How can anybody be bothered with charolais?

[shumungus]

The highest averages at stirling bull sales has nothing to do with charolais calves being to dopey to suck and with the vet bills and labour to keep them living at birth the prices mighnt be that impressive.
All of them calved on their on, no pulling, Cavelands fenian is a highly recommended bull.
All cows have pre calving minerals.
2 cows were saler and 1 simmental. I thought saler was supposed to be thee cow for charolais calves.
The fact we have never had problems like this with any other breed (an occasional big belgian blue needed help with first suck) tells me its not a management problem but a breed problem.
The vet knew it was a charolais before he seen it and he said typical Charolais, not i don't think your managing them right.

So, you didn't blood test your cows and your not going to, OK.
Funny though that large BB calves also needed a hand.

 

[Chae1]

The highest averages at stirling bull sales has nothing to do with charolais calves being to dopey to suck and with the vet bills and labour to keep them living at birth the prices mighnt be that impressive.
All of them calved on their on, no pulling, Cavelands fenian is a highly recommended bull.
All cows have pre calving minerals.
2 cows were saler and 1 simmental. I thought saler was supposed to be thee cow for charolais calves.
The fact we have never had problems like this with any other breed (an occasional big belgian blue needed help with first suck) tells me its not a management problem but a breed problem.
The vet knew it was a charolais before he seen it and he said typical Charolais, not i don't think your managing them right.

Just use limousin bulls then if they work better with your cows.

It was your management decision to put these cows to a charolais bull? So its your fault.

 

[Werzle]

For my system they just didn't fit.bulls that were supposed to be easy calving but weren't. And I get Angus cross bullocks that could match them for growth , an better grades plus get a premium.understand why guys selling stores would have them but there just not for me.

We all try and do whats best for our farms and bank balance, no harm in that. I wouldnt entertain another advertised easy calving bull of any breed, last one i had threw awful looking small calves.

 

[Smith31]

Got to love TFF at times. I had exactly the same problem with calves not suckling years ago, but never mentioned it to anyone, as I thought it was just me with my inferior farming skills and I would get laughed at.

Looking at it now, even the farmer I purchased the heifers from no longer keeps Charolais cattle.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Got to love TFF at times. I had exactly the same problem with calves not suckling years ago but never mentioned it to anyone, as I thought it was just me with my inferior farming skills and I would get laughed at.

Looking at it now, even the farmer I purchased the heifers from no longer keeps Charolais cattle.

I think most farmers have experienced calves not sucking across most breeds...why do you think there are so many bald farmers

 

[Llmmm]

The last 3 charolais calves we had all wouldn't suck the cows at birth. 2 different bulls. The last one was cavelands fenian. Born now 14 hours and still wont suck the cow. Itll suck her if i hold its head and turn the tit into her mouth and risk getting my brains knocked out but i cant hold it coz the calf is too strong and hurting my back. Its a big strong lively bull but pure dense.
The 1 before ended up on a drip or it would have died and the one before that had to be taken to the vet too.
Vets response was typical charolais, so it must be a problem with them.
Our limousins are up and sucking in an hour.
When the second one eventually sucked on the third day it only ever sucked the front 2 tits. If youve nothing else to do then it might suit but to have another job they dont work for us.
After vet bills and time and colostrum the big price at market doesn't look so good.

The limousin breed is a super breed especially these double muscled type like blues which i hear the society doesnt like the main reason people use charolais is there worth more on the ring cus buyers fear limousins are wild

 

[Cowgirl]

Interesting subject, frustrating for you OP.
If you look at the veterinary literature there are many possible causes of calves being slow to suck. Minerals are part of the story perhaps especially selenium, but you might consider cow condition (poor - lack of protein, energy, fat -subclinical ketosis or fatty liver), diseases like BVD or Lepto, a slow, even if normal, calving causing the calf to be a acidotic, or even just cold. Charolais calves are often bigger than average therefore presumably more prone, but maybe there is an inherited tendency in some breed lines. Talk more with your vet.

 

[kmo]

I prefer a dopey Charolais to a hyped up Lim that's bouncing off the top of the crush and goes hedge hopping.

