MADISON COUNTY —
Providing sound management during the calving season can mean more live calves. Excessive losses can mean the difference between a year’s profit or loss for a beef producer.
It is important to have a short calving period to allow frequent observation and assistance if needed. Some specific things a producer can do to limit calf loss include:
Separate first-calf heifers from mature cows. Calving difficulty can run as high as 30 to 40 percent for 2-year-old heifers compared to just 3 percent for mature cows. Place heifers in a small, accessible pasture near a corral where assistance can be given if needed.
Provide a clean area for calving. The calving area should be a well-sodded pasture or clean, dry maternity pen, not a wet, muddy lot. It should also be large enough for adequate exercise and offer protection from prevailing winds.
Be familiar with the signs of calving. Within a few hours of calving, cows generally become nervous and uneasy. As contractions increase, a cow will likely wander away from the rest of the herd.
Check cows frequently. Observing cows three or four times a day and providing assistance when necessary results in more live calves. However, cows should be disturbed as little as possible during labor.
Know when a cow needs assistance. Intervention is justified when two or three hours have passed without progress or if delivery has not occurred within 90 minutes after the water sac appears. In a normal delivery, the calf’s front legs and head will appear first.
There are also a few steps to take after the calf is born to help it get off to a good start. These include making sure the calf is breathing normally after it is delivered and that it consumes colostrum. Ideally, a calf should consume its first milk within 15 to 30 minutes after birth.
Immediately after calving increase the cow’s energy intake to about 16 pounds of total digestible nutrients per day. The extra energy will help the cow produce enough milk for her calf and allow her to rebreed on schedule.
Two seats left on bus for Farm Machinery Show on Thursday
The bus will leave the Ag Credit building at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 14. There are just two spots left! To reserve your seat, call the Madison County Extension Office, 623-4072. Cost per person is only $5. (This price includes driver tip and parking.)
Bus will arrive back in Richmond around 5 p.m. that day. Special thanks to this year’s sponsors: Madison County Farm Bureau, Ag Credit, and Madison County Beef Cattle Association.
CPH-45 Sale March 12
The final CPH-45 sale of the year at the Richmond Stockyards will take place on Tuesday, March 12. Let me know if you are interested in placing feeder calves in the sale by calling 623-4072. Weaning deadline was Jan. 26.
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Lifestyles & Community
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Brandon Sears
Managing the spring calving season
Calving season
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Spring Gathering at Kirksville on Saturday
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Fresh strawberries at the farmer's market
Hello from Baldwin,
How is everyone’s week going? I hope everyone is having a great one. Well the weather has improved a lot. I have heard the lawn mowers buzzing since the rain stopped for a few of days. Everyone is trying to get their yard mowed and trimmed up before the next rain. Gardeners are out working diligently working the grounds that have finally dried enough to plant things. It has been very difficult on the gardeners with all of the rain to get their gardens planted. Oh, won’t those fresh vegetables taste good. -
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Union City Day is this Saturday. There will be music, food and yard sales including some "Made in Union City" items. I have heard that one of the music sessions will include folks from Union City Baptist Church with ukuleles. For yard sales, you can start setting up at 7 a.m. Saturday morning. It will be a great day to get out and meet your neighbors. Two raffles are underway, one is for a quilt handmade by Mary Sewell. Raffle tickets are available for several prizes including, a 32 inch TV, a Garmin GPS unit and Paula Deen Cookware. See a Ruritan member to purchase tickets. Drawings will be after 2 p.m. All proceeds from both raffles will go to the floor replacement fund.
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A little history and a lot of enjoyment for Memorial Day!
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday which occurs every year, on the fourth Monday, in May; however, Sunday afternoon is the day encouraged for grave decoration.
Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women, who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces during the Civil War. -
Diamond Crick
I thought I would tell you one of my family stories even though it’s not a Newby story. It seems no matter what part of the country you’re from, a country tale sounds the same.
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Growing bear population prompts Forest Service to issue food-storage order
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Beginning farmer program registration is underway
The Madison and Garrard County Cooperative Extension Offices will be offering a beginning farmer program called KyFarmStart this fall.
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I am so glad that spring has finally decided to come to Kentucky. We have had our share of different types of weather. When the heat comes, we need to make sure that the body gets plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration.
Cantaloupes should be in season this week. I will give you some different recipes using fresh fruits instead of the powdered type mixes. -
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