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OP
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Today I was out to a friends ranch and they had a heifer give birth to the smallest live calf I have ever seen. I wonder if the calf even weighs 35 pounds. The heifer is not especially tall herself which is a good thing so the calf has no problem reaching the teats to nurse. It is amazing how short a time it nurses before it is satisfied. It is about three days old when these pictures were taken and seems healthy as can be. It was jumping around like any normal calf would.
Larry *********** "Speed is fine but accuracy is final" - Bill Jordan "We do not exaggerate when we state positively that the remodelled Springfield is the best and most suitable "all 'round" rifle".......Seymour Griffin, GRIFFIN & HOWE, Inc.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Outfitter
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Hey Larry,
Isn't having smaller calves what gives the Angus an edger over the Hereford? That is what my Grandpa used to say, anyway.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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They could name it "Quarter Pounder".
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery. Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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That is a dink for sure.
Usually when a calf is that small it's a twin.
Doubtful the heifer still has another calf in her 3 days later or she'd be 'sick'.
Must just be one really small calf!
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OP
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That is a dink for sure.
Usually when a calf is that small it's a twin. That was their first thought Sam, but she cleaned and shows no signs of having another one in her. She is a very mellow cow which helps the little one a lot. While we were watching she even moved one of her back feet to allow the calf easier access to lunch. I just have never seen one that small. She is even smaller than all the dogs on the ranch.
Larry *********** "Speed is fine but accuracy is final" - Bill Jordan "We do not exaggerate when we state positively that the remodelled Springfield is the best and most suitable "all 'round" rifle".......Seymour Griffin, GRIFFIN & HOWE, Inc.
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Joined: Feb 2003
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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Hey Larry,
Isn't having smaller calves what gives the Angus an edger over the Hereford? That is what my Grandpa used to say, anyway. That might be true enough Tim, but I doubt any rancher would like their calves quite this small. Although it would undoubtedly negate the worry of having to pull calves.
Larry *********** "Speed is fine but accuracy is final" - Bill Jordan "We do not exaggerate when we state positively that the remodelled Springfield is the best and most suitable "all 'round" rifle".......Seymour Griffin, GRIFFIN & HOWE, Inc.
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 149
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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Life is good ad long as the little one catches up. I used to have some cows but the calving season drove me nuts. I just buy them around 700 and feed them out now.
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Campfire Tracker
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Isn't having smaller calves what gives the Angus an edger over the Hereford? That is what my Grandpa used to say, anyway. No, that's all marketing.
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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Campfire Regular
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They could name it "Quarter Pounder". LOL!! Thanks for the chuckle...I needed it.
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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Hey Larry,
Isn't having smaller calves what gives the Angus an edger over the Hereford? That is what my Grandpa used to say, anyway. There's little difference in calving difficulties between Angus and Herefords. It's when you mix in some of the exotics like Charolais or Simmental that things get ugly. One chart I looked at was comparing the problems when different breeds of bulls were used on Hereford and Angus cows. It show that Angus and Hereford bulls produced calving problems about 3% of the time. For the larger exotics, it was closer to 20%. The calf birth weights were about 10lb higher with the exotics. The exotics were brought in to increase birth weights but the vet bills and calving losses offset any gains.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
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wont be able to tell unless it starts growing a beard and carrying around an ax
A serious student of the "Armchair Safari" always looking for Africa/Asia hunting books
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I get the humor but I am kind of curious. When I was a kid growing up my grandfather had a small meat market and did custom slaughering. Lots of ranchers brought in what I heard called dwarf calves to be butchered. All of them had big knee joints and a rounded forehead but none of the ranchers wanted to admit they were calves out of their herd.
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Campfire Tracker
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I doubt any rancher would like their calves quite this small. Many times they will end up being just a big as one born larger I'd rather have a small healthy calf with no birth problems than a bigger one that stresses the cow What matters is the size many months from now, and that has a way of evening out
One shot, one kill........ It saves a lot of ammo!
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A lot of acquaintances like to use a Longhorn bull with first calf heifers. They will throw a small calf. Easy birthing.
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Campfire Ranger
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Birth wt. vs. weaning weight is where it's at.
That said, I prefer my calves to be a bit larger.
I've always been a curmudgeon - now I'm an old curmudgeon. ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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for being hung like a donkey.
Epstein didn't kill himself.
"Play Cinnamon Girl you Sonuvabitch!"
Biden didn't win the election.
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Yeah, I remember the excitement when Charolais first burst on the cattlemen's radar in the 70's in Alberta... a lot of ranchers lived to regret investing in "big calves".
"I'm gonna have to science the schit out of this." Mark Watney, Sol 59, Mars
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Heck he will bring $400 on Craigslist but sell him asap
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