Frozen calf

78NHTFY · March 19, 2015, 04:24:56 AM

So, after two warmish days in the low 40's and with the sap running, albeit slowly, you'd think my cows would calve. But no: yesterday morning was 12°F with a 40 mph steady wind, so wind chill way below zero! And there at 7:30 am in the 3 sided shed is Daisy with twins, probably born 1/2 hours before. Smaller female is up and looking to suck; larger male is lying flat, legs out straight, shaking and barely moving in the muck. Got him onto some hay and started rubbing him but didn't look good after 45 minutes. Basically stiff as a board! :oRan & got the ATV (it started!) and loaded the calf onto it on my lap and drove to the house--could barely see with the wind driven snow. Wife got some old blankets and we put it in the entryway. I rubbed him down for an hour, then got an old hair drier and used that for an hour. He started to move a bit and sorta bleated a few times, but still couldn't bend his legs or even try to stand up. I pretty much gave up at 3:00 pm and with him lying in the sun, went to the office to do some work. Then, at 4:00 pm I hear a commotion/clatter. He came back to life! And so, by 4:30 I had him back on the ATV and to the corral/shed with him mother. He still couldn't stand but was able to lie with his legs under him. At 5:30 pm I managed to milk some colostrum to feed both him and his twin. When I checked again at 11:00 pm, he was walking around and "exploring" the shed and corral. The still-40 mph howling winds didn't seems to be bothering him (He's mix of hereford/angus). So, with a little help, he's the comeback kid. As I name all my animals after Presidents, I'm calling him Bill, and his twin will be Hillary (not to make this political :D). Will see in a few hours how he made it through the night. Here's a pic of him in the entryway. (And bless my wife for the clean up which was no small job!). All the best, Rob.

sandhills · March 19, 2015, 05:37:45 AM

Done that many times

. So far we've been really lucky this year, the weather warmed up just before we started, it's way easier above freezing for sure! Glad Bill's doing good.

Peter Drouin · March 19, 2015, 06:37:55 AM

I'm glad he made it too. 8) 8) 8) 8) Good luck with the twins.

thecfarm · March 19, 2015, 06:44:00 AM

I can remember stories of my Grandmother doing the same. In fact a neighbor called her one early morning,around 2am,to see if she was ok. The neighbor could see a light on in the house from on top of the hill. She had a sick animal that she was caring for.All grown up now,can't even see the neighbor's house now.

coxy · March 19, 2015, 07:15:14 AM

seen my friend and his wife do the same lots of times walk in the house and have 2 dogs and a calf greet you at the door :D hope bill is doing good

justallan1 · March 19, 2015, 07:25:05 AM

All depending on the shape their in, sometimes they ride in the truck with me awhile to warm up and sometimes I have to tube them with colostrum and put them in the spare bathroom.
A few years ago I had one in the truck with me and had to run to town so took it with me. He was coming around about the time I got to town, so I tied him up and went on into the store. When I came out there's a guy looking through the window and asked me why there's a calf tied up in my truck, then got upset when I asked where he was from, because he certainly wasn't from around here.

Good luck with Bill.

r.man · March 19, 2015, 08:05:28 AM

Lots of times if you could accurately predict a calves birth you could also predict a cold snap in the area because they will be the same. I often wondered if it was a biological safety issue to give birth when the weather is crappy to confuse predators. The fellow in this news report prefers the immersion method of heating up a cold calf. www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=567279

ND rancher · March 19, 2015, 09:50:57 AM

Years back that calf would of went into the bathtub,then a rub down,then a hair dryer,now into the hot box!Watch for swelling on those legs!Get yourself some dried colostrum for those emergencies to get them milk right away,it will help in the warmup process,and healing the frostbite.Just my $.02. Keith

WV Sawmiller · March 19, 2015, 10:10:15 AM

78,

Congrats on saving the calf. Its hard when you lose one like that. Son just lost goat and triplet kids a week or so back.

We name our critters and I always named our billy goats after politicians. If you've ever been around billy goats very much you will understand the appropriateness of such namings.

