Latest calves

[lakeportfarms]

It may have been a while since some of you have had the fun of seeing some new calves and the "Awwww..." that goes with it.  We've had 9 of them in the last few weeks, so I thought I'd post a few photos.

Oh, and for those of you down South, some snow to go with it for the Christmas season 

[zephyrhillsusan]

Awwwwww! Definitely, awwwwww--especially the fiest one!

[hdrockn]

Awww from Texas too....Petunia has been teasing me for days and today was just too pretty a day in mid winter to pass up....baby girl was dry and basking in the sunshine.

[midhilldexters]

Great pics.
Hans you have some catch up to do on the snow tally. We have about 3 feet here but some villages around me already have over 50". Its been a bad week for snow. Now we are going into warm weather and they are saying 2" of rain. Going to be a mess here.

Carol

[ssimons]

Thanks for posting the pics. It renews my enthusiasm and boosts my motivation to keep chopping the ice out of the water troughs . As for the pics, I hope it doesn't minimize my masculinity if I say they're so d**n cute!

[ctownson]

Those are some great looking calves - congratulations!

[lakeportfarms]

Only 8" or so here Carol, with West winds we haven't been getting strong lake effect bands like you'll get, North winds are what we need for the snow here. We're headed to PA on Saturday just a bit South of you, and I've been watching the weather and see you'll be getting the rain since you're on the warm side of the storm, we'll be driving in rain most of the way except we're getting snow/freezing rain here since it's supposed to slide up to our Southeast and we'll be on the cold(er) side. Rain and melting snow is a mess, but I think you'll have a bigger mess after it gets cold again...watch both your and your cows footing!

Hdrockn, I chuckle at how green it is there, and how large your calf looks in comparison to ours! Congratulations on the girl. Our bull does turn out tiny calves, and most all of the recent ones have been chondro carriers for sure. Also of 9 calves only 2 heifers. We have three or four more due in the next couple of weeks, then a break until February, so hopefully we'll catch up on the heifer side of the ledger.

You can see in the photos along the wood fence where I installed a 2 hole heated auto waterer, one hole on each side of the fence. I also set up our new hay feeders along the fenceline to split the hay between the two "breeding" pasture areas. One for Mike and the non-chondro cows, and the other for a non-chondro bull to breed our chondro girls. After three months they head out to the rest of the property where we're running another long and short "backup" bull in different pastures along with the confirmed bred cows. It's worked out great. No breaking ice out of troughs and these small areas don't get too crowded. I also have a 55 gallon drum with a hole in the side bolted to the fence for the loose mineral. We've been working really hard on getting this and a couple other areas set up for the winter but it's been well worth it. We keep track of the dates, but since we're also parentage verifying all of our herd now (other than the steers) we know for certain who the sire is.

[Fran]

Those are so cute -- especially that first one!!!!

[hdrockn]

Hans, it is warm and greenish compared to where you are. We have had early cold enough to encourage us to build a shed on the side of the woods....I think we are due for a good bit more winter this year than for the last few. This mamma is a 9 yr old chondro + that seems to produce quality or quantity or both milk. Her heifer born last Dec.20 grew fast and tall and at 6 months momma shut down the milk wagon....we thought mom developed mastitis and milked her out and infused her teats....we separated them for the day and decided momma didn't really act like there was a problem...no stringy milk, heat or pain...so turned them back together...she would not let her nurse....will be interesting to follow this heifers progress...different bull.

[lakeportfarms]

Sigh....sadly the first one is a bull, out of Mike and Wieringa's Claudia, a daughter of two time AGM champion bull Ned.  He's A2/A2, short for sure, and we have a full brother just like him a year older that we're keeping. Actually we have about 5 dun shortie bull calves right now. So he's for sale if anybody is interested, or we're going to steer him sometime in the future. Gene, he could go under your Christmas tree! I'll include this picture, framed, along with the registration and full testing if anybody wants him 

[wvdexters]

What nice babies!!!! Congratulations!!!!!

[ssrdex]

Great pics Hans, definitely some awwwwwws...you too hdrockn! I'm ready for more calves...

[carragheendexters]

How cute is that little dun calf. Nothing cuter than a shortleg is there?
I'm using your snow photos to try and cool down, a week of 40c (105F) and I'm ready for snow LOL.
regards Louise

[rudi9396]

AWE!!!! Hans they are so sweet!! I didn't get the birthing emails I wonder if google is messing up.. Usually Sheril emails birth announcements. Congrats to the both of you!!    How much for the little bull in the first picture?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

[lakeportfarms]

Dec 28, 2013 11:24:28 GMT -5 rudi9396 said:

AWE!!!! Hans they are so sweet!! I didn't get the birthing emails I wonder if google is messing up.. Usually Sheril emails birth announcements. Congrats to the both of you!!    How much for the little bull in the first picture?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

I think Sheril was holding off the birth announcements for a while but she just told me she's been e mailing you the last couple of days.  You'll have to find some time to stop by to say hello and see them in person!  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too!