Rolling Acres - This and That

[Wehner Homestead]

Scaled definitely looks smaller than Bertie in these pictures. I wouldn’t breed her for several more months and only then depending on her growth.

I’m going to ask some general questions because I don’t know the answers...

1) Does Scaper get pushed out of the “better” hay/feed/grazing by Bertie? If this is happening, they may need to be separated for just a bit every day so Scaper can be spoiled.

2) Are they getting any grain? They don’t have to be. We don’t grain our brood cows on a regular basis. (We’ve been known to grain first calf heifers to help with milk production and maintaining their body condition so they have better overall health and breed back better.) I dare say that it wouldn’t hurt to supplement Scaper with grain if she hasn’t been getting any. (See above about getting her share if they are getting grain.) Note: cattle typically aren’t grained during pregnancy as it increases the potential of large calves which leads to calving issues.

3) Do the girls have loose mineral available? Some tips would be keeping it away from a water source as they will just go back and forth. Changing brands or types can make a difference. We actually have high mag and A, D, & E out right now so the cows have a choice.

4) When was the last time the girls were wormed? If it’s been more than a couple months, no matter what, it’s safe to worm them again. Fecals aren’t routinely done on cattle unless there is a big concern. Typically the green grass months increase the likelihood of worms. Some worm every month. We base it on the condition of our cattle that meticulously check daily. Our preference is to alternate between ivomec pour-on and an injectable called long-range. We usually do the pour-on twice a year and the injectable once a year on our whole herd of brood cows. Occasionally we will only treat one or two animals if we have a concern but it doesn’t seem to involve the whole herd. (If they have never been wormed to your knowledge, it’s okay. I’d just work them really soon.) Your vet should be able to dispense the correct dosing for each of the girls as the whole bottle of each is very expensive and it would take you a long time to use!

5) We are adding an injection called multi-min to our regimen this year. (We vaccinate the cows each spring and start the first round on the calves at that time.) Several beef cattle farmers and ranchers (both commercial and show) are seeing great improvement with giving this shot yearly. It includes zinc, copper, selenium, and manganese.

I’m attaching the Valley Vet link just so you know for sure what I’m referring to.
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...MIheqji4rm2gIVWbXACh3pFAjwEAQYASABEgLaEvD_BwE

 

[RollingAcres]

@greybeard @Wehner Homestead

Our plan is only to breed the older one this year and then next year we can breed both of them. Like Greybreard said it doesn't do any good if she can't carry it. We definitely have time and will wait on breeding the younger one. Plus this will be the first for us (taking care of a pregnant cow and calving experience) so we can see how we do, learn from it and not get overwhelmed.

1) Does Scaper get pushed out of the “better” hay/feed/grazing by Bertie? If this is happening, they may need to be separated for just a bit every day so Scaper can be spoiled.

2) Are they getting any grain? They don’t have to be. We don’t grain our brood cows on a regular basis. (We’ve been known to grain first calf heifers to help with milk production and maintaining their body condition so they have better overall health and breed back better.) I dare say that it wouldn’t hurt to supplement Scaper with grain if she hasn’t been getting any. (See above about getting her share if they are getting grain.) Note: cattle typically aren’t grained during pregnancy as it increases the potential of large calves which leads to calving issues.

Yes we do feed them grain along with hay this past winter. We have noticed that Scaper gets pushed away from her feed when Bertie finishes hers. So usually we stand out there and watch them while they eat their grain (yes out in the freezing cold we stood!) to make sure that Scaper gets her share. We have also have 2 round bales of hay in the barn for them to eat and usually they are both in there eating. We will replace with new bales when the ones in the barn are getting low.

3) Do the girls have loose mineral available? Some tips would be keeping it away from a water source as they will just go back and forth. Changing brands or types can make a difference. We actually have high mag and A, D, & E out right now so the cows have a choice.

The grain we get from the local feed store has loose mineral mixed in. That's what DH was told. This feed store mix and bag their own feed and grain. I will see if I can find the tag that shows what's in the feed and upload a pic of it.

4) When was the last time the girls were wormed?

They are due. I have already scheduled a farm visit from the vet for next week.

