Cattle
Broken horn
Sunday 7 November, 2010
Blizzard has broken her horn :-( The vet was here on Friday to jag them with a hormone to bring them into season and therefore abort any calf they might be carrying. He had a look at the horn and it's broken. So it has to come off. Because of the time of year - no flies - it can wait a few weeks while we work on the halter training.
We've decided to have both removed. We may also have Breeze's removed too. Unless there is a very good reason not to, we will probably have future calves disbudded. The horns are a pest - although not very big, they can give us and the other calf a good dunt in the ribs. And I'm always worried that they get caught up and broken. Not looking forward to the procedure but we think it's for the best.
Halter training setback
Wednesday 3 November, 2010
Well, it was all going great until today. Blizzard was fine in the halter so I tied her up today. In her struggle to free herself, she's knocked her horn. It doesn't look too bad but there was a bit of blood. I'll get the vet to have a look at it on Friday.
Other than that, I was permitted to rub sides, belly and legs without a food bribe. I think she was just shattered.
I gave them a CalfLyx Easy Breather lick today. Although we've improved the ventilation, I thought it might help them. It smells really good, actually. I hope they don't eat it in lumps like the sheep do though.
Halter training the calves
Tuesday 2 November, 2010
We decided that it was important that our calves were halter trained. We want to milk them, we can't afford expensive handling equipment and we may show them, if any classes are available. When we got them less than two weeks ago, they were unhandled but were quite calm around folk.
Since they arrived, we've been spending a bit of time with them. Everyone stops at the byre door and "has a word" and the calves are naturally curious, so they come for a sniff and sometimes a lick and chew, depending on how brave the human is. Because I feed them twice a day, they probably know me best.
More byre modifications
Sunday 31 October, 2010
We've made some further modifications to the byre to try to improve the airflow. We were a bit worried about pneumonia. It's been unseasonably warm and very still here, and the byre has been very warm.
We've been leaving the outside door open and now we have taken down the door between the byre and the looseboxes and replaced it with boards. If that fails, we will have to clip the calves but I'm reluctuant to do that as I'm hoping to get them outside once they are tamer.
Cattle passports
Friday 29 October, 2010
Being new to cattle, we have to get to grips with the rules and regulations surrounding keeping them. The calves came with their passports - all calves have to be tagged and registered with the British Cattle Movement Service and are issued with a passport. This follows them throughout their lives.
I spoke to the BCMS helpline and Operations section today and they were extremely helpful. We're now registered with them and they are sending out the registration numbers and the bar code labels to update Breeze and Blizzard's passports.
Cattle on the Buddon
Tuesday 26 October, 2010
We live next to Barry Buddon Army camp. It extends to around 950 acres. When the flags are down, the public have access - it is a SSSI and SPA. There are cattle grazing it as well.
I took John and Linda down there today as the tide was out and the flags were down - and they wanted to walk round the beach to Carnoustie. It's a few miles to the start of the beach so I drove them down. As I drove back, I saw the cattle and stopped to watch them.
There were about 15 - 18 cows - Angus x Holstein, I would have thought - each with a calf at foot, and an Aberdeen Angus bull. They came through the trees, grazing as they went, but obviously walking with a purpose. Some stopped to have a look at me, then walked on.
Byre door modifications
Sunday 24 October, 2010
Following Friday's escape, John made some modifications to the byre door.
We now have a gate that opens inward plus a bar above - higher than before. It's much more secure - and we can safely leave the door open. This means that the calves can see and be seen - and everyone stops to talk to them. Tess is obsessed.
Today, they have been listening to Classic FM - it was Radio 4 yesterday. I thought they would have been listening to the Chelsea game. I spent half an hour yesterday in the byre, reading a novel. I was well sniffed over.
First cow story
Friday 22 October, 2010
The calves are housed in the byre. There is a door and a bar as added "security", so we can get in and out without being mugged. Ha, ha!
This afternoon, I took the bucket of feed into the byre, ducking under the bar. Blizzard came towards the bucket, Breeze went to the door. She stuck her head under the bar but when it touched her withers, she stepped back. Then ducked under it and went off into the great outdoors. Trying not to panic, I called Dan and John - thank goodness for mobile telephony. I reckoned I had two choices - keep Blizzard in or go after Breeze. I decided that the former was the better course of action, banking on Breeze not leaving her sister. If I shut the door, I wouldn't be able to get Breeze back in.
The calves are coming!
Monday 18 October, 2010
We've had confirmation today that our calves will be arriving in Aberdeen on Thursday morning, weather permitting, so Dan and I will be heading up there to pick them up.
They are unhandled, but the breeder is bucket feeding them to get them used to that. I think they may be in the byre for a wee while! Actually, it's fine because the vet needs to come and see them on 4th November. The calves have been running with their dams, who have been running with the bull. Shetland cattle mature very early, so it's just possible that they are in calf. Now, Shetlands have successfully calved at 15 months, but we'd prefer to follow a more conventional breeding pattern.
