Calving has finally started!

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Hope its ok to post here? Calving got off to an abrupt start yesterday morning. One of them calved in the mud, so calf was covered, wasn't supposed to be for another week (or so the calendar said anyway) Calf was washed down promptly and was very strong, in fact we walked both out the field very well. Little baby is doing well now, is still suckling mum for 3 days to drink all the colostrum, then she will be bottle reared A strapping young heifer she is too, out of an unproven milking bull, supposed to be excellent. Pictures to come a bit later. We have some more due in the next few days, so beady eyes all round!

 

[milkloss]

Hope its ok to post here? Calving got off to an abrupt start yesterday morning. One of them calved in the mud, so calf was covered, wasn't supposed to be for another week (or so the calendar said anyway) Calf was washed down promptly and was very strong, in fact we walked both out the field very well. Little baby is doing well now, is still suckling mum for 3 days to drink all the colostrum, then she will be bottle reared A strapping young heifer she is too, out of an unproven milking bull, supposed to be excellent. Pictures to come a bit later. We have some more due in the next few days, so beady eyes all round!

Without pictures it didn't happen!

 

[Married 2 The Mob]

A thick skinned animal in Ceredigion, now that is something new on the Forum !

Would love to see some piccies too please.

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Here we are, piccies as promised.

 

[Adam@Rumen]

What's the temperament like of the mothers?

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Very good. Sometimes the mother can get a little protective of the little one, but the vast majority of ours are ok with us handling the calves as they know we mean no harm.

 

[William Mellor]

Do you need a specially designed palour? And how many is there to calve?

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

No you can milk them in a herringbone parlour. So far this month there will be another 4 to calve and then 3 in febuary of the same herd and then 2 of 2015 imports to calve. The rest of the 2 herds will be calving through spring-Autumn with one or 2 calving Nov-dec, I think, although will have to check the diary

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Meet the new bull calf born this morn out of very good milking genetics, will make a fine stock bull Fresh out the womb here, only less than an hr old.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Very nice.

Are you processing the milk yourself?

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Not currently, although we have in the past. We sell it for cheese production to smaller producers. We are going to be processing it into mozzarella later in the year

 

[kp_n_plghng]

What's you're litres per year and at what constituents? Interesting thread...

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

well it really depends on who is milking, they vary between lactations of 1500, 2,500 and the highest at 3000 this year, per animal, although yields will rise and drop, so not every single year is the same. How do you mean consituents?

 

[Philip Watkins]

...... How do you mean consituents?

Milk solids, fat and protein %

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Butterfat in milk is between 6.5% and 8% butterfat, although one has done 9%, last year. Perfect for cheesemakers

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Protein is 4℅

 

[milkloss]

Butterfat in milk is between 6.5% and 8% butterfat, although one has done 9%, last year. Perfect for cheesemakers

Protein is 4℅

Not as high as I thought but it's different sort of protein or something isn't it.

Really interesting thread btw

 

[Adam@Rumen]

Agreed, very interesting

Do you feed the calves normal calf milk powder?

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

We use Shine calf milk powder for them, as we find they do better on that. These calves will be getting 3 days of colostrum and 2 weeks on buffalo milk and will be weaned slowly onto full powder by about 3-4 weeks old, so they have the best start in life

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Here are some more pics/vids of calves and buff
https://twitter.com/Tammypuddleduck