero Fahrenheit, shared a video with us all, and with his good work and a cooperative cow, his new calf looked great.
Nothing much unusual for us to have a cow calve in the maternity pen in the dairy barn . And two cows delivered calves to us this morning.
I have often wondered if the darn old cows seem to wait until the weather is the most severe before they drop their calves. Cozy and warm in the dairy barn, one degree Fahrenheit outside this morning. Bruce

 

[bc]

Around here in KS I see a mix. Some like winter calves who think they are heartier and some like spring calves and some do both. Part of it is marketing as all the spring calvers that hit the market at a certain time drive the price down. Part of it is timing to get the most use out of pasture, milo stubble, and planted wheat to save on feed. Feed prices vary in there as well because of the differing demand. Then you get to the feedlots and the big packers we have here that all want a steady supply 24/7 all year long. I think there might be some summer calvers out there somewhere.

I don't follow it as much after I tried cattle and figured out the ten cents profit per hour of labor wasn't worth it. My uncle had a large feedlot and he finally got out of it with prices going up and down and having to squeek by with gov loans to stay afloat and getting through good years and bad. Then he went to work as a cattle buyer for a large company and life was much easier after that. He blamed the cattle market on eastern speculators when the market was up, they bot and raised more cattle, which then drove the supply up which then drove the price down. Then they get out till the market goes back up. That hurt the every day farmer who could only raise so many at a time year after year.

We are in a warmer winter cycle but I think we are getting close to cycling back to colder winters again in the grand scheme of things sans global warming.

 

[DeltaSteve]

Kind of like my inlaws at 8000ft Gunnison Colorado. They usually wait till the extreme cold has passed. But...sometimes one is an early arrival.However,they say is is better to calve in cold dry snow than in days with warm/cold with mud later on.

 

[rusty6]

(quoted from post at 07:59:46 01/28/21)
I have often wondered if the darn old cows seem to wait until the weather is the most severe before they drop their calves. Cozy and warm in the dairy barn, one degree Fahrenheit outside this morning. Bruce

Location is a big factor but I find the biggest is the cow. If she knows what to do and gets busy she can have that calf licked off and dry in short order even outdoors. That heifer that calved back a month ago I was not at all optimistic about. She went as far away as she could in the night and had the calf out in the snow. At least in the bush country I have here there was no wind chill factor and she surprised me by being a natural good mother. It does not come natural to some and the calf will be on it's own and sometimes die from neglect.
I think I've commented before I'm not in cattle for profit. They are just expensive pets for me. The new calf is up and looking good this morning. Weather still ugly so they are in the barn for another day.

 

[roaddevil49]

Bruce, when we had sheep back in the '60's, we bred them in the fall for the Easter market. There was always a couple of ewes that lambed late in the lambing season outside. They always managed to find the last traces of snow to lamb on.

 

[rustred]

on the news last night it showed a cow with triplets. all doing good. pretty rare for that .

 

[Cheesehead Fred]

We used to farrow pigs year around. Every time the weather was changing for the worse, you could count on two or three litters that night. If it was a snow storm coming, my Dad took over the maternity W, and I plowed the snow. I took frequent breaks from plowing to check on the progress in the nice warm barn. I never figured out how the sows knew to farrow, because the barn was nice and warm all winter. Neighbors always have a calf or two arrive on the same night.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

I have always wondered if air pressure and falling barometer may have had some effect on the cows and pigs. But when it’s time... it’s time , best to be ready.

 

[bc]

Wait till they start cloning cattle. The farmers will be out of business.

I think a lot of animals sense the changes in weather. Birds sure know it. Maybe humans do but we haven't figured out how yet.

 

[Bruce from Can.]

Oh I figured it out this morning as soon as I stepped
out the door, it was dam cold!!

 

[Denny K]

When we had a cow that wasn't keen on her calf, my dad would bring the dog around and problem solved. Maternal instincts kicked in
big time.

 

[jddrawbar]

You got it Bruce, barometric pressure plays a big part.