 

[digger64]

Interescharolais ct, frustrating for you OP.
If you look at the veterinary literature there are many possible causes of calves being slow to suck. Minerals are part of the story perhaps especially selenium, but you might consider cow condition (poor - lack of protein, energy, fat -subclinical ketosis or fatty liver), diseases like BVD or Lepto, a slow, even if normal, calving causing the calf to be a acidotic, or even just cold. Charolais calves are often bigger than average therefore presumably more prone, but maybe there is an inherited tendency in some breed lines. Talk more with your vet.

Is there any difference between gestation length with charollais and limousin ? I understand charolais to be 10 days later than most breeds , just what you want in a 1980's steamed up dairy cow !

 

[juke]

Is there any difference between gestation length with charollais and limousin ? I understand charolais to be 10 days later than most breeds , just what you want in a 1980's steamed up dairy cow !

Depends on the individual bull to the gestation period .. ,

 

[Cowgirl]

I think some Lims can also have quite long gestation lengths. It will certainly affect birth weight as the calf is growing rapidly at that stage. Bigger calf will take longer to be born. Another thing we have had with an old cow was hypocalcaemia - quite surprising in a beef cow but caused inertia.
I don’t think we realise just how hard on the calf it can be if birth is slow. We had a 2 yr old heifer delivered a calf in the night unexpectedly and although she delivered it herself, it was dead when we found it so we had it post-mortemed. They didn’t find anything - analysed minerals etc - but showed me photos of the calf’s brain. It was dark red and terribly congested - looked horrible and they said it was an indication that it had been on the way for too long. I’m sure if it had survived it would have taken a long time to stand and suck.

 

[beefandsleep]

Had one Sunday afternoon, huge bull calf out of a lim cross cow by an Angus bull, I milked her by hand and tubed the calf that would not stand and had very little suck. It was a little better Monday morning still dopey and unsteady but could stand. I jabbed it this morning with selenium and it is miles better now, they really do respond quickly.
Pulled the calf about 4 hrs after the cow started and I realised how big the calf was.

 

[juke]

my comment in my experience is, ive pulled a lot more lim sired calves than I have Charolais sired. forward planning , and knowledge of breed help dramatically and ignoring calving scores , if a bull has a greet muckle set of shoulders n head then I wouldn't use it regardless of any estimates.

 

[Durris Dave]

The last 3 charolais calves we had all wouldn't suck the cows at birth. 2 different bulls. The last one was cavelands fenian. Born now 14 hours and still wont suck the cow. Itll suck her if i hold its head and turn the tit into her mouth and risk getting my brains knocked out but i cant hold it coz the calf is too strong and hurting my back. Its a big strong lively bull but pure dense.
The 1 before ended up on a drip or it would have died and the one before that had to be taken to the vet too.
Vets response was typical charolais, so it must be a problem with them.
Our limousins are up and sucking in an hour.
When the second one eventually sucked on the third day it only ever sucked the front 2 tits. If youve nothing else to do then it might suit but to have another job they dont work for us.
After vet bills and time and colostrum the big price at market doesn't look so good.

Currently calving 330 to 7 different Charolais bulls and 3 saler bulls. I will be annoyed if I’ve to assist suckling more than ten of them and same for calving. You must be very unlucky with bulls as I’ve been calving them for twenty plus years and had the odd dope but never had any like you describe and were over 6000 on tags now.

 

[Bill the Bass]

The limousin breed is a super breed especially these double muscled type like blues which i hear the society doesnt like the main reason people use charolais is there worth more on the ring cus buyers fear limousins are wild

I agree limousins are a super breed, but I think these double muscled blue types are destroying the breed...??‍

 

[Weasel]

I've put a charolais to blue greys for years without much bother. Now on to sim luing cows. Have to help pull the odd one or help suckle but never anything major

 

[Turkish_FR]

They are soo round and cutee, Limousin cross and Charolais cross

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2849145685147287

 

[Northeastfarmer]

They are soo round and cutee, Limousin and Charolais cross

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2849145685147287

Every one of them wants to be hung up looking at them.

 

[Top Tip.]

Every one of them wants to be hung up looking at them.

They would struggle to be old enough to hang up,that will be last years calves.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

They would struggle to be old enough to hang up,that will be last years calves.

They look about 650 kilos