78NHTFY · March 19, 2015, 09:41:50 PM

Hey thanks guys for all the comments & input! Love all the stories...and sound advice. :D :D. The twins, Bill and Hillary, are doing fine, despite continued temps in the teens and howling winds. Still have two more cows to calve in the next few days. One's a first calf heifer so I'm ready to pull if necessary. All the best, Rob.

kensfarm · March 19, 2015, 10:32:46 PM

Bill sure does make a nice doggy.. hope he keeps doing good. Give him some honey.. he'll like that.

sandhills · March 20, 2015, 12:03:22 AM

Quote from: kensfarm on March 19, 2015, 10:32:46 PM
Bill sure does make a nice doggy.. hope he keeps doing good. Give him some honey.. he'll like that.

I have absolutely no idea if right or wrong which would be my disclaimer, but gave one some warm sugar water to get it through the night until I could get it some colostrum, was watching heifers for a neighbor and didn't have any. He turned out fine

.

78NHTFY · March 20, 2015, 03:09:43 PM

...things are looking good, for now: Bill & Hillary did the trek with Mom Daisy to the hay bunk and met newest addition Ronnie Reagan (see, I don't take sides with names ;D), purebred black angus bull calf. He was up and running around the bunk within 15 minutes! Amazing what no wind & 30°F makes for a difference. Here's a pic of the gang--Bill in foreground. 8) 8). All the best, Rob.

Roxie · March 20, 2015, 05:42:44 PM

They look good! It's a shame that Bill's twin is a heifer, although with beef cattle not quite as critical.

kensfarm · March 21, 2015, 12:10:57 PM

Quote from: Roxie on March 20, 2015, 05:42:44 PM
They look good! It's a shame that Bill's twin is a heifer, although with beef cattle not quite as critical.

You could still name him Hillery. ;D

sandhills · March 21, 2015, 01:44:17 PM

:D :D :D
I'm just sure glad I'm not looking at that white stuff on the ground, we could use some rain though and this time of year around here I prefer to see it above 32 when it comes ;D. Those look like nice big calves for twins

!

StimW · March 21, 2015, 02:55:53 PM

Down here in hurricane country when a hurricane is coming they recommend pregnant women go to the hospital if very close to their due date.
They claim the low pressure can start the birth.
You might check the barometer reading to see how it was when they calved.
You coulda named him "Stiffy".

78NHTFY · March 22, 2015, 09:31:52 AM

Hillery, Stiffy--you guys are killing me!! :D :D :D. I got same set of twins last year & sold the freemartin at auction for $ 400 at two month old! Looks like prices are even crazier this year--at auction in MA last week, 500 lb steers were going for $ 2.40/lbs live weight. All the best, Rob.

WV Sawmiller · March 22, 2015, 09:48:58 AM

As to animals in the vehicles I was working in Saudi Arabia many years ago and saw a double cab pick up drive by. The front seat was full of the men and boys. The back seat was full of sheep and goats. The truck bed was full of the women and girls. I asked a Saudi co-worker why they made the women ride in the back while the sheep and goats got to ride in the back seat. My co-worker simply replied "They don't have to tie the women in the back to keep them from jumping out when driving down the road."

(FYI - You can get 2 full size camels in the back of a Toyota pick up but you can get 4 in the back of a long bed Chevy)

sandhills · March 22, 2015, 11:37:57 AM

I've loaded so many different things in different vehicles working at the salebarn but never camels, YET, thank goodness :D. Here's what I came home with after our last sale

:D There's a bit of a story behind this guy, but I bought him for my wife and we couldn't agree on the name (mine was Chewbacca, hers was Sasquatch) so we left the final decision up to member sbishop's kids, meet Fluffer Nutter

We really got a kick out of that and he's a good little calf, can't quite pet him yet but almost. We honestly don't have the "funny farm" but wait 'til you see Willie and Waylon, and NO I did not buy them, that would be my father's doing ;)!

woodsteach · March 27, 2015, 02:52:52 PM

I'm glad to see the calf is doing fine. We moved our calving to April 15 -June 10 or so years ago and will never go back to the March calving. It is way easier to check on them in short sleeve shirts instead of 3 layers of clothes.