Cattle second vaccination shot

This evening Michael, Kari and I did the second vaccination shot for the cattle.  We had planned on doing this tomorrow but our schedules changed and it was easy to do today and get it over with.   Earlier I had helped Michael and Kari unload hay bales at Donna's place for Kari's and Michael's horses that they just brought there yesterday for the Summer.

Since this was our second time for the vaccination shots I thought it would be easier now that we know what we are doing.  Yes and no.

Earlier I got all the cattle into the corral as I planned this evening to put out another large hay bale for the cattle in the extended corral.  When Michael and Kari arrived we easily got the cattle into the loading corral.  Since the loading corral had growing grass the cattle quickly went in there.  Then I put the large hay bale out into the extended corral.  I left the gate shut.  This was good as one cow got out of the loading runway into the corral during out vaccinations.

After giving a cow a shot Michael releases the head gate.  Sometimes a cow just stands there and doesn't move.  We would have to encourage the cow to move.  Once the cow is out Michael closes the head gate and get it ready for the next cow.  When the cows are in the loading coral runway we put a board between the cows so that the next cow doesn't make a dash for the open headgate.  Somehow one cow got through the headgate before Michael got it shut as the cow went under the board.  One can't stop a cow when it starts running against you.  So we had to get this cow back into the loading corral.   Around and around we went as this cow wanted to be with the other cows and we didn't want the other cows back into the loading corral.  To make it easier we switched to getting the other cows who already had their vaccination shot out to the hay bale in the extended corral.  The cows wanted to go to the hay bale so this was easier.  Then with only the one cow who needed the vaccination shot we got her back into the loading corral.

That done we vaccinated the remaining few cows and then got them all out into the extended corral and closed the gate.

Next step: the calves.  We got them all into the loading corral runway.  Then I got the tractor and lifted the calf table to get it into position at the gate between the loading corral and loading corral runway.  Now on to the calves.

This was harder than the first time. The calves are a month older and stronger.  Michael and I struggled to get a calf to go into the calf table. We had trouble holding and guiding them.  After two calves and a lot of effort I got my lasso.  I never used the lasso before.  In a small area I was able to get the lasso around a calf's neck.  Then the trouble started.  I thought I could pull the calf to the calf table.  No.  The calf would back up and pull me along.  I couldn't hold the calf in place.  Once the calf had nowhere to back up I tried pulling it forward.  The calf would lock his front legs and feet into the ground and wouldn't move.  Kari or Michael would have to get behind the calf and push it as I pulled.  After we got two calves into the calf table it was time for something else.  The calves had fought me and the lasso, and the lasso squeezed the calf's neck and its tongue would hang out as it cried out as it fought me.  We didn't like this method.  Isn't using lassos the way the cowboys did it?

Michael came up with the idea of using a temporary corral panel to narrow the approach to the calf  table.  I came up with two temporary corral panels so the calves couldn't get around the one panel.   This worked so much better.  We still had calves that fought and didn't want into the calf table but they couldn't verve left around the calf table.  One time we had a calf verve to the right.  The gate was tied to the calf table using twine but this one big calf pushed and pushed and got out.  Fortunately I had earlier closed the loading corral gate.  Now to get this calf back into the loading corral runway.  What a minute. Which calf was it?  We had a lot of discussion as to which calf it was and finally agreed to which calf it was. 

Getting this calf back into the loading corral runway was hard.  I then decided to let the calves already vaccinated out of the loading corral and Kari watched that the unvaccinated calf didn't run out also.  With only this one calf left we got it into the loading corral runway.

The second attempt to vaccinate this calf didn't go well.  We got the calf into the calf table but he backed out before we could close the table to hold the calf.  The third attempt worked.  Four calves left to vaccinate.  The less calves the easier it became.  Earlier with a larger group of calves they all pushed to the far end and it was a hassle to get one calf to turn around and leave the other calves.  The less calves the easier it was to us.

I was glad it wasn't warm today as we still worked up a sweat from all our effort.  Next year we will have to get Donna to help us with the calves.  A fourth person to handle the levers on the calf table would make it easier for Kari as she would go between the levers and vaccination and back to the lever.  She worked.

