"We gotta get her in the head-gate and pull this calf...NOW!" It was around 1pm on a sunny afternoon a week ago and we had a first-calf heifer who had been in labor, with her calf's legs sticking out, for going on three hours. Jer's first attempt to put chains on the calf's legs resulted in him being drug … [Read more...] about Pulling a Calf – Headgate and Chains
Calving
2015 Calving Update
We are nearing the end of May and calving has been in full swing for close to a month. Our first calf hit the ground on April 21st and we have had 11 more calves since - all strong and healthy. Of our 12 calves, we had to pull one 90lb bull calf, and then, provide literally a slight tug of the legs, with our hands, on a heifer calf. The calf likely would have … [Read more...] about 2015 Calving Update
Estimating Calf Birth Weight
For cattle producers with cow-calf operations, you may also be interested in our October 2019 post on: Beef Bull Castration: Using Castration Banders, including the Callicrate SMART Bander. We also discuss our new approach of "delaying calf processing." Be sure to check it out! Thanks! Birth weight is a genetically heritable trait in beef cattle that has a direct impact on … [Read more...] about Estimating Calf Birth Weight
Gearing up for another Calving Season
Across the country, cattle farmers and ranchers are hard at work. For some, they are wrapping up a long calving season and sighing a breath of relief as the warm, dry weather settles in. For others, like here in Northern Maine, winter is holding on until the bitter end (literally) and calving has either just begun or not even started yet. Here on the Wood Farm, our first … [Read more...] about Gearing up for another Calving Season
Introducing the Wood Farm 2014 Calf Lineup!
Finally. Our very first calving season is officially over. The majority of our calves were born in May but we had two late-calvers: one on June 13th and the last calf born on July 9th. For the last few weeks I have been trying to get an updated photo of each calf but they are quick, sneaky and camera shy little buggers. Without further ado, we introduce the Wood Farm 2014 … [Read more...] about Introducing the Wood Farm 2014 Calf Lineup!