Beef Calf
- Thread starter Peanut
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All right, I'll bite. What is a hay saw, never heard of one. Up until last year I've always used small bales.
I found one on the net this afternoon... $1800+ (A modern device, not an antique.)
Another guy had removed teeth from a chainsaw chain, leaving every 4th or 5th tooth, sounds doable. (as long as you don't set the hay on fire)
Livestock will do fine ripping hay from a roll by themselves. Special cutters are not needed. But they drop a lot of it on the ground then stand on it. All thats needed is a couple of planks so they can't stand on dropped hay. Make them reach for the hay, occasionally feed them the dropped hay. If they are hungry they'll eat it.
No fuss and no spending $1800.
Another guy had removed teeth from a chainsaw chain, leaving every 4th or 5th tooth, sounds doable. (as long as you don't set the hay on fire)
Livestock will do fine ripping hay from a roll by themselves. Special cutters are not needed. But they drop a lot of it on the ground then stand on it. All thats needed is a couple of planks so they can't stand on dropped hay. Make them reach for the hay, occasionally feed them the dropped hay. If they are hungry they'll eat it.
No fuss and no spending $1800.
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I always found there was a lot of waste from a round bale, no matter how it was fed. We had bale rings, we put them on concrete with steel cables around them...the hay just kept ending up on the ground.
@Peanut do y'all feed cornstalks down there? We used to cut our hay usage way down in the winter by stacking cornstalks and feeding it as a main source of calories. Not much nutrition in it, still need good hay and grain, but it's cheap calories...
@Peanut do y'all feed cornstalks down there? We used to cut our hay usage way down in the winter by stacking cornstalks and feeding it as a main source of calories. Not much nutrition in it, still need good hay and grain, but it's cheap calories...
We cut and fed all our cornstalks to the steers. My cow and heifer are in the corn patch right now cleaning up what's left.
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Glad your calf is doing ok and you are taking care of it. I truly despise farmers that don't take care of their animals ( your neighbor? Whoever you got this little guy from)
I wonder if our goats eat acorns. We have a large oak right in the middle of a pasture. I know they eat the leaves sometimes but so far we haven;t had any die ( except 1 milk goat from injury ) so probably not since we've been here almost 6 years now. I think goats will not eat stuff that's bad for them if they have enough other stuff. I notice that when I take them up on the mountain where all sorts of poisonous plants grow ( rhododendron, milk weed, all sorts of stuff) , they never touch them .
I wonder if our goats eat acorns. We have a large oak right in the middle of a pasture. I know they eat the leaves sometimes but so far we haven;t had any die ( except 1 milk goat from injury ) so probably not since we've been here almost 6 years now. I think goats will not eat stuff that's bad for them if they have enough other stuff. I notice that when I take them up on the mountain where all sorts of poisonous plants grow ( rhododendron, milk weed, all sorts of stuff) , they never touch them .
Have you dewormed him? (Sometimes runny eyes are a sign - you probably knew that, but sometimes when you're the one with the critter . . .)
@Spikedriver No... In years we grew corn we'd just turn the cattle in to clean up the field. We'd either delay feeding or feed less. Then they are more apt to eat the stalks. There isn't a lot of nutrition left in stalks... the work wasn't worth the return, so let them do it themselves.
When the cold of December got here we'd pour on the protein, rich, fertilized hay and protein supplement.
That boy never understood that junk hay might keep a critter alive but thats all. If a cow is carrying a calf she needs all the nutrients she can get. If a cow is healthy she'll produce a good calf. If not... then she'll produce underweight calves in poor health.
@LadyLocust not yet... I wanted him stable on a rich diet for a few weeks first. Then decide if he even needs it.
When the cold of December got here we'd pour on the protein, rich, fertilized hay and protein supplement.
That boy never understood that junk hay might keep a critter alive but thats all. If a cow is carrying a calf she needs all the nutrients she can get. If a cow is healthy she'll produce a good calf. If not... then she'll produce underweight calves in poor health.
@LadyLocust not yet... I wanted him stable on a rich diet for a few weeks first. Then decide if he even needs it.
Junk hay is a good belly filler or bed for cold nights. My boys are going through protein tubs right now. Or the elk are, I've seen both going after it.
LOL - my 1st encounter with a live calf I stood kiddy-corner behind it and was lucky that I was only grazed by the kick, padded by Wisconsin winter levels of sweaters and coats. I learned a healthy respect that day...You can stand behind them, cows kick sideways....
I saw a miniature Brahma bull w/2 cows at an auction, barely bigger than sheep. I was in the back with all the stables getting a closer look at a zebra that was for sale along with some buffalo.
A large man (6'5) begins herding those Brahma's to the arena. This tiny little cow kicked that man on the knee cap. He dropped like a rock! His wife was laughing harder than I was... It was hysterical!!! She was also a wrangler for the auction. We tried to get him up but it turns out he was really hurt. Our laughing didn't help his attitude either.
Poor guy, left in an ambulance. He was back later on crutches and big plastic leg cast. Broken knee cap...
So yes, even little critters can hurt you.
Edit to add... the sound is what I remember most of this incident. It sounded a lot like a 3 wood hitting a golf ball. A big animal kicking, it sounds more like a baseball bat hitting something. But that miniature cow... definitely a 3 wood!
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Corb Lund has a song with the chorus "may you always have cows around"
Actually the best way to feed round bales, if you have enough animals so that they aren't bored is bale grazing, just stand the bale on end and let them eat, Round bale feeders are a huge feed waster, unless the animals cant push each other into the bars, from my observation that is where the need to pull feed out comes from, And I also learned from experience that if you have a bunch of course hay that cows just don't seem to want to eat, once a week or so they will want it, probably when their stomachs are ready for just ruffage, Rolling out round bales is the best way to waste hay that I have ever seen, but one of the most common ways people feed.