As one point when we were vaccinating the cows, as Michael and Kari were handling the head gate and vaccinations, I would move cows into and along the runway.  One time a cow turned herself around in the runway.  At the halfway point in the runway I have a gate.  I would close the gate and put a board across to hold the gate so it couldn't be opened.   This cow - I think a replacement heifer - kneeled down and put her head under the gate.  She then lifted herself up and though the gate.  She bent the gate upwards.  That has never happened before.  Not even close.  Later, before putting the calves into the loading corral runway, I had to use a sledgehammer to mostly straighten the gate and then rehang the gate in the loading corral runway.  Michael and I earlier tried jumping on the gate to straighten it but it wouldn't change.   Those cattle are much stronger than one thinks.   Bending a gate?  Really?!

Earlier in the afternoon the bull and the cattle were laying, relaxing, and sunning themselves.

So the vaccinations are done for the year.  Hurray!

Temporary corral panels and calf photos

Yesterday I noticed several of the extended corrals panels were getting bent.  These were the panels right next to grass on the other side.  The cattle want to eat grass even though they have plenty of hay.  Sometimes they moo at me when they see me on the other side in the grassy area.

To help protect these two panels I tied a couple of wooden pallets against the panels.

These photos show other areas.  Last year the panels were against the taller grass.  This year you can see the grass-free areas are starting to grow things since the cattle can't get to that area.

A nice afternoon.  Many of the calves were sleeping soundly.

Two of the heifer calves are smarter and getting brave.  They will come close to me when I am in the corral.  When I am on the other side of the fence I will pull some grass and feed it to them.  They will take the grass from my hand.  Othe calves so far aren't brave enough to take grass from my hands.   The cows see me feeding grass to the calves and immediately come over.  They push the calves to the side and want the grass.  That is why I hand feed the grass to the calves.  So the calves can get some grass.  Even so, I have had some cows reach over and pull the grass from the calves' mouths if part of the grass is still sticking out of the calves' mouths as they eat the clump of grass.  Even the mother cows will pull grass from their calf's mouth.  One calf is getting smarter and will move away or turns its head so a cow, or her mother, can't get the grass from the calf.

More vaccinations

Michael and Kari came by today and we vaccinated the last-born calf and his mother.  It went well.  The calf was laying and Michael and I were able to get on him and hold him still so Kari could administer the vaccine.  So we didn't have to herd the calf into the calf table.

The mother wasn't too bad to herd into the loading corral.  We did have to go around twice to het her into there.  The cow ran up the loading corral runway fast enough that the head gate shut and locked the cow in place.  No back and forth as what sometimes happens when the cow doesn't run fast enough. She got vaccinated also.  Both cow and calf also got the ivermectin poured on their back to help prevent other insect problems.

Now in three weeks to a month the cows and calves get their second vaccine shot and then we are done for the year.

When the cow was in the head gate, and Kari was preparing to give the vaccine shot, I went and got my camera.  She was done by the time I returned and Michael just finished pouring the ivermectin on the cow when I took the photo.

All done.

2025: Calf 13 - 7's

I went to bed after 2:30 am last night.  Before I did I went out to fill the cattle's water trough.  While doing so I could hear some soft mooing in the corral.   Not common so I turned on my flashlight.   I saw the mooing was coming from cow 7.  She was bending down and licking a calf.  I checked.  Yup.  It was her newborn calf.  She was licking it clean.  The calf probably was born around 2 am.   It is a bull calf.  That makes 7 boys and 6 girls this year.   Last year it was 5 boys and 8 girls.

This afternoon Michael came over to help me band and ear tag the calf.  It went well as the calf was pretty relaxed.

Lot of photos.  First off, photos when I checked on the calf this morning.   The calf is a beautiful calf.    I wasn't fast enough to get a photo, but at one point a calf born one month ago stood nose to nose with this calf.  Quite a size difference. The older calf looked way larger than this calf.

   

The calf just wanted to sleep but his mother started licking him until he finally stood up.

And another cow's calf came over to check if that calf could get milk from this cow.  Nope.

The photos after we banded and ear tagged the calf.

The cows eating hay at the feeder.  I see some of the calves also are trying to eat a little hay.  Or in this photo, a calf lays near the mother while she eats hay.

So all the calves have been born this year.

Cattle vaccinations

Today the cattle got their first round of vaccinations.   I never did this before.  But I have seen at some auctions they announce when cattle had vaccinations.  The vaccinations help protect cattle from certain illnesses; but does one get more money for cattle who were vaccinated?

