Farming '90, 1990-03-21, Page 15FARMING ‘90, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1990. A15.
Helping hand
Close watch
During calving time, keeping records is of paramount
importance to ensure a groundwork of the facts needed to plan
and check breeding records. Mr. Procter carries this notebook
with him on his daily and nightly checks on their acreage where
he records each calf’s birth, their dam and sire, weight of the
calf and the calf’s number.
It must be a shock for this new born calf to slide out of his warm mother into a cold world but Mr.
Procter says that shock helps the calves. Almost all the calves are born outside since the mothers are
kept outside in bush lots but first-time mothers are usually placed in a barn so the Procters can keep a
good eyeon them. Here, Mr. Procter is helping acalf that was born just an hour ago to stand up.
Heave ho
Several hours after the calves
have been born, they are
weighed. With over 50 cows
calving during this period, Mr.
Procter’s arms are put to the
test as he wraps baler twine
around thecalf and lifts the
animal with a scale. This calf
weighed over 80 pounds.
Next best thing
Some calves just can’t seem to
nurse themselves and this is
when the farmer takes matters
intohisown handstoensurethe
survival of the calf. Procters try
to feed the calves within six
hours of birth or their chances
of living become very slim.
Here, John Dorsch, a hired
hand at the Procter farm feeds
the furry bovine some colus-
trum.
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