Sunday, March 21, 2021

Ball not dropping

I had two calves born today.  One last night or early morning, and the other calf was born this afternoon.  The first calf was born to Red.  The second calf was born to Little Red.   Both calves were male.  And that was the problem.  

When it came time for Donna and I to band the calves to turn them into steers, only one ball was in each scrotum.  Donna could find the second ball in the calf's body, but it wouldn't drop so we could band the testicles with both balls in them.  I had one calf laying on one side, then the other side.  And even on its back.  That calf peed and because I was straddling the calf my pants leg got soaked.  The second calf was in the loading ramp area so I put the calf in the calf table / chute so it could stand up while Donna searched for the second ball.  Still no second ball.

So we will try again tomorrow.  Hopefully the second ball in each calf will drop.  I've never had this happen before.  Again, another year, another new problem.

I am keeping both calves and mothers in the south corral along with Toby to make it easier for us to check the calves tomorrow.  I put Red in that corral yesterday because she has a bad limp due to her back right leg.  A few days ago she had a bit of a limp the morning I had the cattle enter the corral so I could put a large hay bale out in the pasture.  By evening Red appeared to walk fine as she left the corral to go to the hay bale. And seemed fine when I checked on the cattle each day.  I don't know why Red has a limp again.  Her leg is not swollen.  Staying the the south corral where she doesn't have to walk much will hopefully allow her to heal and get better.

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