I talked with a few other people and they vaccinate their cattle.  This idea also started as Michael and Kari asked if I vaccinate my cattle and offered to help me vaccinate them as it is a more than one man operation.

I learned it is best to vaccinate the cattle in the Spring.  Cows and calves.  And if not vaccinated in the past, the cattle get two shots, about a month apart.  For me it is best to do the vaccinations when the cattle are in the corral and before they are let out to grass on June 1.

I was waiting until the last calf was born, but who knows when that will be.  Two vaccinations a month apart, let's start now.   Kari and Michael had the day off work today and the weather and temperature was ideal today.  Tomorrow, not so much.   Kari and Michael came over after 2 pm and we started.

I wanted to do the bull and the cows first.  The vaccinations are with a needle and it is best for the cow to be in the headgate so they don't thrash around when they get their shot.  The hard part was getting the cows into the headgate where it would lock in place.  Some cows didn't want to approach the headgate.  Some cows didn't push hard enough to lock the headgate and then would back out.  The one cow left to have her calf was not going to be vaccinated.  She almost did as she was locked in the headgate when I noticed her.  We let her go.

One cow was fast.  As we left out the cow that had been vaccinated the next cow rushed right behind her and got out before we could close the headgate.  So we had to get her back into the loading corral.  Kari and Michael ran around the corral after her while I handled the loading corral gate.  I didn't do a good job as I accidently let another cow out.  More running around in circles after the cows.  At times amusing to watch.  We finally got the two cows back into the corral.

Donna came over when we were almost done with the cows.  Donna then reminded me about the ivermectin I usually pour on the cows' back to control ringworms, flies, and other insects.  Duh.  I forgot.

The bull was the last to be vaccinated.   We released him then herded him into the south corral.  Then we got the two replacement heifers out of the south corral so they can be vaccinated and be with the cows.  You'd think herding the heifers out of the south corral would be easy.  Wrong.  It was harder.  Michael and I got one heifer out.  The other heifer didn't want to go and we ran in circles to get him out.  Finally he ran over to the gate by the water trough.  Before Kari and Michael got the gate open I heard a loud crash and breaking wood.  The heifer ran through a part of the corral by the water trough.  This is a part of the fence I can just slip through to get in and out of the corral.  The heifer couldn't slip through the fence so she broke it.  Then it was an effort by Michael, Kari, Donna, and I to get the heifer back into the corral before she could take off elsewhere.  We got it done.

The heifers were a handful.  Like teenage girls.  Even in the headgate they fought hard to try to get out.  We had to calm them down so Kari could give them a vaccination shot.

Then we put the cows and heifers back into the loading corral. The cows were like, why are you putting us back into the loading corral?   I had to pour the ivermectin on the cows so we had to get them through the runway once again.  This time we didn't have to have the cows go into the headgate.  Enough cows in the loading corral runaway and they couldn't move much to get out of the way as I poured ivermectin on the backs of each cow.  Then release them then do another group of cows in the runway.

Now time for the calves.  Most of the calves, except three of them, were out in the extended corral.  First we got the three calves into the loading corral runway.  Then we had to get the cows and heifers back into the loading corral.  Again? The cows said.

Then we got the rest of the calves into the loading corral runway. After that we let the cows out and put them in the extended corral.  Of course the cows then stood on the other side of the loading corral fence and mooed for their calves.

Now the calves.  The headgate wouldn't work as the calves are too small for the headgate.  I have a calf table which I had only used a couple of times over the years.  Michael and I would release one calf at a time and guide the calf to the calf table.  Of course the calves didn't want to go into the calf table.  The calves are already too heavy for Michael or I to lift and carry individually.  It took two of us and it still was an effort to carry a calf who didn't want to be carried and would fight.  We got two calves done.  Kari gave them a vaccination.  I poured a little ivermectin on the calf's back.

Two calves and it was an effort for Michael and I.  I got the idea of moving the calf table to a gate for the loading corral runway.  Michael and I wouldn't have to carry the calves so far.  I used my tractor to lift and move the table.  Okay.  That's done.  It should be easier.  Well... a little.  Only a little.  We didn't have to carry the calves but they would run and twist and turn and around we would go.  Michael and I didn't have to run as far, but we still would have to run.  The calves seem to run faster than the cows do.

