Post by DoubleD on Jul 27, 2014 23:24:37 GMT -5
Well, we survived our first year as proud new Dexter parents. The two pregnant mommas we purchased last spring (Wonder Woman and Dreamland Tinney) each calved out on pasture last summer, giving us Athena (whose story we shared), and Anabelle. Both girls have done well, and managed our crazy Georgian Bay Ontario winter with no special care (even after Athena's animal attack).
Last fall, we borrowed Dreamland Big Red to breed with Dreamland Tinney, Dreamland Josephine, Dreamland Petra, Dreamland Crystal and Wonder Woman. This year, all 5 calved out on pasture again, with no assistance from us (except occasionally fetching a calf sleeping in the tall grass OUTSIDE the paddock, while Momma bellowed inside the electric fence...we even have a picture of Wonder Woman standing next to the gate SHE UNLOCKED, but couldn't pass, while her daughter frolicked on the other side).
1401 - Born June 30 to Dreamland Josephine, bull calf named Baxter
1402 - Born July 1 (Canada Day) to Dreamland Crystal, steer calf named Brutus Beefsteak
1403 - Born July 6 to Wonder Woman, heifer calf named Blink
1404 - Born July 16 to Dreamland Tinney (herd matriarch), bull calf named Blaze
1405 - Born July 18 to Dreamland Petra, steer calf named Brydon (named by our 4-year-old son, who "owns" Petra)...we're pretty sure he was a little premature, but he seems to be doing well, and almost able to keep up with the other calves now.
While Josephine was the only red in the herd, with the rest being black, we have managed to have only 1 black calf (Brutus), 3 red calves (Baxter, Blaze and Brydon), and we just really aren't sure what colour Blink is...she's sort of mocha-ish...sort of red, but not really red, with a silver hue...we're doing more research to figure that one out.
So, 4 out of 5 were boys. And 3 out of 5 were red (we still need to do official tests).
Of the experiences this year, we have a couple quick conversations of note.
Situation 1: Morning paddock move, July 1st (Canada Day). We knew we were likely going to have to "assist' Josephine's little one across the threshold, so we were out about 6am to ensure we could both be there before I had to go to work. Hubby turned off the fence charger, I adjusted the lines, and he slipped in to scoop up sleeping bull calf to follow after the herd before Josephine realized he had an armful of her baby. I open the gate, and the cows file through as I chat with them...briefly glance back at hubby, who is struggling a little with load of bull calf...and look back to see the last of the herd trickle through the gate...and a fresh baby calf standing in front of me, looking "udderly" confused.
Me: "Ummm...Sweetie...who does this one belong to?"
Hubby (still struggling with armful of very healthy day-old bull calf): "Huh?"
Me: "This little black calf who is standing in front of me and wasn't here when we checked on the herd last night."
Hubby: "Oh! [to calf] Who are you?"
(he's not a great conversationalist at 6am)
Situation 2: We arrive for our evening check on the herd on July 16.
Me: "Ummm...Sweetie...why is there a brown calf nursing off Tinney?"
Hubby: "It's Baxter. Why isn't she kicking him off?"
Me: "Because Baxter is standing over there next to Josephine."
Hubby: "Oh...huh?"
Me: "I'm guessing Tinney had her baby."
Hubby: "Oh...right!"
(ok...maybe not a great conversationalist at 6pm, either)
And, of course, there is all of the fun of trying to tag (and in 2 cases, pinch), some very healthy and energetic calves with no head gate, squeeze or even a proper rope...and Momma's (with BIG horns) who were not entirely impressed with chasing and handling their babies (luckily they still respect the polywire)...good thing we both have a lot of years of grappling under our belt...just never thought I would be using it with cattle.
So, we started our herd in April 2013 with 2 cows, 3 heifers (2 years) , and 1 heifer (1 year)...and we now, in July of 2014, have 5 cows, 1 heifer (2 years), 2 heifers (1 year), 1 heifer calf, 2 bull calves, and 2 steer calves...plus two dairy steers we picked up last fall (originally we had 5, but we've lost 3).
We are definitely glad we chose Dexters and we're looking forward to the years ahead!
