[hannah_D]

Hi,

We've started the smallholding up in the last year.

We were recently given two cows with calves at foot. One is about 6 months old, the other 6 weeks. Both male calves.

The calves we'll raise for meat.

I'm wondering a few things:

1. Do we need to vaccinate the calves? I'm not sure their mothers have been. We are going to give ivermeticin when it finally arrives (covid hold up...)

2. Would you have the boys castrated? We don't have a crush so this may be logistically a challenge

3. At what point would you consider AI? We don't have a bull, and the cows have been running with a bull in with the previous owner, but they think they're unlikely to be pregnant.

Thanks for all advice! 

[twizzel]

Whilst we don’t have dexters, most cattle things are not overly breed dependent so;


We vaccinate our cows when pregnant between 12 and 3 weeks to calving for Rotavirus so they pass on immunity to the calf through colostrum, it’s something we’ve had issues with around calving. The other routine vaccine we use is for BVD- but best speak to your vet about this one as it’s a long and complicated virus. You could vaccinate for everything under the sun if you wanted to. Your vet should give a good plan of what needs vaccinating against.


Yes I would have the calves castrated, but with Covid I doubt you’d get a vet to come and cut them, so you’ll have to wait. Though it would be worth giving the vet a call to talk through, and then maybe they would get in contact when they are able to come and castrate again. At the same time get the cows scanned by the vet, the cow with the older calf should be back in calf by now. The younger calf’s mother probably won’t have come bulling yet. Have a look for a crush, this is pretty essential really, you can pick them up second hand on Facebook if you keep an eye out.

[SallyintNorth]

It is practically possible to manage some cattle with gates but (a) I have had Dexters and although they are small, I would not want to put an AI operative or a vet in the position of handling one with only gates to constrain them, and (b) many vets will not now attend cattle unless you have a basic crush, including, if you are in England or Wales, the vets doing your regular mandatory TB test.

Vaccinate or not is about risk factors for those cattle and your location, so talk to your vet.

Ivermectin is a broad spectrum wormer and ectoparasiticide.  Unless you have a problem with lice, mites or worms on your land, or these animals have arrived with them on board, adult cattle would not normally need to be wormed.  Calves still suckling their mothers are also generally regarded as at low risk but would normally be wormed once on weaning, or on the next turnout after weaning if being weaned at housing.

Fluke may be a problem in your area and if so, all cattle need to be treated every year.  Again, your vet will advise.  If you need to fluke and also want to give ivermectin, then Ivomec Super has a flukicide alongside the ivermectin and is what a lot of cattle farmers use. 

Fluking is nornally done on housing with an in-wintered herd, or would need to be done at least twice in autumn and winter with an outwintered herd.

Note that ivermectin cannot be given to any cow whose milk is intended for human consumption whilst she is lactating or within the 60 days prior to calving.  With dairy cattle it is usually therefore given once a year on drying off at 60 days before calving.  (I mention this only because some smallholders start with Dexters with the idea that they might milk them for the house.  If you were thinking along these lines, you might wish we'd mentioned the thing about ivermectin and milk for human consumption )

[Backinwellies]

you need a crush or a calving gate (we have the latter and with our quite quiet herd find this works well). No vet is going to castrate a 6 month old without secure handling equipment …. nor will you be able to have them Tb'd
I definitely wouldn't leave bull calves intact!

You can AI as soon as you can identify bulling accurately (or you will be wasting your money) …. and you need a crush for this too!

[landroverroy]

I would wait another few months before castrating the calves. Entire bulls grow faster and they're not going to do any damage before then. In addition the cow with the younger calve won't come back in heat for another couple of months and by then the older calf off the other cow may be old enough to serve her. I have had 8 month old bulls working very effectively, and it's a lot easier than using AI.


I totally agree about getting some handling equipment. You never know when an emergency might crop up and you suddenly may suddenly need it. there is nothing so important it can't be done safely, and second hand crushes can be picked up for a few hundred pounds.

[harmony]

And sod's law is that if you don't have it you need it and emergencies happen when you least expect it and in the dark. As said crushes do come up cheap. Put an ad on your local seek and sell.