Actually the best way to feed round bales, if you have enough animals so that they aren't bored is bale grazing, just stand the bale on end and let them eat, Round bale feeders are a huge feed waster, unless the animals cant push each other into the bars, from my observation that is where the need to pull feed out comes from, And I also learned from experience that if you have a bunch of course hay that cows just don't seem to want to eat, once a week or so they will want it, probably when their stomachs are ready for just ruffage, Rolling out round bales is the best way to waste hay that I have ever seen, but one of the most common ways people feed.
The calf is still growing but a little slow. There was spurt of growth when he finally had someone feeding him correctly but it's slowed. He's wormy, so today he got a dose of Ivermec. Topical solution poured down his spine.
Here are a couple of pics. He's not becoming a pocket baby, searching for apples. He's naturally shy. He'll sniff my hands, if they don't smell like apples he doesn't go searching.
The trick, I only feed him apple slices about 1 of 4 times I'm around him. He doesn't think apples when he see's me. But the apples have him gentled to the point I can handle him or administer meds.
Here are a couple of pics. He's not becoming a pocket baby, searching for apples. He's naturally shy. He'll sniff my hands, if they don't smell like apples he doesn't go searching.
The trick, I only feed him apple slices about 1 of 4 times I'm around him. He doesn't think apples when he see's me. But the apples have him gentled to the point I can handle him or administer meds.
My bull calf loves the apple/oat horse treats.
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Update???????
Well, it's been 5 months since I was pretty sure the calf was going to die. I'm amazed he survived December.
All, I've done is worm him, toss a few herbs in his water tub occasionally and feed him well. He's gained about 250-300lbs. He weighs about 500lbs now, maybe a couple pounds over but not much. He's still a runt tho'. If he hadn't been a starved orphan he'd be 18" taller and 850lbs.
Anyway, he looks healthy, bucks and runs, loves to play. I have an acre of waist deep grass I need to turn him loose on but I still have to build a fence.
Anyway, 1st pic was taken 05nov21 the second today. Last fall he was so skinny I could count his ribs, even the vertebra in his spine, just a bag of bones. He's actually fat now with a belly to go with it!
Nov
Today
All, I've done is worm him, toss a few herbs in his water tub occasionally and feed him well. He's gained about 250-300lbs. He weighs about 500lbs now, maybe a couple pounds over but not much. He's still a runt tho'. If he hadn't been a starved orphan he'd be 18" taller and 850lbs.
Anyway, he looks healthy, bucks and runs, loves to play. I have an acre of waist deep grass I need to turn him loose on but I still have to build a fence.
Anyway, 1st pic was taken 05nov21 the second today. Last fall he was so skinny I could count his ribs, even the vertebra in his spine, just a bag of bones. He's actually fat now with a belly to go with it!
Nov
Today
Great work Peanut. He looks great
The last month I've noticed his shoulders really filling out. In early March he actually looked funny, a skinny little calf with a pot belly! I hope his hips and hams start growing next (doubtful).
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After 202 days in solitary confinement I released the prisoner. He's a happy camper, stuffing himself with clover. I'll still shut him up in the corral at night.
I finally (I hate cfs) finished putting up a new gate and hung the adjoining cattle panels. That boy tore down the gate. He broke the post off at ground level (it was set in concrete) with a trailer load of hay. He never even tried to repair the damage. Just one of dozens of repairs I've made and still have to make.
The calf is still badly undersized but healthy, a little on the fat side. He's big enough now that I don't fear coyotes killing him.
Of course the ham had to get in a pic...
I finally (I hate cfs) finished putting up a new gate and hung the adjoining cattle panels. That boy tore down the gate. He broke the post off at ground level (it was set in concrete) with a trailer load of hay. He never even tried to repair the damage. Just one of dozens of repairs I've made and still have to make.
The calf is still badly undersized but healthy, a little on the fat side. He's big enough now that I don't fear coyotes killing him.
Of course the ham had to get in a pic...
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What are your plans for the calf?
He looks good Peanut.
Ham the photo bomb dog!! Calf looks great!!
He's a beef calf... May slaughter him after a summer on good grass.
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Coming from a family of cattle ranchers, there are a few options. Grain fed are usually two years old when slaughtered. Grass fed, three years.
We usually done ours around a year. Somewhere around 1000lbs hoof weight. Mostlu grass fed, with grain the last month
I could feed him out and slaughter him in the fall... in reality there is no such plan. He's always been an insurance policy against our shaky supply chain. I don't have to store beef if it's alive and on the hoof. I have 45acres of grass, so he'll do fine for the foreseeable future.
I've put out the word to neighboring beef producers, looking for another orphan calf. Last year I had no options when I took this starved orphan. If I wanted beef in the pasture he was the only choice.
If can find a newly orphaned calf this summer I'll bring him home. A normal healthy calf, not one standing at deaths door.
I'm still surprised this little guy lived through the winter.
I've put out the word to neighboring beef producers, looking for another orphan calf. Last year I had no options when I took this starved orphan. If I wanted beef in the pasture he was the only choice.
If can find a newly orphaned calf this summer I'll bring him home. A normal healthy calf, not one standing at deaths door.
I'm still surprised this little guy lived through the winter.
Today... he's finally lookin' good, a foot to short but whats there has filled out nicely.
What a difference from when you brought him home - he looks so much healthier
He's lucky he ended up with you!Latest posts
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