Is Raising Calves Like Raising Children?

The answer, in many ways, is YES!  The calves need to be checked at least once a day to make sure there are no signs of illness and that they are thriving on mom's milk.  This check can result in many actions being taken.  The best action is when nothing needs to be done but enjoying watching them play and petting them as they come to you.  If one is showing signs of sickness, this must be diagnosed and treated.  Sometimes we can do this ourselves and sometimes we have to call their doctor (our Veterinarian).  This is often more expensive than taking our children to the doctor and they don't have insurance!  During periods of mud, we may have one stuck in the mud that needs to be rescued.  Being separated form mom by a fence can be very dangerous and must be corrected as soon as possible.  The younger the calf is, the more dangerous this situation becomes to the calf.

For each farmer you talk to, you will usually get a different answer on how they care for their cattle.  This does not make one way right or wrong.  There have to be different ways to fit the farmer's schedule, available facilities and other individual factors.  We start calving in January so we do some extra work to help ensure the well-being of our calves.  Most nights we take the calves and put them in stalls in the barn that are bedded down with straw.  This protects them from wind and any precipitation.  This also allows us to get a good look at each calve twice a day.  In the mornings I am generally at least assisting in putting the calves back with their moms.  We do this a few at a time to make sure they are with the right mom.  The consistency of having the same person around them at least most days allows that person to know each animal's personality.  This knowledge makes it easier to tell if an animal is sick before they are really sick.  This is very similar to a mom knowing her child is coming down with something before anyone else can tell.  Since they are the barn most nights, the stalls are sprayed with disinfectant spray everyday to try and keep down the number of bacteria and virus in them.  Every couple of days or when the stalls become to dirty to put calves back into, all of the bedding is taken out in the morning.  During the day the stall is allowed to dry and that afternoon at chore time the stalls are bedded down with straw for that night.  This is a lengthy process, but it helps ensure the health of our calves so it is worth it in the long run.

As you can see, there are many things that we do for our calves that take is time and effort, but it is in their best interest.  This is just like our children.  There are many things we do for them when they need it done, because it is best for them.  See, there are many similarities!

Until next time,  remember.......Beef, It's What's for Dinner!