OT: Photo of abandoned Hereford calves, Rusty & Lucy.

[rangerider7]

I know not all the guys will be interested but I decided to post this photo anyway. These are the two abandoned calves we have been feeding for quite a few months. That's Rusty on the right and Lucy on the left. Lucy almost died a couple of weeks ago but with a worm shot and lots of B 12 she seems to have pulled through. We call her "Lucy Goosey" because she wont let you near her. Now Rusty is like your pet dog. He likes to be rubbed behind the ears and scratched. They love alfalfa but they will not touch those round bales of oats. I give them some sweet feed every once in a while. The owner raise them on a bottle at his home in the beginning. I know their spoiled but they seem to be getting stronger, especially Rusty. I thought the coyotes would get Lucy when she was sick but I guess Rusty kept them away. They are always together. I'm sure the owner will never get read of Rusty. I just thought it was a good photo and story.
P.S. That's alfalfa hay on Rusty's back he likes to throw it in the air to separate it. I think he's just likes to play with it.

[mescalero1]

I don't get it, he started with bottle feeding them, and then something happened?

[gimdandy]

raised lots of bum calves and you sure get attached to the danged things, but you keep doing it because you you enjoy the results, and because it's fun to walk out and they all but run over you when you get in their pen. Got a young mule that I've had to give lots of meds to and he 's real content to be left alone(can't do that )
Thanks for the pic. Maybe this winter when things slow down after hunting season I'll sit down and figure out how to post some pics myself since I enjoy everyone Else's so much

[Hobie]

For those of us who can't, or can't any longer, do such things, we certainly do enjoy these sorts of posts.

[gamekeeper]

I used to live near a farm in Herefordshire that exported a lot of Herefords to America in the 1870s,
The Farm was called "The Lean" near the village of Pembridge.

[mescalero1]

That must have been somewhat close to Hemel-Hempstead?

[RIHMFIRE]

I LIKE THESE KIND OF POSTS!!!!
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THEM TOO!
VERY RARELY DO WE SEE HEREFORDS IN
FLORIDA...MOST OF WHAT WE SEE AROUND
HERE ARE MIXED BREEDS OF EVERY KIND...

[rangerider7]

mescalero1, The mothers stopped letting them suck so they were starving to death. When we saw the mothers were drying up and turning the calves away to early we went and found them and brought them home and bottle Fed them until they were old enough to feed on grass. Then we took them to the corral, which has about a 1/4 acre attached to it, by the barn on the ranch. In this drought we needed to supplement their eating with hay and alfalfa was the food of choice by far.

RIHMFIRE, I personally think mixed breeds are best. They can stand the heat and bugs better. They also don't get sick as much.

[mescalero1]

Oh, ok, I did not understand sequence of events.

[2ndovc]

For those of us who can't, or can't any longer, do such things, we certainly do enjoy these sorts of posts.

Very much so.
I visited my Grandfather's farm every chance I got and loved every minute of it.

There's been a lot of days that I wish I'd gone that route.

jb

[mescalero1]

Idiot,
Seems I remember from your posts that you are married.
Even I, who is the last of the Mohicans, unmarried, no children, etc.
I ( at least ) feel the need for a sentient beings contact, a pet becomes more than a pet it becomes a companion, keeps me sane.

[2ndovc]

I'd rather spend my days surrounded by animals than most of the people I know.

except for a particular hot blonde

jb

[Don McDowell]

Just for kicks might want to give Lucy a 7 way shot, and treat her with some paste probiotics , to see if her little gut gets to working better. See if they'll eat some plain whole oats, calves seem to do a bit better on those and maybe some cracked corn than the sweet feed until they get older.
Also they do pretty well if you place one of the molasses lick tubs in the pen. (the little 50 lb horse tubs will do)
Dang bucket calves are about as bad as any other pet to have around and purt neart become one of the kids.

[rangerider7]

Don, we already tried some of the things you are talking about. I will try the molasses, we have plenty of them but were waiting a little longer.

[JerryB]

Thaks, I sure do miss working cattle them little calves are sure fun.

[Don McDowell]

Well just guessing from the details you've provided and looking at the picture , I'ld almost bet the poor lil gal never got any colostrum, or at least not enough to do her much good.
We've noticed that during calving if we keep the Vitalix, Crystalix etc handy to where the calves can get to it, they do a bunch better, and scours pneumonia etc are alot less common.
Dang drought will stretch everything a fellers got. I'm sure glad we had a decent spring but out drought is far from over.
Will keep you guys in our thoughts and prayers, that maybe you can get some decent grass.