5) We are adding an injection called multi-min to our regimen this year. (We vaccinate the cows each spring and start the first round on the calves at that time.) Several beef cattle farmers and ranchers (both commercial and show) are seeing great improvement with giving this shot yearly. It includes zinc, copper, selenium, and manganese.

Vaccines would be my next question. What vaccines are required? Is it something that we can possibly do ourselves instead of having the vet do it?

 

[RollingAcres]

Forgot to ask, @greybeard what is "grass belly"?

 

[Wehner Homestead]

Vaccines are cheaper to do yourself but for only two, just have the vet give them when they come. Make sure you call and let them know so that they bring them with them. Triangle 9 or Triangle 10 is what we give. If they’ve not had one before they’ll need a booster. The vet’s office can dispense two doses to you for the booster. (I can’t remember when the booster is due...thinking 3 weeks...)

Hay belly is just a fancy way of saying that the abdomen appears larger over the winter from the intake mostly being hay. It disappears as they transition to grass.

Most mixed or pelleted feeds contain traces minerals. This often isn’t enough to completely support the needs of the animal. Has to do with some needing more and some needing less. I’d definitely offer some loose minerals. I think you’d be amazed at how much they’ll take in. We put out fresh every three days and the containers we use are often licked clean. We go through a 40# bag every 2-3 weeks for 14 cows.

 

[RollingAcres]

When I called last month to make arrangement I did inform them that vaccines will be needed. DH is going to find out if his friend will be willing to do it for us in the future if we buy the vaccines.

Last summer we had loose minerals out for them and they didn't really lick any up. That was before we got the feed from this local place. They were grazing grass and we would give them sweet feed and the loose minerals from TSC. I will look up a different brand of minerals, maybe they are just being picky lol.

 

[greybeard]

Don't feel bad about yours due for deworming..mine are too and I'm not able to get out there right now and do it with injectable or even pen them and pouron or drench...dr's orders. I'll probably get cubes with Safegard (Fenbendazole) this go around. (about 4 lbs/1000lbs of body weight for the cubes) but I understand some places cubes aren't available.
You can get it in small bags and top dress their feed with it..comes in small alfalfa pellets but watch the strength of it. Some of it is .5% some of it is 1.9% so you have different feeding directions for the 1.9%. Been a while since I used the mini pellets but if I remember right, it's one pound per 1000lbs body weight. I believe it comes in pretty small packages--maybe as little as a 1 lb package and I know it comes in 5 lb bags.

You will want to get enough to do a follow up deworming, but that will still be cheaper than buying a huge bag of it.
But yes, certainly let the vet do it if you aren't sure..just make sure the vet knows you will be breeding at least one of them soon, and that applies to the vaccinations as well.
I don't care for the de-worming blocks tho I suppose they work well enough in a large herd on range. You never know how much any one animal is getting and you don't want to feed them to hungry cows. One might eat 1/2 a block in one day...

They won't lick much loose minerals..a few oz per day and yes, lots of them aren't very palatable regardless of how good the label indicates they are regarding which and how much each mineral it has. Meaning, they just don't taste good. Probably taste just like they look--like little rocks with a slight metallic salty taste.
The problem with just having 2 head is that a 50lb sack (800 oz) will last you a LOOONG time at 8 oz/day(~ 4oz/head/day) (IF they even eat that much) . Good mineral isn't cheap..usually around $30-$40 a bag.
Both mineral and deworming can and will improve heat cycles as well as overall condition and health..

 

[RollingAcres]

I'm going to call the feed store and ask them about the heifer feed. I almost want to say that DH talked to them when we started buying from them and they told him minerals are mixed in the feed and we don't need to add anymore. But I could well be wrong on this.

Don't feel bad about yours due for deworming..mine are too and I'm not able to get out there right now and do it with injectable or even pen them and pouron or drench...dr's orders.

If Dr's orders then you better not. Hope everything is ok.

 

[Bruce]

Hay belly is just a fancy way of saying that the abdomen appears larger over the winter from the intake mostly being hay. It disappears as they transition to grass.

And here I thought it meant the cattle had short legs and their bellies dragged through the hay field

 

[Wehner Homestead]

 

[RollingAcres]

And here I thought it meant the cattle had short legs and their bellies dragged through the hay field

Bahahahaha