The loading corral runway gate went against the calf table on one side.  On the other Kari would stand guard so the calf wouldn't run around that side.   When we were done with the calf we let it out of the calf table, then Kari and I would let the calf out of the loading corral gate.  One time when we were doing this another calf ran around the calf table and Kari and I had to head it off, then back around the calf table.

It took both Michael and I working together to get a calf to go into the calf table.  Then Kari would pull the lever to pull the one side to hold the calf in place.   Our work was a job for three people.

Finally we got all the cattle vaccinated.  Whew.  We let everyone, but the bull, to be together and all were now happy.

Michael and Kari told me they had fun doing this.  Well good, because it was some work to do this.  This was not a typical day.  I worked up a sweat running around and was tired at the end.

Michael and Kari's dog Max wanted to be with us.  Once we were done with cows we let Max join us for the calves.  Max wanted to be with us and watch, not be a cattle dog.

Once the cattle were done, and Michael and Kari left, it was time for me to fix the broken corral fence.  This is where the heifer somehow got through the fence.  Imagine that.  The middle rail got replaced.  The middle post got replaced.  Then that caused the bottom rail to be replaced.  And the right half of the second from the bottom rail to be replaced.  More and more as I fixed one thing.  Then another.   And for some reason some nails didn't want to come out or go in the rails.  Pulling on a large crowbar to get some nails out.  And even big thick nails wanted to bend instead of going easily into the newer rails.  The final nail will be done tomorrow as it was getting dark by the end.  I will have to drill a small hole in the rail for the final nail tomorrow.

One of the rails the heifer broke when she went through the fence.

Calves laying. Middle pasture harrow prep

No new calf today.  Come on number 7... we are all waiting for your calf to be born.

The other calves were sleeping in the sun.  I decided to get my camera for some photos.  Of course when I came back minutes later some calves were now awake. When sleeping this calf's head was between the two boards.   And a few calves were still fast asleep.

Yesterday I cleaned up all the fallen branches in the middle pasture.  I hauled the ones I will cut for firewood back home.  I'll cut them shorter for the woodstove another day.

This afternoon I spent lots of time raking the manure away from the many trees in the middle pasture.  I got 80% of the trees raked around.   I'll rake around the rest tomorrow.  Raking around the trees makes harrowing easier and a little quicker.  And the trees in the middle pasture are more likely to have some of their roots a little above ground, which is hard on the harrow.

I also removed a metal section from the middle pasture.  One less thing to harrow around.  I never used this section or saw anyone else use it.  Not sure why it was put there.  Maybe someone used it as method to easily load something on a low flatbed trailer.  I don't need it.

Removing it I found side arms under the ground.  I guess they are used to hold the end upright and not have the ground move and make the end tip over.

Whenever I get around taking my metal crap to the recycling place, this will go also.

  

On the side of one of the arms, in the dirt, I found this reflector.  The metal is old and rusting, but the reflector still works.

2025: Calf 12 - No Tail's

Another calf born early this morning.  The mother hadn't expelled her afterbirth yet. So it wasn't too much earlier that the calf was born; even though the calf was clean and dry when I first saw him.  Another bull calf.  This year that makes 6 boys and 6 girls.  The calf's size was back to the usual birth size of the calves.  The mother is a cow with no tail.

Michael and Kari came over early afternoon to help me band and ear tag the new calf. It went quick.  Unlike the previous calf this calf wanted to stand up and be let go once he was banded and ear tagged.  The second photo is the calf calling out to be let go.

Then we went looking for the previous calf, calf 11.  Today he was among most of the cattle in the loading corral.  A few other calves were interested in Michael.  They want to get to Michael to check him out but they couldn't get enough courage to get really close.

We found calf 11 in the middle of the others.  Then, where is his mother?  We looked and looked.  Then I saw her laying out in the extended corral.   After calf 11 peed he walked around looking for his mother.   Michael and I guided calf 11 out of the loading corral, across the corral, and then out to the extended corral.  It got muddier.  I took over as I had my mud boots on.   It still was a struggle for me as my one mud boot kept wanting to come off and stay in the mud.  I got the calf guided to remnants of the tractor tire tracks and he got to his mother and then started drinking.  He needs to drink more as he is a little narrow in his back half. 

One calf left to be born.  The mother is looking closer.  Any day now.  The sooner the better.