[SmokeEater2]

Thanks for the pic RR7! We had a lot of Herefords when I was growing up until Dad started buying Angus cows. We always had a Hereford bull though and it made a good mix,tough youngin's that gained weight pretty fast. At one point we had a big Hereford bull named Adonis that was about as tame as a housecat,he'd come up and give You a nudge with his nose when he wanted to be petted. I was small enough at the time that one of his nudges would send me about 5 or 6 fast stutter steps.
Dad used to stop in the middle of the herd and take a deep breath and say " Ahh,smell that boy? that's the smell of money on the hoof!" Huh! At the time it just smelled like cow manure to me.

[BigSky56]

RR7, I believe Dons right about that calf not getting the first milk I'd keep hitting her with probiotics till she gets her stomach flora going so she can convert that feed. Theres some that is a powder that you can mix in the grain just acidophilus powder would work. Ive got a fondness for bucket or runt calves. danny

[44magHunter]

That was nice of you to take care of them.
I just don't get what you said. They were bottle-fed, but abandoned. Could you please re-phrase that so my little mind can understand?

[mescalero1]

That Rusty has got a personality, he's looking right at us.

[rangerider7]

44maghunter, go up a few post and it will all become clear. I think.

[kimwcook]

Raised bucket heads as a kid, and feeder pigs and chickens and horses and pigeons. You get the idea. We were pretty self supporting other than milk and we bought fresh whole milk from a neighbor. I miss the freshness and quality of what we raised, but I don't miss raising them.

[2ndovc]

Idiot,
Seems I remember from your posts that you are married.
Even I, who is the last of the Mohicans, unmarried, no children, etc.
I ( at least ) feel the need for a sentient beings contact, a pet becomes more than a pet it becomes a companion, keeps me sane.

Looks like Mr. "idiot" deleted his post.


jb

[mescalero1]

I was wondering about what happened to it.

[AJMD429]

Any of you who don't have enough 'range' for cattle should look into GOATS; just half an acre (or less, really) of woods or pasture is plenty for a few goats. You'll get about 1/2-1 gallon of wonderful fresh milk per day (takes about 5 minutes to milk a goat, and you do it 2-3 times per day) and manure for the garden, plus good 'pets' for the kids and so forth. Good for 4H too.

And - the meat is VERY tasty. Think a 'veal' version of 'venison'...

Oh yeah - they also 'mow' the grass for you - they won't eat it down to mud like horses or sheep - they're 'browsers' like deer.

And for us weenies, they are far less likely to butt or squish you than a cow...

(...don't ask about my fractured foot/toe a few years back... )

[2ndovc]

Always wanted a goat or two. they can be great pack animals too.

jb

[madman4570]

The man of the Range! You sir have a kind heart. Just in your words I can tell you get a good feeling helping out those in need,whether it being an animal or a friend! Good for you! Job well done!
They are cute little bugers too!

[awp101]

I'd rather spend my days surrounded by animals than most of the people I know.

Brother can I get an AMEN!

When I ran in home service, I was usually more interested in talking to the owner's pets than I was talking to the owners.

Good on ya RR7! Just a word of warning though, we have a cat who was bottle fed. He now thinks he's a 20 lb lap cat who should be in my lap 24/7. I suspect that may be a little rough on the lap if those calves turn out the same way...

[Ysabel Kid]

Very cute!

[pokey]

raised alot of bummer calves, beef and dairy, [also foals,puppies,kittens,etc]. sure bugs me to
lose one after investing my self in their well being, but keep doing it because the rewards seem
to counter that.

looks like yours are doing great, after a rough start.

good luck, pokey

[morgan in nm]

Excellent RR7. Had to do the same quite a few times. I don't think youll have a problem with the bottle calves unless you are going to eat them. That is always the hardest for people. I have a big jersey cow that was bottle fed and it is a blessing. I have never had a friendlier animal. Almost too friendly cause she will lick the hair off of you if she thinks she'll get away with it

[rjohns94]

excellent post. I have a heart for rescuing such critters, hence my mules. thanks for sharing

[jeepnik]

Spent most of my childhood around cows. Mostly holstiens, gurnseys, and jerseys. As a result, I spent a bit of times with calfs. Some were abandoned by their mothers and as a result were bottle raised. It wasn't so much a chore as a challange to keep them eating and growing. A few, once abandoned just seem to give up. Nature must have had a reason. But those that pulled through seems to always identify with me. Lot's of folks who never spent time around cows done't seem to understand that you can pick one out of a herd just by it's looks. To them, all those cows look the same.

[Rusty]

I called my mom the other day to see how many bottle babies she had at present. She's down to just one. It won't be long till a neighbor somewhere around will be bringing her another one I'm sure. They all know she's a soft touch for 'em. She always cries when someone comes to buy one too.

If y'all know anyone in S. Fla that needs a registered Brahma let me know... I have connections.