Last fall, we borrowed Dreamland Big Red to breed with Dreamland Tinney, Dreamland Josephine, Dreamland Petra, Dreamland Crystal and Wonder Woman. This year, all 5 calved out on pasture again, with no assistance from us (except occasionally fetching a calf sleeping in the tall grass OUTSIDE the paddock, while Momma bellowed inside the electric fence...we even have a picture of Wonder Woman standing next to the gate SHE UNLOCKED, but couldn't pass, while her daughter frolicked on the other side).
1401 - Born June 30 to Dreamland Josephine, bull calf named Baxter
1402 - Born July 1 (Canada Day) to Dreamland Crystal, steer calf named Brutus Beefsteak
1403 - Born July 6 to Wonder Woman, heifer calf named Blink
1404 - Born July 16 to Dreamland Tinney (herd matriarch), bull calf named Blaze
1405 - Born July 18 to Dreamland Petra, steer calf named Brydon (named by our 4-year-old son, who "owns" Petra)...we're pretty sure he was a little premature, but he seems to be doing well, and almost able to keep up with the other calves now.
While Josephine was the only red in the herd, with the rest being black, we have managed to have only 1 black calf (Brutus), 3 red calves (Baxter, Blaze and Brydon), and we just really aren't sure what colour Blink is...she's sort of mocha-ish...sort of red, but not really red, with a silver hue...we're doing more research to figure that one out.
So, 4 out of 5 were boys. And 3 out of 5 were red (we still need to do official tests).
Of the experiences this year, we have a couple quick conversations of note.
Situation 1: Morning paddock move, July 1st (Canada Day). We knew we were likely going to have to "assist' Josephine's little one across the threshold, so we were out about 6am to ensure we could both be there before I had to go to work. Hubby turned off the fence charger, I adjusted the lines, and he slipped in to scoop up sleeping bull calf to follow after the herd before Josephine realized he had an armful of her baby. I open the gate, and the cows file through as I chat with them...briefly glance back at hubby, who is struggling a little with load of bull calf...and look back to see the last of the herd trickle through the gate...and a fresh baby calf standing in front of me, looking "udderly" confused.
Me: "Ummm...Sweetie...who does this one belong to?"
Hubby (still struggling with armful of very healthy day-old bull calf): "Huh?"
Me: "This little black calf who is standing in front of me and wasn't here when we checked on the herd last night."
Hubby: "Oh! [to calf] Who are you?"
(he's not a great conversationalist at 6am)
Situation 2: We arrive for our evening check on the herd on July 16.
Me: "Ummm...Sweetie...why is there a brown calf nursing off Tinney?"
Hubby: "It's Baxter. Why isn't she kicking him off?"
Me: "Because Baxter is standing over there next to Josephine."
Hubby: "Oh...huh?"
Me: "I'm guessing Tinney had her baby."
Hubby: "Oh...right!"
(ok...maybe not a great conversationalist at 6pm, either)
And, of course, there is all of the fun of trying to tag (and in 2 cases, pinch), some very healthy and energetic calves with no head gate, squeeze or even a proper rope...and Momma's (with BIG horns) who were not entirely impressed with chasing and handling their babies (luckily they still respect the polywire)...good thing we both have a lot of years of grappling under our belt...just never thought I would be using it with cattle.
So, we started our herd in April 2013 with 2 cows, 3 heifers (2 years) , and 1 heifer (1 year)...and we now, in July of 2014, have 5 cows, 1 heifer (2 years), 2 heifers (1 year), 1 heifer calf, 2 bull calves, and 2 steer calves...plus two dairy steers we picked up last fall (originally we had 5, but we've lost 3).
We are definitely glad we chose Dexters and we're looking forward to the years ahead!
Perhaps he had undescended testicles and so you missed them? And you just never watched him pee? I made the opposite mistake with our first calf. I saw the umbilical area and assumed it was a bull calf. Mama wouldn't let us near the baby, and it wasn't until about two days later that I happened to see the calf pee from under its tail. I made it a point to watch it pee because the lady we bought the cow from warned me that it's easy to think you have a bull when it's really a heifer, so be sure and watch it pee. Sure enough! "Hmmm," I said to myself, "never saw a bull pee like that!" Luckily we hadn't named the calf, and she is now a very excellent mother to her second calf. The first was a heifer and the second is definitely a bull! But then again, it's easier to tell because both the cows we have now let us handle their calves right off the bat.